Pre-Employment Testing News: HOW TO AVOID HIRING VIOLENT EMPLOYEES:PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS HELP YOU MAKE SAFE WORKPLACE
Pre-employment tests plus other techniques may help you avoid hiring violent, perhaps even murderous, employees. You do
>not want to hire potentially violent employees
>need to create a safe workplace
Recent news reported a company’s employee murdered co-workers, and then committed suicide.A surveillance camera caught him stealing.The company was firing him when the massacre began.
So, how might that company – and your company – avoid hiring violent, perhaps murderous, job applicants?
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS HELP PREDICT VIOLENT TENDENCIES
Certain personality test scores tell you if a job applicant may lash out in violent or dangerous ways. Good news = In my 20+ years’ pre-employment testing experience, no company using my personality tests hired an employee who became violent on-the-job.
Interestingly, some companies using my pre-employment tests rejected job applicants due to their poor test scores, and those applicants responded in aggressive or threatening ways to their rejection.
More good news = Those companies called me to say my pre-employment tests forecast serious problems in those obnoxious people – and helped them reject those terrifying people.
What pre-employment test scores could help you foretell a job applicant may be a violent or dangerous person? Since you can use two types of personality tests – dependability tests and behavior tests – let’s look at “bad” test scores that may predict violence.
‘DEPENDABILITY’ PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST MAY WARN YOU OF POSSIBLE VIOLENCE + OTHER RISKY PROBLEMS
Companies give “Dependability Forecaster(tm) Test” to job applicants applying for “blue-collar” jobs, such as lower-level, entry-level, unskilled or semi-skilled jobs.
If an applicant gets low scores on five “Dependability Forecaster(tm) Test” scales, watch out – for possible violence or other trouble:
1.Dishonesty on DF – if applicant does not answer test honestly, that is bad sign
2.Lousy Work Ethic – imagine the anger of a lazy bum whom you tell to work harder
3.Impulsiveness – impulsive people act before thinking – so imagine if they get mad
5.Substance Abuse Concerns – substance abusers want you-know-what & want it now
So, if a job applicant gets bad scores on the dependability-type personality test – congratulations.You quickly discovered an applicant whom you probably want to avoid hiring.Don’t you feel better knowing this – before you hired that risky person?
BEHAVIOR’ PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST FORECASTS POSSIBLE ANGER VIOLENCE + MORE
The employment test entitled, “Behavior Forecaster(tm) Test” predicts 14 work behaviors, including interpersonal skills, personality traits, and motivations.Companies give this pre-hiring test to applicants for skilled and “white-collar” jobs.
Be careful with applicants who get certain scores on “Behavior Forecaster(tm) Test.”For starters, a low score on Honesty on BF scale is a bad omen.I received phone calls from companies that rejected applicants who scored low on Honesty scale, telling me some of those dishonest applicants became “stalkers.”They bugged the hiring manager who rejected them.You need to avoid hiring such dangerous people.
On this pre-employment test’s interpersonal skills scales, you may feel suspicious of people who get very high scores on Aggressiveness scale.Job applicants who get high Aggressiveness scores “eat people before breakfast – and spit them out before lunch.”Be careful about hiring applicant who gets very high Aggressiveness score.Such people can act overbearing and pushy when they do not get their way.
Also, consider it a bad omen when a job applicant gets the following risky test scores in the personality section of the behavior pre-employment test:
a.Lax & unconcerned about Following Rules, Policies and Procedures
b.Whining & ultra-upset Reaction to Pressure
c.Pessimistic – focuses on problems, and ignores solutions
d.Excitable – hyped-up & looking to get rid of steam
e.Very Emotion or Feelings-Focused
If an applicant gets such risky personality test scores, do not “light a match” near that person.They may be ready to explode verbally or physically when they feel bothered or upset.Better yet, you probably prefer to not hire people with such possible personality problems.Why would you want to put them on your payroll?
2 PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS HELP YOU AVOID HIRING POSSIBLY VIOLENT OR DANGEROUS JOB APPLICANTS
Pre-employment tests can help you hire productive employees who work well with others, and help you create a safe work environment.I explained warning signs you must watch for when you look at job applicants’ scores on two types of personality-related tests:
1.Dependability test
2.Behavior test
Such pre-employment tests not only help you hire the best.They also help you hire safe people you and your employees will not need to fear.
Michael Mercer, Ph.D., is a book author and management psychologist.Dr. Mercer created all 3 “Forecaster(tm) Tests” – pre-employment tests companies use to select productive employees.His 5 books include “Hire the Best – & Avoid the Rest(tm)” and also “Turning Your HR Dept. into a Profit Center(tm).”He delivers speeches and seminars across North America.You can contact him – and get no-cost subscription to his Management Newsletter – at www.MercerSystems.com
------------------------------------------------------------ WHAT ARE PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS... AND WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?
Pre-employment Test are tests that organizations give to job applicants to help them hire employees who are productive, dependable, and low-turnover.
What does research say about Pre-Employment tests? Research on pre-employment tests and other prediction methods indicate pre-employment tests are the most method to accurately predict how an applicant may perform on-the-job, if hired.
In contrast, interviews typically are a lousy method to predict an applicant’s job performance. Also, reference checks, unfortunately, are quite useless, because many companies refuse to reveal negative information about their former employees.
Why are pre-employment tests so accurate at predicting actual job performance?
Pre-employment tests that work well are created after doing In-depth research. The research is done find out which test questions work best in the test, plus make sure the test is both reliable and valid.
What is pre-employment test validity and reliability?
Use pre-employment tests only if they were created using research to establish the test is both (a) valid and (b) reliable.
Validity of a pre-employment test means the test accurately predicts or forecasts exactly what it is meant to predict.For example, if one scale or section of the pre-employment test aims to predict if a job applicant is teamwork-oriented, then that test scale is valid only if accurately measures how much or how little an applicant likes teamwork.Or, if a test scale helps predict Problem-Solving Ability, then that Problem-Solving Ability section must be a valid or accurate measure of Problem-Solving Ability.If a test scale helps predict Theft/Stealing concerns, then it needs to be a valid or accurate prediction of an applicant’s possible Theft/Stealing behavior.
Reliability of pre-employment tests is different than validity.Reliability of a pre-employment test can be established through research in a number of ways.In general, reliability means a test reliably or consistently measures what it is supposed to measure.For instance, if multiple questions predict Teamwork, then those Teamwork questions must overall measure Teamwork and not some other factor.Also, test-retest reliability means that if a job applicant takes the pre-employment test one day and then takes the same test at a later date, e.g., a month later, then the applicant’s scores should be the same in at both times.
In summary, use pre-employment tests only if they were created using research to establish the test is both (a) valid and (b) reliable.
What “Assessments” Are NOT Pre-Employment Tests?
Pre-employment tests are specially researched and created specifically for testing job applicants.
In contrast, some organizations mistakenly use “assessments” meant for training or teambuilding with current employees when they evaluate job applicants.This is wrong to do – for a number of reasons.For instance, such “assessments” are not researched, designed, nor justifiable for pre-employment testing of job applicants.Also, if any question is raised about the use of such “assessments,” the organization certainly may have a very hard time explaining why it used an “assessment” meant for training or teambuilding to evaluate job applicants.
So, only use pre-employment tests that actually are researched and designed to test job applicants.Do not use “assessments” that are not researched, designed, meant for, nor justifiable in your evaluation of job applicants.
What Types of Pre-Employment Tests Might I Use?
Three types of pre-employment tests can help you hire the best.
1.Mental Abilities Tests – help you predict job-related cognitive abilities, such as
a.Problem-Solving Ability
b.Vocabulary Ability
c.Arithmetic Ability
d.Grammar, Spelling & Word Use Ability
e.Ability to Handle Small Details with Speed & Accuracy
2.Behavior Tests – help you predict key interpersonal skills, personality traits, and motivations:
a.Interpersonal Skills
Friendliness
Assertiveness
Teamwork
b.Personality Traits
Following Rules & Procedures
Poise Under Pressure
Optimism
Calm vs. Excitable
Feeling-Focus vs. Fact-Focused
c.Motivations
Money Motivation
Helping People / Service Motivation
Creativity Motivations
Power Motivation
Leaning / Knowledge Motivation
3.Dependability Tests – help you predict key factors, such as,
a.Honesty on test
b.Work Ethic
c.Impulsiveness (may be linked to safety, accidents, & interpersonal conflict)
d.Stealing / Theft concern
e.Substace Abuse concern
Will Pre-Employment Test “Catch” Job Applicant Who Lies on Test?
A correctly designed pre-employment test will detect – or find out – if an applicant lied by giving answers that may make the applicant seem “better or different” than the applicant really is.
In sharp contrast, “assessments” designed for training or teambuilding – and not for pre-employment testing – do not have such a built-in lie detector.
A good pre-employment test can usenumber of methods to “catch” a job applicant who tries to answer its questions dishonestly.Perhaps the best method involves using a set of truism questions.
You will not “catch” a lying job applicant if you only rely on whether or not the applicant answered different versions of the same question the same.For starters, whentest asks different versions of the same question, that is for (a) creating a scale on that topic and also (b) reliability.
Here is why that will not catch a lying or dishonest applicant:The liar could consistently answer those questions dishonestly.
Recommendation: Always ask the Business Psychologist who created the pre-employment test how the test will “catch” or detect if an applicant answered questions to “pull the wool over your eyes.”
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTING EXPERT INTERVIEWED ON KGO’s GIL GROSS SHOW
Pre-employment test expert Michael Mercer will appear today on KGO’s Gil Gross radio show. Dr. Mercer is author of “Hire the Best & Avoid the Rest” (13th printing).
The pre-employment tests he researched and created are “Abilities Forecaster™ Test, Behavior Forecaster™ Test, and Dependability Forecaster™ Test. Companies use personality tests and cognitive abilities tests to help them hire good workers with a good work ethic.
KGO is
San Francisco ’s #1 radio station.It is 50,000 watts. Gil Gross is an award-winning radio journalist.His show broadcasts daily on KGO AM 810, 2-4pm. P.T.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Mercer, Pre-Employment Testing Expert is quoted inNational Federation of Independent Businesses. Please click on link to read article.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Here are some of Dr. Mercer's Press Releases & Articles:
Pre-Employment Test News: 4 MOST COMMON REASONS MANAGERS HIRE LOUSY EMPLOYEES (+ 3 Guidelines to Help You Hire the Best)
I repeatedly notice managers do make four mistakes that result in hiring losers – employees they wish they never hired.I will help you avoid making these four blunders.Plus, I will reveal to you three guidelines that will help you hire fantastic employees.
4 REASONS MANAGERS HIRE LOUSY EMPLOYEES
1st Reason = Applicant Acts Charming
Managers feel mesmerized by applicants who act charming.Such applicants act friendly, smile at you, look into your eyes, compliment you, and display other make-you-feel-good charm.
Such applicants would earn an “A” grade in charm school.
The problem is managers who hire lousy employees tend to feel overly swayed by applicants’ charm.Resist the temptation – don’t let yourself get swept away by a smooth operator who charms you.
2nd Reason = Applicant Has Seemingly Relevant Work Experience
Many managers get carried away by applicants whose work experience appears relevant. However, many applicants might have seemingly relevant experience.Also, just because an applicant has relevant experience in one organization never means that person will do well working for you.What it takes to succeed in one organization – or for one manager – never is exactly the same in your company or working for you.
So, do not fall in love with an applicant just because the person has semi-pseudo-relevant work experience.
3rd Reason = Manager Feel Desperate to Hire Someone Fast
I jokingly say that some managers feel a horrible compulsion to hire someone ‘yesterday.”That means they have an open position, and they feel pressure to hire somebody right away. That is a recipe for disaster.
Of course, sometimes you have an open position, plus you have a need to fill it ultra-soon.But, hiring with such desperation often results in hiring people you later regret hiring.
Remember:Each time you hire someone you are betting.You are betting your (a) career and (b) company.If you hire enough losers you injure your career, and may even get de-employed.Also, if you hire enough underachievers, you hurt your company – harming productivity and profits.
4th Reason = Manager Is Too Lazy to Find More Applicants
Managers who hire lousy employees frequently are lazy – and will hire almost anyone to avoid spending time finding more and better applicants.Such managers have a “To-Do List” with, for example, 10 action items to do.Regrettably, finding better applicants is not among their 10 action items.
SOLUTIONS – SO YOU AVOID HIRING LOUSY EMPLOYEES
Here are solutions to help you hire the best. 1.Never get swept away by applicants who act charming and/or have semi-pseudo-relevant work experience.
2.Never rush to hire someone fast and/or be too lazy to find more and better applicants.
3.Use pre-employment tests.Well-researched pre-employment tests – that you can get custom-tailored for specific jobs in your company – give you an objective, scientific evaluation of each job applicant.
Three pre-employment tests can be used to assess applicants.First, a personality test forecasts an applicant’s interpersonal skills, personality, and motivations – and the test is not swayed by an applicant who acts charming.Second, cognitive ability tests measure up to five key brainpower factors – and never get affected by an applicant who may have seemingly relevant work experiences.Third, a dependability test helps you uncover an applicant’s work ethic, safety, and if the applicant may steal or be a substance abuser.
Importantly, pre-employment tests that you get custom-tailored for specific jobs in your company give you the huge advantage of being able to find out if the applicant has the most important qualities needed to succeed in your organization.
EXPENSIVE LESSON = HIRING LOUSY EMPLOYEES
Managers sometimes call and tell me they hired a lousy employee.When I question how they decided to hire that lousy employee, I overwhelmingly find they (a) hired based on applicant’s charm and work experience or (b) felt desperate compulsion to hire fast or (c) was too lazy to find better applicants.
Also, managers who hired losers usually made these mistakes:Either they (a) did not test the applicant, or (b) ignored glaring warning signs pre-employment tests revealed about the applicant – warning signs indicating they should not put that person on their payroll. As I hear their distress, I want to comfort them, so I point out, “Well, you learned from this experience.”
Then, the managers always say something like this:“Yes, I learned from the hiring mistake I made – but it was a terribly expensive lesson.”
3 GUIDELINES – TO HELP YOU HIRE FANTASTIC EMPLOYEES
Simply follow three guidelines to help you hire productive, dependable employees:
A.Stop getting carried away – by applicants’ charm and work experiences.
B.Never hire fast – in your desperate rush to fill a position ASAP.
C.Use pre-employment tests – and pay close attention to applicants’ test scores
COPYRIGHT 2009 MICHAEL MERCER, PH.D.www.MercerSystems.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pre-Employment Test News: LOWER TURNOVER + LESS ACCIDENTS + BETTER TEAMWORK
A pre-employment test I researched and created – “Dependability Forecaster(tm ) Test” – helped me learn a lot about people who are turnover risks, accident-prone, and rub co-workers and customers the wrong way.Specifically, such people are impulsive.So, you should avoid hiring impulsive people.
Definitions: *Impulsive people = act before thinking. *Non-impulsive people = think before acting.
You want to hire job applicants who think before acting, that is, people who are responsible, careful, prudent human beings.
BAD JOB PERFORMANCE – IF YOU HIRE IMPULSIVE PEOPLE
If you hire impulsive people – that is, people who act before they think – you are more likely to have expensive problems, such as
-Accidents – because they are careless
-Interpersonal Messes – because impulsive people blurt out inconsiderate, hurtful remarks
-Turnover – because they are disloyal and uncommitted
-Substance Abuse – because substance abusers are impulsive people
-Absenteeism – because they do not care that you expect them to show up
-Lost Customers – because impulsive people fail to offer good service
-Violations of Rules – because they think it is o.k. to break your rules
In fact, my pre-employment test research to created “Dependability Forecaster(tm ) Test” discovered a statistically significant correlation between being (a) substance abuser and (b) highly impulsive.My test research finding means
*substance abusers = highly impulsive people
*when you hire highly impulsive people = you are more likely to hire substance abusers
You do not want to hire substance abusers, do you?
GOOD JOB PERFORMANCE – IF YOU HIRE NON-IMPULSIVE PEOPLE
When you hire people who are not impulsive – that is, people who think before they act – your company may profit from
+Safety – since non-impulsive people think to avoid accidents
+Nice Relationships – with customers and co-workers
+Retention – since non-impulsive people are more likely to be loyal
+Less Substance Abuse – low impulsiveness does not correlate with substance abuse
+Better Attendance – they follow rules, including showing up for work
+Good Customer Service – because they consider their words and use good manners
+Rule & Policy Following – because they feel rules are meant to be followed
EXAMPLES OF IMPULSIVE EMPLOYEES’ HORRIBLE MISTAKES
You can imagine these examples of impulsive employees:
-Delivery person – carelessly unloads a truck, dropping boxes, thus breaking the contents
-Patient’s Caregiver – unsafely picks-up patient, thus dropping and injuring the patient
-Warehouse employee – injures himself by incorrectly picking up a box
-Housekeeper or Janitor – spills dangerous chemicals
-Kitchen Staff – waste food, and violate health rules
-Car Valets – take joyrides in clients’ cars or dent cars
-[fill-in examples – of impulsive employees you witnessed]
1 JOB WHERE IMPULSIVE PEOPLE DO SUPERBLY WELL
Believe it or not, impulsive people are sought after for one highly visible job.For this position, impulsive people are the very best.
Impulsive people are the best people to select – if you are casting a reality TV show.Why?Because reality TV shows thrive on antics and “drama” of highly impulsive cast members.
You do not produce reality TV shows.So, avoid hiring impulsive people.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST = BEST WAY TO PREDICT APPLICANT’S IMPULSIVENESS
Without pre-employment testing, most managers fail to spot impulsive job applicants.Research proves interviewers overwhelmingly make incorrect predictions about applicants.
Fortunately, a pre-employment test researched and designed to forecast – or predict – an applicant’s level of impulsiveness cannot be faked by a job applicant.A built-in lie section warns you if an applicant tries to fool the test.
In creating pre-employment tests – for entry-level and blue-collar job applicants – I found it crucial that the test assess applicants’ dependability.A key dependability ingredient is thinking before acting, that is, being non-impulsiveness.So, the pre-employment test includes an impulsiveness prediction section, in addition to also predicting (1) honesty on test, (2) work ethic, (3) stealing concerns, and (4) substance abuse concerns.
The pre-employment test’s Impulsiveness scale is a very useful – but seldom seen – prediction that managers need.
YOU CAN AVOID HIRING IMPULSIVE PEOPLE
Your management goal is to hire employees who are productive, low-turnover, safe, team players, and dependable.Such stellar employees typically are
*non-impulsive people – who think before they act
*not impulsive people – who act before they think
A pre-employment test that includes a specific impulsiveness prediction gives you the easiest, quickest and most accurate prediction of how impulsive an applicant is.Such a pre-employment test helps you avoid hiring trouble-making impulsive people.So, make sure you hire applicants seem suitable on all prediction methods you use, including getting low-risk scores on the pre-employment test’s impulsiveness section.
“Pre-employment tests plus two other techniques help reduce stealing and theft by employees,” explained Michael Mercer, Ph.D., a test researcher and author of Hire the Best – & Avoid the Rest.“This is important advice, given that The Wall Street Journal” and Fox News reported increases in employees stealing plus employee theft’s financial drain on companies.
“Stealing by employees drains a company’s finances and morale,” said Dr. Mercer, a corporate psychologist in Barrington, Illinois.The value of stolen items rose one-third in two years, according to PriceWaterhouseCooper’s survey of 5,400 companies.Also, 20% of employers find employee theft a moderate to big problem, found Institute for Corporate Productivity research.
“Stealing starts by hiring lousy humans,” claims Dr. Mercer.“Plus, employees know anything reducing profits impacts their job security.If a company loses money to theft or stealing, eventually employees may get laid-off to decrease losses.”
Fortunately, Dr. Mercer offered three tips to avoid hiring job applicants who are thieves and discover which employees steal.
”First, pre-employment tests that forecast dependability help companies hire non-thieves.” points out Dr. Mercer.“The fastest and cheapest way to avoid stealing by employees is to avoid hiring job applicants who will steal.”Dr. Mercer created a pre-employment test, “Dependability Forecaster™ Test,” that helps predict if an applicant might steal.Companies have job applicants take his test so they can hire applicants who are unlikely to be thieves.
Second, Dr. Mercer recommends doing background checks.Unfortunately, background checks typically only uncover if an applicant was convicted in the locale where you do the check, for example, your county.If an applicant was convicted elsewhere, then you may not find out.
A solution Dr. Mercer proposes is to “use both a dependability pre-employment test plus a background check, and then only hire applicants who come out great on both.”
Third, Dr. Mercer suggests managers “act like James Bond.It may not sound nice, but you need to spy on employees.Companies can install video cameras, tracking devices and other allowable spying instruments.He recounted how one of his clients used pre-employment tests to avoid hiring thieves and also installed tracking devices on its delivery vehicles.The result was the company hired non-thieves and also discovered and fired thieves on its payroll.
Finally, Dr. Mercer advises companies to “make sure employees realize you watch them.They will thank you for stopping workplace theft and increasing their job security.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pre-Employment Test News: 4 METHODS HELP YOU HIRE THE BEST SALES REPS
Pre-employment tests plus other applicant evaluation methods help you select salesperson job applicants who will turn into highly productive, super-profitable sales reps.These applicant evaluation methods include pre-employment tests, intriguing bio-data, vague job interview questions, plus colorful role-plays.
Hiring fantastic sales reps is crucial.As Henry Ford wisely observed, “Until someone sells something, no one else has a job.”A company with monstrously effective sales reps can grow and prosper.However, a company with wonderful products but lousy sales reps will wither away.
So, how can managers hire highly productive sales reps? Here are four great methods you can start using immediately.
Use two pre-employment tests to evaluate sales rep applicants:
1.Behavior or personality test
2.Mental abilities or intelligence-related test
The behavior or personality test needs to forecast the applicant’s behavior in three key areas:
a.Interpersonal Skills – e.g., friendliness, assertiveness, and teamwork
b.Personality Traits – e.g., poise under pressure, optimism, and action-orientation
c.Motivations – e.g., if the sales applicant feels driven to earn incentive pay
The mental abilities or intelligence tests forecast if the applicant has enough “brainpower” to
+learn – how to do your company’s sales job
+think correctly – to solve problems encountered while selling your company’s products
Importantly, before using personality and intelligence tests, you must conduct a benchmarking study.This custom-tailoring tells you specific test scores of your company’s best salespeople.
Then, when you test applicants, you quickly, easily and objectively can
>favor job applicants who got same test scores as your company’s best sales reps
>weed-out applicants whose test scores differed from your best sales reps’ scores
Hundreds of pre-employment test benchmarking studies I have done – for many companies – often result in this “benchmark” pattern of test scores gotten by the best, super-productive sales reps:
>high scores on Friendliness
>average scores on Assertiveness
>average scores on Following Rules & Procedures
>high scores on Poised Under Pressure
>high scores on Optimism
>Calm for inside sales reps – but Excitable for outside sales reps
>high scores on Money Motivation
>average scores on Intelligence or mental abilities
As such, pre-employment tests enable you to objectively – not subjectively – know if a sales rep applicant has crucial personality and intelligence qualities similar to your company’s best sales reps.That is the reason pre-employment tests tremendously help companies hire the best sales rep applicants.
Importantly, using pre-employment tests removes the tendency of managers to like applicants who con them through (a) charm in interviews or (b) semi-pseudo-relevant work histories.Pre-employment tests helps you avoid getting fooled again by a smooth talking sales applicant.
2ND METHOD = INTRIGUING BIO-DATA
Bio-data means biographical data, and yields loads of super-useful insights into which applicants you should seriously consider.
Suggestion:When you conduct your pre-employment test benchmarking study of your best sales reps, also have them fill-out a questionnaire on their bio-data from before they started working for your company.The bio-data questionnaire helps you gather specific details of your company’s best sales reps’ work experiences, education, training, compensation, and more.
For example, in bio-data questionnaires I created for many companies, I continually find successful sales reps worked during high school.That is only one example of useful bio-data.
Armed with exact bio-data of your best sales reps, you then can include relevant bio-data questions in your interviews.For instance, if all your best sales reps worked during high school in service-type jobs, then you definitely want to see if each applicant you interview had similar experiences.
Translation:See if each job applicant you might consider has bio-data similar to your best sales reps’ bio-data.
If the pre-employment test scores of an applicant are similar to scores of your best sales reps, then you probably want to make time to conduct an in-depth job interview.
Unfortunately, too many sales applicants come across exceedingly wonderful in typical job interviews.After all, salespeople know how to make a good impression and “knock your socks off.”
Secret Revealed = Here is a trick sales applicants use to make you “fall in love” with them:Immediately upon meeting you, the applicant gives you a nice handshake with good eye-contact and a smile.The applicant compliments something about you, your company, or your office.Then – and here is the cincher – the applicant makes you laugh within 120 seconds after meeting you.After that laugh, the applicant’s charm offensive has melted the heart of most interviewers – and the interviewer then incorrectly slobbers positive ratings on almost everything the sales applicant says.
Fortunately, you can avoid doing a typical interview, and getting conned by a salesperson.
First, only interview job applicants who got pre-employment test scores similar to scores of your company’s best salespeople.Second, make a list of the most important 6 – 9 job talents you must have in anyone you hire.These might include persuasiveness, friendliness, teamwork, handling obstacles, action-orientation, and desire to earn incentive pay.
Third, avoid telling the applicant you are looking for those job talents.Instead, ask vague questions.Then, listen to whether the applicant might have talents you need.For example, if teamwork is important, do not ask a question like “Do you like teamwork?”Any applicant with some brains would know to say, “Yes” to such an obvious question.
Instead, ask a vague question, such as, “What are examples of the work situations you enjoy most?”Then, notice if the applicant tells you examples of work situations involving (a) teamwork or (b) working alone.If teamwork is a key job talent, then you prefer an applicant who gives examples of enjoying teamwork – and not examples of enjoying working alone.
Warning:Never ask any interview question that gives clues to job talents you want the applicant to have.
Whenever I create custom-tailored “Interview Guide Forms” for a company to use, I always make sure none of the questions I create tell the applicant either (a) the specific talent is being evaluated nor (b) the desired “right” answer is. Unfortunately, most managers give hints to the answers they want to hear.Do not be one of those naïve managers.
4TH METHOD = ROLE-PLAY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SALES KIND
If an applicant’s pre-employment test scores are similar to your best sales reps’ test scores, plus the applicant’s bio-data is similar to your best reps, plus the applicant did well in your in-depth interview, then you really ought to use an ultra-useful but seldom used additional prediction method.It is a carefully crafted role-play.
To do the role-play, tell the applicant to try to sell something to you.It can be any product or service both you and the applicant are familiar with.The applicant plays the sales rep and you play the prospective customer.
During the role-play, you must evaluate the applicant’s skill on using six key selling steps:(a) Quickly developing comfort and rapport with prospective customer, (b) uncovering prospect’s needs, (c) probing important details, (d) presenting solutions, (e) overcoming objections and resistance, and (f) asking for the order.
If the job applicant excels on these key sales steps, that is a good sign.If not, then you must decide if the applicant is worth training in your company’s sales procedures.
FORMULA TO HELP YOU HIRE THE BEST SALES REPS
Only hire applicants who get all wonderful ratings in the following surefire hiring formula.
Pre-employment tests + bio-data + in-depth interview + role-play = fantastic odds you will hire a highly productive sales rep. Copyright 2009 Michael Mercer, Ph.D., www.MercerSystems.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pre-Employment Test News: PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST & 3 OTHER METHODS HELP YOU PREDICT IF JOB APPLICANT IS SUBSTANCE ABUSER
One kind of pre-employment personality test gives hiring managers a quick, easy-to-use way to avoid hiring substance abusers – e.g., alcoholics and drug abusers – and other bad characters.Plus, you also have few more methods you can use in your quest to avoid hiring substance abusers.
FACTS:SUBSTANCE ABUSING EMPLOYEES WASTE YOUR COMPANY’S MONEY
Fact #1 = No manager I ever spoke with wants to hire a drug abuser or alcoholic. Fact #2 = Substance abusing employees waste huge amounts of a company’s money.
According to U.S. Department of Labor estimates, drug abusing employees waste $75 - $100 billion/year in (a) lost time, (b) accidents, (c) healthcare, and (d) workers’ compensation.In fact, substance abusers force horribly expensive problems onto their employers: -65% of on-the-job accidents are by substance abusers -3 times more absences than non-substance abusers -16 times more healthcare benefits than non-abusers
-16 times more likely than non-substance abusers to file worker’s compensation claim
Fact #3 = If you send drug abusing employee for treatment, it costs you big bucks.
Your company pays money for alcoholism or drug abuse problem you did not cause.Translation:You pay to treat a substance abusing employee you never should have hired in the first place!
Conclusion = Managers need to use pre-employment tests and other steps to avoid hiring alcoholics, drug addicts, and substance abusers.
Here are four methods to help you avoid putting drug addicts or alcoholics on your payroll.
1st METHOD = PRE-EMPLOYMENT TEST PREDICTING SUBSTANCE ABUSER PERSONALITY
One type of personality test helps you quickly predict – or forecast – if a job applicant may be a substance abuser.You do, after all, want dependable employees – including employees who are not possibly alcoholics or drug abusers.
I call such a pre-employment test a “Bad Apple Test.”Why?This test helps you avoid hiring an applicant who is a “bad apple” – someone with flaws that harm productivity and waste your company’s money.
A good pre-employment test that helps you avoid substance abusers predicts up to five crucial factors that impact applicants’ job performance:
a.Substance Abuse concerns
b.Theft / Stealing concerns
c.Honesty
d.Impulsiveness [e.g., safety, accidents, etc.]
e.Work Ethic
Hiring managers, of course, crave to hire applicants whose pre-employment test scores indicate low concern for possible Substance Abuse.You also want applicants who are (1) unlikely to steal, (2) honest, (3) not Impulsive, plus (4) have good work ethic.
In sum, a pre-employment test predicting substance abuse personalities helps hiring managers achieve their goals to
+screen-in “good apples”
-screen-out “bad apples”
2ND METHOD – AVOID HIRING SMOKERS
You reduce your odds of hiring alcohol or drug abusers, if you can avoid hiring smokers.After all, most substance abusers are smokers.
Question:How often have you met an alcoholic or drug addict who did not smoke?
Answer:Probably never.
So, if you avoid hiring smokers, then it will be harder to hire a substance abuser.
Note:Not all smokers are substance abusers, but most substance abusers are smokers.
More than 67% of drug abusers are tobacco smokers, according to research published in the scientific journal “Experimental & Clinical Psychopharmacology.”
Amount of drug consumption correlates to the amount of smoking, according to research conducted at Integrated Substance Abuse Program of UCLA:
-More smoking = more drug-taking
-Less smoking = less drug-taking
Point:The more a substance abuser smokes, the more drugs the person is likely to take.
Check to see if your state has laws about not hiring people who smoke.Some states allow it, and others do not.
With this substance abuse and smoking information, you need to decide what to do if you
A.smell smoke on a job applicant
B.see cigarette pack on applicant
C.notice applicant’s car ashtray has cigarette butts
D.discover other signs applicant is a smoker
3RD METHOD – WARN APPLICANTS YOU MAY GIVE DRUG TESTS
Many companies tell applicants they must take a drug test – if the company might hire them.
Receiving this warning scares away some applicants who are substance abusers.
4TH METHOD = ACTUALLY GIVE DRUG TESTS BEFORE HIRING
Unfortunately, problems with drug tests are very big problems:Drug tests are
-expensive
-cheated or faked – very easily
-inaccurate in their results – many times
Caution:An “underground” industry exists that helps job applicants avoid having alcohol or drug use uncovered in a drug test!So, many applicants know they can “fake-out” a drug test.
STOP HIRING SUBSTANCE ABUSERS – DRUG ABUSERS & ALCOHOLICS
Certain pre-employment personality tests plus other methods help you avoid hiring substance abusers who rob your company of productivity and profits – plus waste your valuable management time.
Stop hiring substance abusers using four methods:
1.Have applicants take pre-employment personality test that predicts substance abuse
2.Don’t hire smokers
3.‘Threaten’ to give applicants drug test
4.Give costly drug tests just before putting applicant on your payroll
It is best for you to use all four methods.Doing all four saves you time and money. Make sure you hire the best – and don’t hire a substance abusing alcoholic or drug addict!
Pre-employment tests plus two other techniques help reduce stealing and theft by your employees. “Wall Street Journal” and Fox News reported (a) increases in employees stealing plus (b) employee theft’s financial drain on companies.
How financially draining is employee stealing and theft?(A) The value of stolen items rose one-third in just two years, according to PriceWaterhouseCoopers’s survey of 5,400 companies.(B) 20% of employers consider employee theft a moderate to very big problem, found Institute for Corporate Productivity research.
And how does employee theft impact your non-stealing employees? First, your honest employees feel dismayed when co-workers steal.It proves you hired lousy humans. Second, employees know anything reducing profits impacts job security.If a company loses too much to theft or stealing, eventually employees may get “de-employed” to decrease losses.
Fortunately, managers can use pre-employment tests and other methods to (a) avoid hiring job applicants who are thieves and (b) discover which employees steal.
One kind of pre-employment personality test gives hiring managers a quick, easy-to-use way to avoid hiring substance abusers – e.g., alcoholics and drug abusers – and other bad characters.Plus, you also have few more methods you can use in your quest to avoid hiring substance abusers. = No manager I ever spoke with wants to hire a drug abuser or alcoholic. = Substance abusing employees waste huge amounts of a company’s money.According to U.S. Department of Labor estimates, drug abusing employees waste $75 - $100 billion/year in (a) lost time, (b) accidents, (c) healthcare, and (d) workers’ compensation.In fact, substance abusers force horribly expensive problems onto their employers:-65% of on-the-job accidents are by substance abusers.
1st WEAPON = PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS to HELP HIRE NON-THIEVES
Pre-employment tests that specifically predict or forecast dependability can help you hire Non-Thieves. After all, the fastest, easiest and cheapest way to avoid stealing by employees is obvious:Avoid hiring job applicants who will steal.
For example, in my pre-employment test research to create the Theft/Stealing prediction on the “Dependability Forecaster(tm) Test,” I used a two-step method to find out which test questions predict if someone may steal.First, two groups of people answered my extensive list of research questions:(1) One group was Thieves – hundreds of prisoners locked-up in jails for stealing and theft crimes.(2) The second group was hundreds of Non-Thieves.Then, I did statistics to find out which specific questions the Thieves answered significantly differently than the Non-Thieves.
Those questions became the pre-employment test’s section that helps predict if a job applicant may steal.
When applicants take the pre-employment test, companies immediately see if a job applicant scored like the Thieves or the Non-Thieves.Of course, managers prefer hiring applicants who get the test scores of the Non-Thieves.
2ND WEAPON = BACKGROUND CHECKS
In addition to pre-employment tests that help predict Theft/Stealing, a company also might conduct a criminal background check to see if the applicant was convicted of stealing crimes.
Problem:Unfortunately, a background check only will tell you if the applicant was convicted in the locale where you do the check, for example, your county.Warning:If an applicant was convicted in another locale, then you will not find out.
Solution:First, administer a pre-employment test to help predict Theft/Stealing – before you spend your time and budget on background checks.Then, if employment test scores show an applicant scored like Thieves, then you probably will not bother to waste budget doing a theft or criminal background check.
3RD WEAPON = ACT LIKE JAMES BOND
After you use pre-employment tests to hire the best, you still need to watch your employees to make sure they do not steal.It may not sound nice, but you need to “spy” on employees.You can install video cameras, tracking devices and other spying instruments that are allowed.
For example, an executive at one company called me for help to stop employee theft and stealing that harmed the company’s finances.
First, I helped the executive start using the pre-employment test that predicts possible Theft/Stealing concerns – so the company could avoid hiring thieves.Second, I recommended the company “spy” on current employees by installing location-tracking devices on its delivery trucks.
Results = The pre-employment test helped the company hire Non-Thieves.Among employees, the company discovered delivery drivers were (a) driving away from their most direct routes and then (b) selling company goods during their off-route driving.The company’s stealing by employees came to a screeching halt.And new employees were Non-Thieves.
Suggestion:Make 100% certain employees realize you watch them.Some may complain about “Big Brother” for awhile, but they will know your rules.Your rules include no stealing is tolerated.Plus, employees realize you use multiple tools to catch employees who steal.Also, point out that stealing by employees creates less job security for everyone.That will make them thank you for “spying.”
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS, CRIMINAL CHECKS, & SPYING HELP YOU STOP EMPLOYEE STEALING
Employee stealing drains a company’s financial resources.It also creates a lousy workplace for employees.Research and news reports indicate employee stealing is a big, growing and expensive problem.So, managers need to take three steps to stop theft by employees.
First, give pre-employment tests to job applicants to help you avoid hiring possible Thieves or people who may steal.Second, conduct criminal background checks on job applicants who did well on the pre-employment test.Third, monitoring devices catch employees who try to steal your company’s possessions.
Pre-employment tests, criminal theft background checks and “spying” give you a fantastic 1-2-3 punch to knock-out employee stealing in your company.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pre-Employment Test News: Use New Pre-Employment Test –TO TEST APPLICANTS for “BLUE-COLLAR” JOBS
Do you want to hire productive + dependable people for your company’s “Blue-Collar” jobs?
“Blue-Collar” jobs are -Unskilled jobs -Semi-Skilled jobs -“Lower-Level” jobs
You now can start using our newest pre-employment test = DEPENDABILITY FORECASTER™. One kind of pre-employment personality test gives hiring managers a quick, easy-to-use way to avoid hiring substance abusers – e.g., alcoholics and drug abusers – and other bad characters.Plus, you also have few more methods you can use in your quest to avoid hiring substance abusers. = No manager I ever spoke with wants to hire a drug abuser or alcoholic. = Substance abusing employees waste huge amounts of a company’s money.According to U.S. Department of Labor estimates, drug abusing employees waste $75 - $100 billion/year in (a) lost time, (b) accidents, (c) healthcare, and (d) workers’ compensation.In fact, substance abusers force horribly expensive problems onto their employers:-65% of on-the-job accidents are by substance abusers.
This test forecasts – predicts – 5 important “dependability” factors you must find out about – before you hire a “Blue-Collar” job applicant:
1.Honesty on DF 2. Work Ethic 3.Impulsiveness [a key cause of accidents + safety problems]
4.Theft / Stealing concerns
5.Substance Abuse concerns
Your applicants take DEPENDABILITY FORECASTER™ either (a) in paper test booklet and/or (b) online.Then, you immediately get 3 useful results:
>Scores – on all 5 “Dependability” factors
>Report – explaining applicant’s scores
>“INTERVIEW QUESTIONS” – so you get fantastic questions – to ask each job applicant
Problem = Applicants for “blue-collar” jobs often are not very verbal.So, you often have a hard time conducting a typical job interview with them.
Solution = Don’t worry!You get insightful “INTERVIEW QUESTIONS” – to ask each applicant who takes DEPENDABILITY FORECASTER™ Test.
Many companies already use DEPENDABILITY FORECASTER™ Test – and they find it
+very helpful
+very easy-to-use
***YOU CAN GET INFORMATION – on “Dependability” test *** >Call – Dr. Mercer or Dr. Mary – at phone = 847-382-0690
All of us at Mercer Systems Inc. tremendously look forward to helping you use DEPENDABILITY FORECASTER™ Test – to help you on your goal to . . . Phone = 847-382-0690
Tags: Pre-Employment Tests, Pre-Employment Testing, assessing job applicants ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Release: COULD PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS HAVE SAVED LEHMAN AND MERRILL LYNCH?
Pre-employment tests plus corporate culture convulsions could have saved Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch, according to industrial psychologist Dr. Michael Mercer.
CORPORATE CULTURES OF CIRCULAR FIRING SQUADS “The corporate cultures of Lehman and Merrill were like circular firing squads,” observes Dr. Mercer, of
Barrington, Illinois .
“Their bizarrely wild risky behavior naturally led to blowing themselves up,” says Dr. Mercer, author of “Hire the Best and Avoid the Rest.”“It is like someone acting crazy at a rowdy party, and then committing suicide to cap off the night.”
Interestingly, Dr. Mercer had close encounters of the Lehman kind.He was a member of the board of directors at a publicly-traded company that received unsolicited calls from Lehman.At board meetings, he heard about pushy “Lehman bankers calling to peddle other companies to us, or trying to sway us to sell our company.”
“Those antics made Lehman seem like obnoxious children throwing frequent tantrums – hoping they eventually might get their way if they harassed us enough,” commented Dr. Mercer.
Corporate culture trickles down from the top brass, just like children copy some of their parents’ behaviors.“Now,” observes Dr. Mercer, “the whole world sees the horrible result of what trickled down from the top of two huge investment banks.”
PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS HELP AVOID HIRING KAMIKAZES. If corporate culture changed, then pre-employment tests and other hiring methods could have helped Lehman and Merrill Lynch hire ambitious but cooler heads.“Apparently, Lehman and Merrill hired many sensation seekers who felt thrilled executing a suicidal strategy.”
“Pre-employment tests could have helped Merrill and Lehman avoid hiring kamikazes,” quips Dr. Mercer.
The pre-employment testing at Lehman and Merrill should have focused on helping hire investment bankers with healthier ambitions,” Dr. Mercer remarked.“For instance, the pre-employment tests could have helped them hire bankers who were less aggressive, keenly followed rules, and focused on service rather than unquenchable greed.”
Of course, now it is too late to alter the harm and mischief Lehman and Merrill did to themselves, hoards of investors, and the financial markets.
Nevertheless, Dr. Mercer feels optimistic:“Some people need to learn the hard way.Lehman and Merrill gifted millions of people with useful lessons about pushiness, sensation seeking, risky behavior, and immediate gratification.I’m sure this debacle taught many people to act wiser.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Dr. Michael Mercer
Phone = 847-382-0690
Website = http://www.MercerSystems.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Release: Leaders & Hiring Managers Profit From ‘Birds of a Feather Flock Together’
Hiring managers and leaders use pre-employment tests, job interviews, role modeling and strategic de-employment to increase profits based on the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.”In business and daily life, this is called “social networks.”
What is the premise and useful research on social networks?
The premise is expressed in a phrase in the book, “How Winners Do It” which says, “Human beings crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves.”
Research on social networks received a lot of media attention (New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 357:370-379, Number 4).This reported on a 32 year study showing obese people tend to hang around with obese people.Hiring managers and leaders use pre-employment tests, job interviews, role modeling and strategic de-employment to increase profits based on the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.”In business and daily life, this is called “social networks.”What is the premise and useful research on social networks? The premise is expressed in a phrase in the book, “How Winners Do It” which says, “Human beings crave to be around people who seem similar to themselves.” Research on social networks received a lot of media attention (New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 357:370-379, Number 4).This reported on a 32 year study showing obese people tend to hang around with obese people.
The day I heard about that research, I was driving on a street near my house.I saw dozens of high school students running.All looked trim and fit.They were on the school’s sports teams.Both the research and track team members illustrated the same point:“Birds of a feather flock together.”
‘SOCIAL NETWORKS’ IMPACT YOUR COMPANY’S PROFITS & TEAMWORK?
In my research on pre-employment testing, I continually find employees like to work and talk with employees with similar qualities.Examples: *Productive workers hang out with productive workers *Lazy employees prefer working with other lazy people *Teamwork-oriented employees enjoy collaborative people *Whiners complain and gossip with whiners
Observation:Whiners’ favorite social activity is a Whine-&-Cheese Party!
To customize a pre-employment test, a benchmarking study is done.The outcome enables the company to focus on hiring job applicants who get test scores similar to test scores of the company’s best employees in each job.
From this research, I regularly find similarities among high-achievers in each job in each company. For instance, the winners in a particular job might typically get employment test scores indicating strong teamwork, optimism, and customer-service.In other jobs, the high-achievers earn pre-employment test scores showing strong optimism, attention to detail, and arithmetic abilities.
Profitable lesson for leaders and hiring managers:Such research results repeatedly prove that, indeed, “Birds of a feather flock together.”
4 WAYS HIRING MANAGERS & LEADERS PROFIT FROM USEFUL RESEARCH
Managers and executives can harness the power of ‘social networks’ to hire and manage groups of highly productive employees via 1.Pre-Employment Tests 2.Job Interviews 3.Role Modeling 4.Strategic De-Employment
METHOD 1 = PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS Conduct a benchmarking study to customize pre-employment tests for each job in your company. The benchmarking starts by having employees answer the employment test’s questions.Next, have an expert statistically uncover how your best employees typically score.Those are the benchmark test scores.Then, when you test job applicants, you can prefer applicants who get test scores similar to your best employees.
For example, if your company’s best employees pre-employment test scores are high on friendliness, teamwork, optimism, motivation and problem-solving, then focus on hiring job applicants who get similar test scores.It is that simple.
METHOD 2 = JOB INTERVIEWS
Start customizing your interviews of job applicants by listing the most important 6-9 job talents you must have in the person you hire for a particular job.Make sure those job talents are verified by the pre-employment test’s benchmarking study.For instance, if you list teamwork as an important job talent, make sure your employment test’s research showed your superstars scored high on the test’s teamwork scale.
Then, create an interview guide form and questions to assess job applicants on the key 6-9 job talents.Make sure you focus on applicants who do well on all prediction methods, including customized (1) job interviews and (2) pre-employment tests.
METHOD 3 = BE A ROLE-MODEL Effective leaders and managers put this Thoreau quote into action:“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.”
That means act the way you want your employees to act.
Let’s say you did a pre-employment test benchmarking study and also customized job interviews. And then you hired only employees who got employment test scores similar to your high-achievers and who possess the most important 6-9 job talents.For example, let’s say you hired only employees who are friendly, teamwork-oriented, optimistic, and good problem-solvers.
As their leader and guiding light, you must be their role-model,Hiw?By always exhibiting friendliness, teamwork, optimism, and astute problem-solving.Your employees learn how to act by watching your actions.And you simultaneously reinforce the strengths for which you hired them.
METHOD 4 = STRATEGIC DE-EMPLOYMENT
Since “Birds of a feather flock together,” what does the wise leader or manager do with employees who do not fit into the pattern of productive employees.For instance, using the example cited above, what does the leader do with an employee who is unfriendly, solo work-oriented, pessimistic, and stinks at problem-solving?
First, make sure that employee knows your company’s winners’ excel at friendliness, teamwork, optimism, and problem-solving.
Second, be a role-model of those outstanding qualities.
Third, make the underachiever hang out with the ‘social network’ of productive employees, and stop interacting with unproductive employees.This can include (a) having the employee join you for lunch or (b) assigning the underachiever to work only with productive employees. This puts positive peer pressure on the underachiever.
Fourth, if all else fails, you need to de-employ or get rid of the underachiever.
Remember:You are running a business, not a baby-sitting service for underachievers.
Michael Mercer, Ph.D., is a nationally-recognized expert on hiring and pre-employment testing.Dr. Mercer created the “Abilities & Behavior Forecaster™ Tests” used by many companies to hire the best.His five books include “Hire the Best – & Avoid the Rest” and also “Turning Your HR Dept. into a
Profit
Center .”You can receive a free subscription to his “Management Newsletter,” plus his free 14-page Special Report on how to hire the best, at phone = 847-382-0690 or http://www.Pre-EmploymentTests.com -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Press Release: HIRE INTELLIGENT (enough) EMPLOYEES
With unemployment rates low, are you frantic to find good employees? In your search and assessment of job applicants, don't fall into the trap of hiring any warm bodies that walk into your office. One the of keys to successful employees is that they are smart enough to do the job.
You readily can use pre-employment tests and work simulations to hire job applicants with enough intelligence be productive employees.This helps you reach your goal to assess job applicants so you can decide which one will be fantastic employees who are productive, profitable and dependable.
IQ OF TIRE PRESSURE I bet you hired some job applicants who had all the behaviors you sought.They turned you on in the interview.They had the right interpersonal skills, personality traits, and motivations.You felt excited to hire the applicant with many great behaviors.
But – after that new employee worked for your company for about 2 weeks – you realized the person had the IQ of tire pressure!
That very nice person did not have the brains to 1.learn the job 2.correctly handle problems and situations on-the-job
Oops! At that moment, you thought to yourself, “When they passed out brains, that nice person forgot to stand in line!”
SOLUTION = HIRE APPLICANTS WITH ENOUGH INTELLIGENCE TO DO THE JOB
You can avoid making such hiring blunders.You simply need to *find out how smart your successful employees are *hire job applicants as smart as your successful employees
2 WAYS TO FORECAST JOB APPLICANTS’ INTELLIGENCE
The best ways to predict if a job candidate possesses the intelligence level needed to do a job are >Pre-employment tests >Work simulations
The easiest – and most customizable – way to predict an applicant’s brainpower is to have the applicant take mental ability tests.In my 20+ years of research and experience, I found five crucial mental abilities the tests should measure: 1.Problem-Solving 2.Vocabulary 3.Arithmetic 4.Grammar, Spelling & Word Use 5.Handling Small Details
In fact, large-scale meta-analytic research on hiring methods found mental abilities tests had the highest correlation for correctly predicting if an applicant can do a good job.Behavior tests also predict well, according to the research.So, an efficient, easily customizable way to help you hire the best is for applicants to answer both (a) mental abilities tests plus (b) behavior tests.
You also can add an additional job skills evaluation method called work simulations.
QUICK METHOD TO CUSTOMIZE MENTAL ABILITY TESTS
Since it takes about four years to research and validate a highly useful pre-employment test, you are best to start by using an already created test.Then, your goal is to find out what test scores your successful employees get on the test.After all, you want to hire applicants who have the same amount of intelligence as your best employees in each job.
Beware:Some people tell you to use “national norms.”That makes little sense.“National norms” foolishly are based on who-knows-what quality of employees – not only top performers.Doesn’t it make a lot more sense to test your company’s successful employees in 15 – 25 minutes?Then, you will discover “benchmark” test scores customized for your company’s successful employees.After all, those are your best employees, and you need to hire applicants with similar qualities.
After you do the “benchmarking study,” you then can have job applicants answer the same mental ability tests.When a candidate gets test scores similar to your successful employees, that applicant has the brains to do the job.You can seriously consider that person.
However, an applicant who gets test scores different than your best employees is someone who may not have the needed brainpower.You probably want to throw their application or resume in the garbage, and then find someone better.
IMPORTANT = EACH JOB REQUIRES A CERTAIN LEVEL OF INTELLIGENCE
Many managers incorrectly assume they should hire only highly intelligent employees.What a monstrous mistake!Instead, focus on hiring applicants who get test scores similar to test scores of your best employees in each job.
Keep this in mind:(A) Few jobs require high levels of intelligence, for instance, executive positions and jobs needing super-smart people.(B) Some jobs need average intelligence levels, for example, many professional and mid-management jobs.(C) Most jobs require only a below-average to average level of intelligence.
The book “The Bell Curve” presented hundreds of pages on research proving this point.Summary:Intelligence is on a bell curve – with some people below-average, some average, and some above-average.Each job requires a person with intelligence at a certain point on the bell curve.
For example, my research on pre-employment tests prove most productive factory workers have only below-average to average intelligence.My research also shows most executives score very high on mental abilities tests.Think about it:Would you take a productive factory worker and offer that person an executive job?
The reverse also is true.You should not take an applicant who scores super-high on the intelligence pre-employment tests, and put that brilliant person into a low-level job requiring low intelligence test scores.If you did that, the brilliant employee would feel bored within two months!The highly intelligent person will fit better in jobs intelligence at the high end of the bell curve.
ADDITIONAL METHOD TO ASSESS JOB-RELATED INTELLIGENCE
First, see which applicants score similar to your successful employees on the mental ability tests and behavior tests, plus impress you in interviews.Then, you know which applicants you may seriously consider hiring.Then, you can do a work simulation.
In a work simulation, you can see if an applicant can do key job skills.Make sure they are job skills you definitely want the applicant to have before you possibly hire the person.
Here are examples of work simulations I customized for companies I consult to. +Sales Rep applicants – role-play a sales call on a prospective customer +Driller applicants – take pile of items on ground and efficiently stack items on pick-up truck +Project Manager applicants – design project management plan plus give presentation on it +Customer Service Rep applicants – handle simulated calls from customers +Secretary/Assistant applicants -- type, make spreadsheets and do online searches
Importantly, keep the work simulation very similar to the real work the applicant would do, if hired.Make a rating sheet to assess how well (or poorly) the applicant did on work simulations.
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE = HIRE INTELLIGENT (ENOUGH) EMPLOYEES
Remember:Your goal is to hire the best.To succeed, you need to hire applicants who get 1.mental abilities test scores similar to your best employees’ test scores 2.behavior test scores similar to your best employees’ scores 3.excellent ratings on work simulations of key job skills
You often find it tough to locate job applicants who do well on all three crucial forecasts.But, it is tougher, time-consuming and expensive if you hire a second-rate employee who does not have enough intelligence to be a fabulous.So, make sure you hire applicants who are intelligent enough to be productive, profitable, and dependable employees.
Paris Hilton represents many things to many people.And now she inadvertently offers fantastic lessons in leadership skills, according to Michael Mercer, Ph.D., a management consultant with The Mercer Group, Inc., in
Barrington, Illinois.
“Paris Hilton’s crimes and follow-up botches offers lessons to leaders on how not to handle key leadership problems,” explained Dr. Mercer, author of the book “Absolutely Fabulous Organizational Change.”Dr. Mercer cites five lessons Paris Hilton taught all leaders.
1.Admit Your Mistakes
Ms. Hilton said her 45 day jail sentence “punishment is cruel and unwarranted.”A smart leader admits mistakes and accepts the consequences, according to Dr. Mercer.“Employees admire leaders who come right out and admit they did wrong.Honesty in trying circumstances shows the leader is a human being who admits blunders and whose heart is in the right place.”
2.Hire the Best
“
Paris claimed other people handled her mail, including legal papers concerning her convictions and punishments.Well, Paris Hilton and every leader needs to hire assistants sharp enough to tell them when monstrously important pieces of mail arrive or read all their mail themselves,” commented Dr. Mercer, author of the book “Hire the Best -- & Avoid the Rest.”“At some point, leaders should not blame other people for their major mistakes.”
3.Apologize Like You Really Mean It
“When a great leader apologizes, everyone should feel the leader really means it,” observes Dr. Mercer.“In contrast,
Paris seemed more concerned with wiggling out of jail than indicating she feels sorry for her dangerous and illegal missteps.”
4.Only Sign Documents You Read & Agree With
“Leaders sometimes get so caught up in their big-shot activities that they sometimes forget some details require their total attention,” says Dr. Mercer.He points out
Paris said she signed key legal papers without fully reading them.“Signing important papers without reading and agreeing with the contents is a leadership crime no leader ever should commit.”
5.Show Up + Show Up On-Time
Paris failed to show up properly in two big instances:She never attended alcohol education sessions required after her DUI conviction, and arrived late to court.“True leaders absolutely must do what they must do on the schedule they need to do it,” emphasizes Dr. Mercer.“Failure is not an option for leaders.Who appointed a leader – or Paris Hilton – king or queen so they might think they don’t need to do on-time what they definitely must do on-time.”
“Paris Hilton is a model and rich and privileged.But, at this point it definitely is better to learn from
Paris than to be
Paris ,” quips Dr. Mercer.
The 10/23/06 "Wall Street Journal" (www.wsj.com) reports on Google revamping its hiring methods.Hiring expert Michael Mercer, Ph.D., says Google is on the right track, but is sorely missing crucial pre-employment tests plus other prediction methods.Dr. Mercer creates pre-employment tests and authored five books, including "Hire the Best -- & Avoid the Rest."
"Google needs a step-by-step hiring process, such as my "7-Step Method to Hire the Best(tm)," explains Dr. Mercer."My 7-Step Method to Hire the Best(tm) zooms in on predicting if an applicant has skills and talents similar to the company's high-achievers or superstars."It is progressive:If an applicant rates high on the first prediction step, then the applicant is allowed to try the second prediction method, and so on.If an applicant earns only an average or worse rating on any prediction method, then that is the end of considering the applicant.(After all, who wants to hire an average or worse job applicant?)
Dr. Mercer revealed his seven pre-hire prediction methods that he recommend all companies use -- including Google -- along with comments on how well Google currently does it.
First, is Brief Initial Screening Interview -- focused on whether applicant has biographical data similar to its superstar employees."Google falls short here," observes Dr. Mercer, "because it needs to identify the bio-data of successful employees in each job which WSJ did not say Google does."
Second, are customized Pre-Employment Tests -- so a company can prefer job applicants who get test scores similar to its superstar employees' test scores.Dr. Mercer comments, "Unfortunately, Google does not do pre-employment tests.In fact, Google asks job applicants to identify their personality traits and past standardized test scores!That makes no sense.Reason:Any applicant with the IQ above tire pressure, including Google's typical applicants, can figure out if they should say they are, for instance, teamwork-oriented or creative or good at math or other job talents."
Third, should be the In-Depth Interview -- delving into the 6 - 9 most important job talents.While Google does an average of 5.1 interviews for hired applicants, there is no indication interviewers have a neatly laid-out list like Dr. Mercer would create of (a) 6 - 9 most important job talents, (b) specific questions to ask to assess each job talent, and (c) specific applicant actions to observe during interview."Who knows what each interviewer asks?Also, WSJ did not say interviewers were trained in how to conduct a customized, In-Depth Interview."
Fourth is a Work Simulation or Role-Play -- forcing applicant to demonstrate key job skills.Here, Google seems to shine -- partly.It gives applicants "homework."Dr. Mercer notes, "But, the work simulation should be done in the Google office.Otherwise, applicants can take it home, get friends to help, or even have someone else do the "homework" or work simulation for them!Also, after the Work Simulation the applicant should be asked to deliver a brief presentation, so Google can assess communications skills."
Fifth, Google definitely should conduct a Realistic Job Preview -- in which job applicant spends 4 - 10 hours watching an employee actually do the job the applicant is applying for.Apparently, Google fails to do this."Given its corporate culture and job demands, this is a huge gap in its hiring method -- and one I strongly recommend Google start doing," advises Dr. Mercer.
Sixth are Reference Checks -- getting applicant's ex-bosses to "spill the beans" about the person's good and bad work qualities.Dr. Mercer devised a way to "weasel" truthful reference checks from ex-bosses who may feel unwilling to open up.But, WSJ's article did not report on Google doing ultra-revealing Reference Checks.
Finally, Google does great at having 1 Executive Approve/Disapprove Each Hiring Recommendation."The purpose of this is to assure the applicant received positive ratings on all of the first six steps of my 7-Step Method to Hire the Best(tm)," explains Dr. Mercer."Here, Google excels -- because one of its co-founders, Larry Page or Sergio Brin, reviews hiring recommendations.Wisely, they sometimes do not allow managers to hire certain job applicants."
Overall, Dr. Mercer says, "For Google to grow from big to bigger, it needs a customized, structured hiring method.Google aims to shorten its hiring process.But, unless Google researches and creates an organized method, such as my 7-Step Method to Hire the Best(tm), it could save a few dollars -- but waste millions on bad hiring decisions."
