Beyond the Resume: The Role of Behavioral Assessments in Hiring

I have successfully used a pre-employment behavioral assessment as a critical part of the hiring practice for over 30 years.  I believe in their importance for several reasons, the greatest of which is it will help you gain a deeper understanding of a candidate's potential cultural fit beyond what a resume or interview might reveal.

Here are my 5 reasons why I believe in them plus My Recommendation:

1. Predict Job Performance

• A behavioral assessment can indicate how someone might behave in a work environment, how they handle stress, interact with others, solve problems, and stay motivated. It will measure a candidate’s natural style and needs.

2. Cultural Fit

• A good behavioral assessment will gauge whether a candidate aligns with the dealership’s core values. A mismatch in work style or values can lead to disengagement or turnover.  Whenever a manager hired with no regard to the assessment results and eventual turnover happened, the assessment proved to be spot-on in determining why the candidate did not fit the culture.

3. Reduce Turnover

• By identifying candidates more likely to thrive in a given role or environment, these assessments can help reduce costly hiring mistakes and improve employee retention.

4. Unbiased Evaluation

• When used correctly, a behavioral assessment can offer a more standardized and objective way to compare candidates and reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process.

5. Improve Team Dynamics

•  Identifying individual behavioral drives and identifying how these can influence team dynamics helps managers build better-balanced teams.

My Recommendation: Predictive Index (Contact me for assistance)

• Easy for the candidate to use in under 10 minutes
• It cannot be manipulated and accurately pinpoints a candidate’s behavior
• Use it as an ongoing management tool

Find additional actionable leadership content when subscribing.