Talent Management Tools

How much did your last bad hire cost the organization?

Do you know what is driving the deep-freeze behaviour between two members of your team? And why aren’t the tech folks coming up with the innovative new stuff they promised?

Human behaviour can be a mystery, and yet there are ways we can gain some insight into all of these situations. Certain assessments can help us to clarify a person’s motives; others can help them understand the effect of their actions on others, and still others will assist you to choose the best fit for your firm from among various candidates. Legal and ethical considerations are also a factor in choosing the best tool.

Today’s choice of assessment instruments is so wide and deep, that it is easy to feel frozen in the headlights; misread the conditions, and so make a less than effective choice. For instance, even with a good attitude and diligent effort, if a person’s learning style, workplace behaviours and/or interests do not match well the characteristics needed to be successful on the job, neither the individual nor your organization will benefit from the endeavour. In fact, a mismatch between the person and position often results in high turn-over, sub-standard performance, and worker disengagement. An appropriate job fit is essential for high achievement.

Our talent management tools of choice

Use the best tools, to put the best people in place, to achieve the best results for them and your organization. The assessment instruments offered by Profiles International® are designed to identify the areas and degree of fit between the person and the position. Profiles’ assessments can help with hiring, team selection, individual development, succession planning, performance management, on-boarding (orientation), job matching, and many other HR functions.

Our multi-step process begins by creating a portrait of the characteristics an optimal performer in the position would demonstrate. Only then do individual applicants complete the online assessment, which automatically generates a valid and reliable portrait of the candidate’s scores in relation to the position portrait.

The report is not a comment on the candidate – or an incumbent looking for advancement – as an employee. It is simply a snapshot of the person’s scores against those of the position. Low scores only mean that the candidate is probably better suited for a different type of work.

If the individual is already in the position, the assessment enables the employee and the employer to develop a coaching plan to help him or her perform as well as possible in the job. Or, it may help identify a different opportunity within the organization in which the person can be successful. Alternatively, if the incumbent is performing well already, the Profile report can offer excellent guidance to assist him or her to achieve even better results.

Remember, assessments should never count for more than 30 per cent of your process. You must still conduct an appropriate search; review resumes carefully, and check references thoroughly. Behavioural interviewing, using challenging questions, is a key factor in hiring well, and the Profiles International® report includes an interview guide for this purpose.

When you do decide to add assessments, however, remember that those – such as Profiles International® – which take into account personality, abilities, interests and job matching can predict on-the-job success by as much as 75 per cent.

Also see “Tools for Recruitment and Retention” and “Assessing Assessments for Organizational Practice”

Carol J. Sutton Cert.ConRes. uses the Thomas Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument© in her work, and is a Certified Trainer of the Strength Deployment Inventory©, TTI© Behaviours and Motivational Values Preference Indicator (DISC), and Profile® XT, Profiles Sales Assessments™, Profiles Managerial Fit™ and Profiles 360°® assessments. More information

Copyright(c) 2013 Carol J. Sutton Cert.ConRes.