Pan eSeminar Two For One Using Assessments For Selection & Development 06 23 09

Copyright © TALX Corporation. All rights reserved.

Two for One: Using Assessments for Selection and Leadership Development

Jocelyn Courtney-Hays, pan – A TALX Company

June 23, 2009

2Copyright © TALX Corporation. All rights reserved.

Overview

• Introduction• Employment Assessments

• Selection • Development

• “Two for One” Assessment Strategies• Design• Benefits• Potential Challenges


Employment Assessments


Types of Assessments

• Selection Assessments• Biodata • Integrity

• “Two for One” Assessments • Big 5 Personality Assessments• Work-based Personality

Assessments• Cognitive Assessments

• Development Assessments• 360° Feedback• Type-based Personality


Selection Assessments

• Hiring Process Benefits• Reduced applicant pool• Improved quality of interviewees

• Hiring Results Benefits• Improved quality of hire• Reduced turnover• Reduced incidences of counterproductive

behavior• Theft• Absenteeism/Tardiness


Development Assessments

• Onboarding Benefits• Demonstrate commitment to new hires’ success• Provide information for supervisors/managers

• Employment Benefits• Provide developmental foundation• Provide information for organizational initiatives

• Succession planning• Team building• Changes in structure


“Two For One” Assessments

• Selection Benefits• Identify high potential job candidates• Provide results that inform the interview process

• Development Benefits• Establish a foundation of information to

facilitate training and socialization efforts• Provide stable results that contribute to the

employee development process


Two for One Assessment Strategies: Design


Developing an Assessment Strategy for Selection and Development• Step 1: Job Analysis• Step 2: Assessment Strategy• Step 3: Results Interpretation• Step 4: Report Design


Before you get started…

• Make sure your plan is in line with your goals!

Two for One: Selection Goals

Development Goals

Selection: Minimum Qualifications

Applicant Pool Reduction

Development:Feedback from othersPre- and Post-testing


Step 1: Job Analysis

• Goals• Identify work activities and critical competencies

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics

• Define the position’s relationship to other jobs

• Remember in any assessment program:

Job relatedness is critical!!!

• First step in establishing:• Legal Defensibility• Validity and Utility


Step 2: Assessment Strategy Decision

• Assessment should be based on:• Goals • Critical competencies • Assessment Quality • Administrative Factors


Step 3: Results Interpretation

Determine most effective

cut scores and decision rules

Train everyone responsible for selection and development

on assessment use

Establish and document evidence of assessment’s

validity and utility


Step 4: Report Options

• Selection• “Must have” competencies required for job success• Information needed to guide the interview process• Recommendations on job fit or candidate

qualification

• Development• Thorough competency information• Identify strengths • Identify opportunities for development


Two for One Assessment Strategies: Benefits and

Potential Challenges


Benefits: All of the above and then some!

• Selection• Guidance for interviews• Additional information on which to compare

candidates• Improved Quality of Hire• Increased Retention


Benefits: All of the above and then some!

• Development• Onboarding• Coaching• Team Building• Succession Planning


Benefits: Return on Investment

• Costs• Assessment strategy design and

implementation• On-going assessment costs

• By using assessment data for both selection and development, you get more “bang for your buck”!


Benefits: Consistency

• Employees are developed based on the criteria by which they were selected

• Employees know what is expected of them • Next steps in their career paths• How to get from “Point A” to “Point B” within

the organization


Benefits: Employee Attitudes

• Showing employees they are valued from the beginning may lead to increased: • Organizational engagement and commitment• Job satisfaction• Retention• Positive referrals


Potential Challenges: A One-Way Street• Using selection assessment data for

employee development is a good idea!

• Using development assessment data for selection, promotion or employment decision making is a bad idea! • Ethical Concerns• Privacy Issues


Potential Challenge: Timing is Everything• Communicate the specifics of the

development program during the on-boarding process

• Give the employee time to acclimate to the roleBUT…

• Don’t wait so long that utility is lost


Potential Challenges: Test after Test…• Set your standards…

• Develop a standard policy for addressing requests to re-test

• Develop a standard retesting procedure

• Utilize assessments that produce results which are unlikely to change over time


Potential Challenges: Share and Share Alike

• Generally, selection results (e.g., indicators of job fit and qualifications) are kept confidential• Could cause unnecessary discomfort or stress

on the part of the employee• If shared, assessment information should be

framed in a neutral, developmental context rather than an evaluative context


Potential Challenges: Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes• Changes to the job or organization may

influence your assessment strategy

• Interpret assessment information in light of how the job of interest exists now

• Tell employees how job and organizational changes relate to their individual development goals and activities


Potential Challenges: Liar, Liar

• Mitigate the potential negative effects of response distortion and impression management• Encourage candidates to answer honestly• Use assessments that are resistant to faking• Use “non-threatening” assessments• Proctor cognitive assessments


Final Thoughts • Keep your eyes on the prize!

• Upfront investment leads to big returns

• Choose/Develop assessments that:• Address your goals

• Selection (quality of hire, reduce applicant pool, etc.)• Development (on-boarding, coaching, succession planning,

etc.)

• Are high quality• Document job relatedness, evidence of reliability and validity

• Fit your administrative requirements• Cost• Time Required

• Evaluate and improve!


Questions or Comments?

Thank You!

Documents

Pan eSeminar Two For One Using Assessments For Selection & Development 06 23 09