Say no to interview intuition and use behavioral science to make an objective call. 

Once upon a time, I was hired as a recruiter for a high-end employment agency. It was a positive experience and I did well in my position. I had a strong team of coworkers, so I was surprised to learn that they had implemented a personality test for new hires at our company. I was immediately curious and asked if I could take the test. Afterward, I was told I had “failed”. My manager laughed when I asked, “Failed what? Are you telling me I have no personality?”  

She had no answers for me and simply said to stop worrying about it.  What was the meaning of this silly test? Turns out it wasn’t the job for me. I’m easily bored and need exciting experiences to keep my attention. Hunting for CFO’s and accountants wasn’t engaging for me unless I was able to steal them from another company and make a lot of money doing it. Yet, even that high was short-lived for someone who thrives under stress and excitement. This is probably why I love the always adventurous property management industry and find myself working in it now. 

Over the years, we can perform jobs that are either perfectly suited for us or leave us wanting more and lacking in productivity as we become stale. The assessment I took back then could have given me the tools I needed to find my perfect position faster, and my employers the answers they needed to motivate me and keep me moving forward. Realizing their potential, I decided to investigate the reasons these assessments are used throughout the nation’s most successful companies. This is a bit of what I found:

I learned that assessments are not all created equal, and that there are several types including behavior, aptitude, skills, personality, talent and insight assessments. These are only a few of the many that have surfaced over the years. When implementing assessments, the genre should be personalized for your company and the position.  

Second, the employer’s main objective is to establish that the candidate can do the job and will do the job well. Assessments assist the employer in evaluating how a person will handle activities such as working with teams, complying to regulations, solving problems, and coping with pressure. Employers would seek out candidates whose skills and traits matched the job requirements. For example:

•The candidate for a Leasing Consultant position may be required to demonstrate a competitive nature, high motivation to achieve results, and the ability to initiate and close sales.

•The candidate for a Maintenance Supervisor position is likely required to demonstrate a practical and calculated approach to work, uphold work-safety practices, and cope with pressure.

•The candidate for a Regional Manager position may be required to demonstrate problem solving, team leadership, organization, and strong communication skills.

These requirements show that there is no pass or fail when it comes to assessments. These tests are based on the skills needed for a position. As you can see by the following quote, science rather than intuition is a better solution:

“Entry-level hiring is ripe for disruptive change, and companies that incorporate more objective methods with  scientific support can reap solid gains. This could benefit both employers and job applicants as more objectivity is incorporated into the hiring process.” – Sameer Gadkaree, Joyce Foundation Senior Program Officer

Next, I learned that although assessments are a fantastic way to hire, the improvement shouldn’t stop there. Once the candidate is hired, the assessment should be passed on to their manager to open lines of communication. Discussing job expectations and needs for future growth is the perfect icebreaker for structuring a coaching relationship with the new employee. My last hire took an assessment and during our review it was discovered that keeping on task was difficult for this individual. This was the perfect time for me to ask, “How can I better assist you in keeping on task?” It gave them the tools needed to stay focused and gave me the insight needed to make sure they were performing and staying productive. 

Finally, I learned that assessments can be used incorrectly. I spoke to a manager who said that she had stopped using assessments because her company was matching all new hire personalities to hers. She exclaimed, “I don’t want to work with only people who are exactly like me!” Assessments can be extremely useful when used correctly, but ineffectual when used incorrectly. Often inappropriate use stems from not having a clear understanding of what you want to measure and why you want to measure it. To avoid this mishap, have a clear understanding of job descriptions and what team structure you’re looking to build. By incorporating behavioral science into your talent acquisition and management, your ROI in monetary and company culture divisions will rise.