The job has changed drastically…The job has changed drastically…your employment tests should reflect your employment tests should reflect

these changes!these changes!

What is CritiCall?What is CritiCall?• CritiCall is a nationally validated,

computerized pre-employment selection test for choosing successful public-safety dispatchers and call-takers

• CritiCall is designed to address the federal Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedure and the CALEA Standards for Public Safety Communications Agencies

CritiCall can tell if your job

applicants can actually perform

important job-related tasks

CritiCall Testing can…CritiCall Testing can…• Reduce Adverse Impact: Work-sample

testing has been shown to reduce adverse impact against protected groups of employees in some settings

• Lower Turnover: Persons selected using work-sample testing frequently stay on the job longer

• Measure the right skills for today’s communication center: The important job-related skills measured by CritiCall do not require any previous telecommunicator job experience or special training on the part of the applicant

CritiCall was created by theCritiCall was created by the Biddle Consulting Group (BCG) Biddle Consulting Group (BCG)

• BCG is a Human Resource Consulting company with over 30 years experience assisting public safety agencies in selecting their employees

• BCG has extensive experience in computerized testing and product support

• BCG provides a wide range of Equal Employment Opportunity services to clients nationwide

CritiCall is based on a CritiCall is based on a National Job Analysis StudyNational Job Analysis Study

• CritiCall was first developed and validated in a nationwide study involving 49 agencies from 12 states, varying in size and type– State, County, City, Local, Regional, University– Police, Fire, Ambulance, and Cross-Functional

Communication Centers

Since then, CritiCall Since then, CritiCall has been adopted has been adopted and validated by and validated by

hundreds of public hundreds of public safety agenciessafety agencies

• Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training has approved CritiCall for the hiring of telecommunicators and/or emergency medical dispatchers

• California Peace Officer Standards & Training (POST) Standards Section 1018[c] indicates that acceptable alternatives, such as CritiCall, can be used for pre-employment testing of public-safety telecommunicators instead of the POST test

“The U. S. Department of Homeland Security has chosen CritiCall® Pre-employment Testing Software for testing emergency-dispatch job applicants at the four Federal Protective Service E-9-1-1 mega centers.”

9-1-1 Magazine, April 2005

One Texas city reported it cost $88,000 for the

recruitment, testing, selection, training, and probationary

supervision of a single dispatcher

Selecting the wrong person can be very

expensive!

• Research indicates that 80% of newly hired telecommunicators who leave before finishing probation leave because they had inadequate job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities

• CritiCall measures important knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to be a successful employee prior to hire!

You can reduce turnover You can reduce turnover using CritiCallusing CritiCall

•“In 2000, before we started using CritiCall, we successfully trained and retained only 15% of our new hires. In mid 2001 we started using CritiCall and our retention rate rose to 54%. In 2002 we did even better, and retained 86% of our new hires. And, believe it or not, in 2003 we had a 100% retention rate. We have a lower number of new hires in 2003 due to the successes of the previous year, but for an agency that employs 60 plus dispatchers we’ll stand behind our record anytime. CritiCall was definitely not the only change we made to our hiring and training practices, but I consider it to be one of the most integral parts. Thanks again for a great product and feel free to call on me anytime!”

•Susan Koch, Training Coordinator, Washington County 911, OR

A comment from a satisfied CritiCall user…

We will gladly provide references upon request!

With just the click of the mouse, you can access all of

CritiCall’s many features!

CritiCall’s System Administrator Program

CritiCall screen-shot

JUST CHOOSE & CLICK

CritiCall’s built-in Test Creation Wizard makes it a snap to

choose those test modules that are appropriate for the job as it

exists in your agency

It’s a snap to customize the test administration features

Easy to Customize

CritiCall screen-shot

You can easily customize many areas of CritiCall

CritiCall is self-administering and self-scoring! The applicant just

signs on and takes the test.

CritiCall screen-shot

APPLICANTS JUSTSIGN ON AND GO!

Re-Testing is Re-Testing is Safe and EasySafe and Easy

• There are three versions of every CritiCall test module

• CritiCall automatically administers a different version of the test each time an applicant takes the test– Applicants who re-test are never

given the same test two times in a row!

CritiCall has tests that measure CritiCall has tests that measure the ability to…the ability to…

• Quickly & accurately enter data copied from a page and/or heard on a headset

• Make decisions and perform more than one task at a time (multi-tasking)

• Compare / Contrast data• Listen to calls and summarize or answer

questions about the calls• Use information from an alphabetized list• Prioritize• Plus…

CritiCall also has tests that CritiCall also has tests that measure the ability to…measure the ability to…

• Read maps and understand directions• Determine most likely events• Read and comprehend written text• Accurately spell easily-confused words

– e.g., “The doctor has lots of patience” vs. “The doctor has lots of patients.”

• Identify clearly-written phrases• Perform job-related Math• and more…!

“Our agency uses the CritiCall program as a pre-hire testing format and it has enabled us to find and hire the most qualified applicants. Being able to hire the most qualified individuals for the dispatch center has allowed us to spend our training budget more wisely. I would recommend the use of CritiCall to other agencies looking for pre-hire testing formats.”

Cynthia L. GeigerTraining Coordinator, Berks County Communications Center

Another comment from a satisfied CritiCall user…

We will gladly provide references upon request!

You can also develop & administer You can also develop & administer your own test questions for your own test questions for

Promotion or Training Testing with Promotion or Training Testing with CritiCallCritiCall

CritiCall’s Validation Wizard feature automatically guides your agency through a basic content-related

validation study of the job-relatedness of CritiCall testing by

asking your experienced employees a series of simple questions

CritiCall screen-shot

CritiCall uses the information from the Validation Wizard to

create an extensive report, which can be presented as evidence of

job-relatedness and non-discrimination

CritiCall Report

CritiCall Never CritiCall Never Becomes OutdatedBecomes Outdated

• CritiCall is constantly updated to meet the ever-changing needs of the Public Safety Communications Community

OutstandingOutstandingService and SupportService and Support

With every CritiCall system, for the first full year you receive

Complimentary software upgradesComplimentary software updatesUnlimited toll-free telephone support

•  “We couldn't be more impressed with the test. It simulates our work environment so closely and weeds out people who wouldn't be able to handle the our jobs. I love the fact that the stress factor is there, because that is what it's like to answer multiple phones, multiple officers on the radio, run tags, enter a call, and continue to our jobs. We have invited several surrounding agencies to come and see the test and if it is something that could help out in their centers. •We have been using it to test for about the last year and our turn-over rate is at 0% for the ones we hired using CritiCall. This has cut down the people we bring into our hiring process which saves us time, and saves our Detectives time on backgrounds. The hiring process is lengthy enough, we want to be sure the people we are spending the time on have an above average chance of making it in our field.•  Thank you so much for creating something that has positively affected our center. I would highly recommend CritiCall to anyone needing a new way to test.”

•Gale Pruett, Communications Supervisor, •Franklin Police Department, TN

Another comment from a satisfied CritiCall user…

We will gladly provide references upon request!

• CritiCall’s consultants support the public-safety community by contributing articles to publications such as the National Journal of Emergency Dispatch, 9-1-1 Magazine, Public Safety Communications (APCO), Emergency Number Professional (NENA), and other magazines and journals about personnel selection and other organizational issues

• CritiCall representatives present educational sessions at national/regional communications conferences such as APCO, NENA, and the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch (Navigator)

• CritiCall products and services are proudly exhibited at national and regional conferences

• CritiCall “User’s Group” meetings are held at the national public-safety telecommunication conferences

“CritiCall covers each of these key areas for us and is a very realistic simulation of our dynamic environment, not to mention it requires very little to no time to administer and is very easy to implement. I just wanted to let you know how pleased we are with CritiCall. I will gladly share the word with others considering your product and you are welcome to add me to your reference list.”

Cindy ThomasRESPONSE Services Center, Columbia, Maryland

Another comment from a satisfied CritiCall user…

We will gladly provide references upon request!

In Summary, CritiCall…In Summary, CritiCall…• Uses a combination of work-sample and

other testing to measure computer-related and many other skills that are needed prior to the first day on the job

• Is virtually self-administering and self-scoring

• Can lower turnover / save money• Can decrease training & supervision time• Is easily validated specifically for your

agency• Can be used to create your own tests

Bona-fide public-safety agencies can obtain a free demonstration version of

CritiCall to review by calling

800-999-0438

CritiCall also offers optional personality testing specifically tailored for public-safety dispatcher and calltaker applicants

Did you know…?Did you know…?

Thank you!Please call us at 800-999-0438

for more information

Pre-Employment Testing SoftwarePress the ‘Back’ button to return to the biddle.com website

Or visit the CritiCall website at criticall911.com