There is always an element of risk when appointing someone new, particularly at a senior level. A candidate may have the right experience and perform well at interview, but it can still be difficult to understand how they will operate once they are in the role.

How do they make decisions under pressure? What motivates them? How do they deal with conflict or uncertainty? And how well will their natural style suit the demands of the position?

A thorough interview process should answer many of these questions. Psychometric testing can provide some useful additional evidence and help the hiring team decide which areas they would like to explore further.

Here are some of the main things to consider when using psychometric assessments as part of an executive search.

1. What are the main benefits?

One of the main advantages of psychometric testing is that it can provide information that may be difficult to uncover during an interview.

Depending on the assessment used, it can look at attributes including critical reasoning, motivation, personality and preferred ways of working. At executive level, this might help you understand how a candidate is likely to approach decision-making, communication, change or the management of different stakeholders.

The results also give the hiring team another source of evidence. Interviews, however well structured, still involve an element of subjectivity. A candidate may make a strong personal impression or have experience that feels familiar to the interview panel. This can sometimes influence how their suitability is judged.

A psychometric assessment will not remove that subjectivity altogether, but it can help to test the impressions formed at interview. It may confirm what the hiring team has already seen or bring up something that deserves a closer look.

The results can then be used to shape the next interview. If a candidate’s profile suggests they may be less comfortable challenging others, for example, the interviewer can ask for specific examples of when they have had to take a difficult position with a board, client or project partner.

There is no right or wrong personality profile. The value comes from understanding how the candidate’s preferences relate to the role they are being considered for.

2. What tools are available?

There are many different assessment tools available, covering personality, ability and situational judgement.

Personality profiling is the type we most commonly see used during an executive search. These assessments look at how somebody is likely to behave at work, what motivates them and how they prefer to interact with other people.

Some tools group people into broad personality types. These can be helpful for team development and for starting conversations about different working styles, but they tend to be less useful when comparing candidates for a particular appointment.

For recruitment, trait-based tools usually provide more relevant detail. They assess a range of individual characteristics and produce a profile that can be considered against the requirements of the role.

Established options include SHL’s Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ), Saville Assessment’s Wave and Talogy’s P.A.P.I. Although they use different formats and terminology, each is designed to provide insight into workplace personality and behaviour.

We use the OPQ on behalf of clients, with the report tailored around the competencies that matter most for the appointment. This is important because the same profile could be viewed quite differently depending on the role.

For example, a preference for taking control and reaching decisions quickly may be useful in an operational leadership position. In a role that depends on lengthy consultation and consensus across several organisations, the hiring team may want to explore how the candidate adapts their approach.

Situational judgement tests are another option. These present candidates with realistic workplace situations and ask how they would respond. For a senior role, a bespoke assessment can be based on the types of decisions and competing priorities the successful person is likely to face.

Ability tests usually assess areas such as verbal, numerical or critical reasoning. They are less commonly used for senior executive appointments, where there is normally already substantial evidence of a candidate’s capability. They may still be helpful where a particular type of reasoning is central to the role.

3. When should the tool be used?

Psychometric assessments can be used at different points in a recruitment process, depending on what the employer wants to learn.

For an executive search, we would normally use personality testing once the shortlist has been agreed or between the client’s first and final interviews. The results can then be discussed with the candidate and used to suggest questions for the next stage.

Personality assessments should not generally be treated as a pass-or-fail test. Their purpose is to give the hiring team more information and to help them explore how somebody is likely to approach the role.

Ability tests are more suitable for screening earlier in a process, provided the skills being measured are clearly relevant to the position. Situational judgement tests can be used at either stage, depending on how they have been designed.

Before introducing any assessment, it is worth being clear about why it is needed and how the results will be used. Adding a test simply because it is part of the usual process is unlikely to provide much value.

The assessment should also be suitable for the role and administered by someone who is properly trained to interpret it. Candidates should be told what the assessment involves, and reasonable adjustments should be available where required.

4. How much weight should you give the results?

Psychometric testing should form one part of the overall assessment process, but they can be a valuable addition to an executive search.

Viewed alongside the candidate’s experience, competency-based interview evidence, references and the context in which they have previously worked, psychometric assessments can offer a fuller picture of the candidates under consideration.

The results can also support the successful candidate’s onboarding, providing a useful starting point for conversations about their working style, development and the support they may need in the role.

To find out more about personality profiling and how it can be included within an executive search process, drop us a message at enquiries@newsomconsulting.co.uk.