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Psychometric Assessment

Summary: In depth job-analysis, psychometric measures and interpretation, to improve accuracy in recruitment and support client’s onboarding process of successful candidate.

The Challenge

Impact Psychology for Business was commissioned by a Manchester-based NHS Trust to support the recruitment process for an Associate Director role. Due to the complexity and importance of the role, the hiring manager wanted to ensure that they selected the most competent person, as well as the most appropriate fit for the organisation.

The Approach

Impact Psychology for Business has extensive experience of administering and analysing psychometric measures which enable improved accuracy in recruitment.

We conducted an in-depth job description analysis to identify the competencies required for the role. We created a competency map and used it to design the psychometric assessment that would offer the most reliable measurement of a candidate’s suitability for the role. The tests we used were from SHL:

  • Verbal Reasoning Test – This is an online test that is designed to measure a candidate’s ability to evaluate the logic of various kinds of arguments and draw conclusions from written statements. This assessment is suitable for Director level and relevant for HR positions, where critical aspects of the role are analysing and interpreting written and oral information, preparing documents, and delivering presentations.
  • Numerical Reasoning Test – This is an online test that is designed to measure a candidate’s ability to make correct decisions or inferences from numerical or statistical data. The test involves analysing data in the form of a graph or chart, performing calculations, and answering short questions, and is suitable for Director level and for roles that include budgets and costs, trends and margins, for example.
  • Executive Scenarios Situational Judgement Test – This online measure is a unique test of managerial judgement, which is specifically designed to assess judgement in Executives. The test assesses an individual’s ability to decide on effective ways of handling real life situations, measured across three main areas of: managing objectives, people management and corporate management.
  • Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ32) – This online personality questionnaire assesses key behaviours at work. It is one of the most widely used and respected measures of workplace behavioural style in the world. The OPQ provides a clear framework for understanding the impact of personality on job performance and provides valuable information on the overall personality of the candidate.

Impact Psychology for Business managed the test administration process, promoting ED&I and offering candidates reasonable adjustments where required.

We interpreted each candidate’s OPQ personality profile, Situational Judgement and Ability test results and wrote individual psychometric feedback reports. Each report highlighted the individual’s strengths and suggested development areas to probe at interview.

The lead consultant provided online feedback of the candidates’ results to the hiring manager prior to the interview date. They used their professional expertise to help the hiring manager interpret the reports what they results suggested in relation to the candidates’ suitability.

The Outcome

The hiring manager expressed how helpful the psychometric reports and the interpretation by the consultant were in ‘painting a picture’ of a candidate’s ability and personality which they found useful when preparing for the interviews. They found the suggested competency-based probing questions outlined in the reports very useful and appropriate with the necessary degree of depth and used them to support gaining extra information in the interviews.

Both the written and verbal feedback assisted with the client’s onboarding process and were used when creating a personal development plan for the successful candidate.