Intelligence Really Does Predict Job Performance: A Long-Needed Reply to Richardson and Norgate

One commonly studied aspect of the importance of IQ is its validity in predicting job performance. Previous research on this subject has yielded impressive results, regularly finding operational validities for general mental ability exceeding 0.50. In 2015, Ken Richardson and Sarah Norgate criticized the research on the relationship between IQ and job performance, reducing it to virtually nothing. Their assessment of this topic has enjoyed little criticism since its publication despite the crux of their arguments being undermined by readily available empirical evidence and thirty years of replication of the contrary. This article replies to their main criticisms, including the construct validity of IQ tests and supervisory ratings, the validity of the Hunter-Schmidt meta-analytic methods, and possible psychological confounders.