Center for Business, Industry & Labor

              cbil.org

On Target • On Demand • On Site

IBM client training will be hosted at our DEC Computer Training Lab.  Nationwide Training Alliance has selected CBIL DEC lab as their St. Louis based training site.

The I.Q. of Personality

The Pre-Employment Differentiator

By Tony Centracchio, M.A.

For decades, organizations have turned to cognitive abilities tests to predict job performance. It is a commonly held belief that smart people are better workers. However, this is not always true. In fact, current research indicates that intelligence alone only tells part of the story. Leadership, teamwork, conscientiousness and other personality traits also play major roles in the likelihood of success on the job. This is most evident in service organizations where personality is not only as important as intelligence, but oftentimes more important. Intelligence alone cannot close the sale or ensure excellent customer service, rather it is the individual that possesses the critical personality traits required of the position.

How many times has your organization hired a person who excels on the cognitive abilities tests used during the pre-employment process only to find out later that the person in unable to perform the day to day duties of the job? Yes, aptitude is almost always a good predictor of future job performance, but it does not provide the insight into the fit between the person and the job. This is where personality testing becomes an incremental value to the selection process.

To illustrate this, in a meta-analysis (a statistical practice of combining the results of a number of studies to arrive at a more accurate estimation of effects) of 117 studies of job performance and personality, Barrick and Mount found that conscientiousness consistently predicted performance for all jobs from managerial and sales positions to skilled and semiskilled work.

Further studies have shown that personality, objectively defined and objectively assessed, accounts for around 35 percent of the difference in performance and that a high level of conscientiousness can deliver up to seven extra working days per employee per year and reduce accidents by up to 16 percent and result in higher customer satisfaction in jobs with frequent client interaction.

CBIL’s holistic approach to selecting talent not only identifies applicants with the required cognitive abilities, but also the personality characteristics necessary for success on the job. For instance, let’s assume this hypothetical example; you are attempting to fill a leadership position requiring a collaborative leadership style. Based on cognitive abilities scores, you identify two qualified candidates, however one is more inclined to be a directive leader and the second a collaborative leader. In the right situations, both have the abilities to be a successful leader, however, a directive leader in a collaborative environment is destined for failure or will likely have a difficult time adjusting to the environment.

CBIL’s comprehensive personality assessments can help you to hire the right person for the right job by determining the following applicant behaviors:

and key aspects of job performance:

CBIL can also provide you with the following reports based on your individual needs:

• Behavioral Styles Report - A powerful interpretation aid for qualified users preparing to give feedback.
• Management Competencies - Shows how preferred work styles influence an individual's performance on 16 key success factors or competencies.
• Leadership and Associate Styles - Describes the individual's leadership style as well as how they are likely to behave as a direct report.
• Candidate Report - Provides feedback for candidates in summary form.
• Manager's Report - Gives untrained line or hiring managers insight into a candidate's preferred work behaviors.
• Emotional Intelligence Report - Assists in relationship building by highlighting how employees manage their feelings and relationships with others.

All of this information can be gathered and presented in summary reports in less than one hour and for a fraction of the cost of a bad hiring decision.

Contact Tony Centracchio, Research Business Practice Leader, today at 314.539.5325 or for a sample report.