4 February 2010

Are your candidates of substance or just waxing lyrical?

The cold snap has caused further problems in a commercial climate that is already suffering, however, some companies have reported a good start to the year. Indeed many small to medium sized companies took the opportunity to capitalise on planning for the year ahead during the “extended Christmas break”.

Many firms spent last week contacting the job websites in their bid to identify new members of staff that have the relevant experience and aptitude for vacant roles. For many companies, this will be a long and potentially arduous task, but it doesn't have to be that way, by investing in psychometric testing, employers could be saving themselves a small fortune in the long run.

The philosophy of employing a new staff member with the right experiences is of course an important aspect to any hire, however, ensuring that they have the right personality for the company should also be on the priority list.

Psychometric testing will not be able to answer all of the questions or tick all of the boxes for employers but it will add significant value by:
Identifying the most appropriate candidate through understanding their aptitudes (gaining and understanding of their mindset and how they will handle potential situations within the organisation such as working within a family business or a dynamic environment that requires flexibility and self motivation). Clearly analysing past behaviour (and possibly getting to the bottom of those “brushed over” remarks in the CV or exaggerations of what a candidate has actually achieved)

Enabling an employer to plan and identify specifically what they want to get out of their new employee in the longer term. The skill sets presented and discussed during the interview may well fit with the organisations short-term requirements, but what other skills may need to be developed in time? Does the candidate waxing lyrical as to how they can bring value to the organisation have the wherewithal to meet such needs? This latter point can sometimes be overlooked.

The focus is all too often placed on the information on the CV in front of them due to lack of preparation time prior to the interview stage. Psychometric assessment systems such as McQuaig Job Survey and McQuaig Word Survey have a pre-made set of questions that have been designed to give the employer a clear outline of the types of response for their perfect candidate.

Finally, Career psychometric tests need to be viewed as fluid tools and not a standalone static system. These systems have been designed to be developed with the growth and therefore changing demands of an organisation as it matures.

Author: Iain Chalmers

Credentials: Iain is Managing Director of The Holst Group, the exclusive distributor of the leading Psychometric instrument The McQuaig System in Europe. The Holst Group is also the European Strategic partner of Dr Edward de Bono, the world's leading international authority on Creativity and Thinking skills. Iain's background is in marketing and graphic design working within large and small organisations on brand, design and identity. Having lived and worked in Europe, North America & Asia Pacific, Iain brings experience and cultural understanding to The Holst Group's domestic and international client base.

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