Hi Catherine
I have just joined HRBuzz and saw you posted this a couple of weeks ago. I am not sure if you have had your questions answered, but though this might help:
There are a number of critical elements to introducing psychometric assessment to your selection process such that you get significant value from doing so:
1) First, accurate and detailed profiling of the behaviours and abilities required for success in the role is critical. If this is inaccurate or too generic (usually the case), you will find that the information you get back from the psychometric tests is quite general, and its difficult to tell how it directly applies to performance in the role.
2) Appropriate selection of assessment tools is the next major step. There are a number of excellent psychometric instruments on the market at the moment, and also some that are less useful. Other assessment tools are more appropriate for employee development purposes and should not be used/are not useful in selection contexts. I choose tests on a case by case basis, depending on the specific questions that need to be answered. That said, it is best if organisations can choose a suite of assessment tools appropriate for their organisation and use these consistently. This allows follow up validation of the effectiveness of the tests on job performance.
3) Thirdly, the positioning of the psychometric tests in your selection process will be important. Some organisations use the personality test, for example, as a final check after all interviews have been completed. While this still provides some excellent insight into the individual's natural style of thinking and behaving, it is best positioned after the first interview, so that assessment 'results' can be explored with the individual during the second interview. I usually provide my clients with a number of interview and reference check questions based on the specific results of the person's assessments.
4) Finally, it is really important to train and educate all those involved in the assessment process. Pscyhometric reporting varies significantly in quality and insight. You can get basic automated reports from some test providers (good for high volume due to lower cost) or more tailored reports that integrate all information from the various tests so you have a clear and succint picture of the person (no need to wade through pages of data). Either way, it is important that those who will be interpreting the reports and sharing this information with hiring managers understand the basic test constructs and the principles of psychometric assessment. I have seen assessment data misunderstood and misused to the detriment of the candidate and the organisation.
This is just a start, as there are many more things that need to be considered - so please feel free to email me if you'd like to discuss this further (alyosh06@bigpond.com). In summary, my experience with psychometric assessment has convinced me that it can be an extremely valuable inclusion in the selection process, providing significant insight into potential hires that is unlikely to be picked up in interviews alone. It is also an effective way to reduce both the short and long-term cost of the selection process.
Kind regards,
Alyson
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