Welcome to the February 2, 2005 issue of The Total View

Published by Success Performance Solutions, Written by Ira S. Wolfe

Visit our Human Resources Blog and Perfect Labor Storm Blog where we can post daily (and more often) human resource updates, news, and Perfect Labor Storm facts. 

**EXTRA! EXTRA!** SPS founder interviewed by NY Daily News

What's next for Carly Fiorina, dubbed the most powerful woman in business, and CEO of Hewlett Packard? Will she retain her position of power over this computer giant or will her leadership style do her in?  Read all about it and what Ira S Wolfe, founder of Success Performance Solutions, feels Fiorina needs to do differently if she and HP are to survive in this January 24, 2005 column published in the New York Daily News.

What's Inside:

1.  How To Handle Candidates Who Refuse To Complete Personality Tests

The popularity of personality testing in the workplace is skyrocketing. Thanks to advancements in employee assessment technology, the Internet, and an ever-increasing eye on productivity, employers are taking aim on high potential candidates with the laser beam accuracy of online personality tests.

But what happens when the highly-recruited, star prospect refuses to take "your stupid little test"? Yes, that is exactly how one candidate reacted when she left a message for the CEO. "Who did he think he was," she screamed, deriding him for even questioning her fitness for the job. Concerned he might have done something wrong, he called me immediately. "What should we do in the future if a candidate refuses to take the assessments."

My answer is quite simple. One of the most enlightening benefits to come from personality tests sometimes has nothing to do with the test itself. When you read what I'm about to tell you, you'll kick yourself.

I asked him, "What would you do if the candidate refused to complete your application or submit a resume? What if he rejected your interview questions or refused your request to check references and his background?"

"We wouldn't hire him, of course," he replied. "Then why would you treat the personality tests any differently?" I responded.   How an individual responds to each stage of the selection process is as important as what they do and say during the interview and on assessments.

I continued, "if you're looking for someone who's feisty, willing to say what's on her mind even when it's not popular or even proper, and chock full of confidence, you don't even have to ask her to complete the personality assessment. She passed with flying colors. But if you're looking for a team player, who remains composed under pressure, and displays a little savvy when dealing with adversity, this candidate obviously hasn't gained those skills."

"I never even considered that aspect of testing," he said. "And the best part is that test didn't cost us a dime!"

More recently, a client of ours had several hundred sales candidates apply online using our applicant processing system (TAPS). Each candidate was asked to submit a resume, apply to a series of online interview questions and complete a personality test. While most candidates complied with the selection requests, one responded with this telling email:

I have an undergraduate college degree from Rutgers NJ, and a
half a semester at Georgetown U, I made about 8M so far in my
career life. SCREW THIS B******T!

Take your test, and shove it where the sun don't shine!

This "gentleman" (and I use the term very loosely) even signed the email with his phone number. Gutsy but true!

John (not his real name) revealed his true colors without the hiring manager having to spend a dime or wasting a minute of valuable time processing him. Without some type of screening process, this candidate might have been considered high-potential based on his experience and resume. But thanks to a structured screening process, John was weeded out early. Management saved valuable time and resources which they were able to invest with other qualified candidates. Most important, the company likely saved thousands of dollars by avoiding an expensive wrong hire.

Had John completed the online personality test, the report would likely have revealed that John was assertive, reactive, self-sufficient, outgoing, and excitable. But John didn't complete it and who cares. His actions spoke much louder than any answers to any test or interview could have provided.

That's what personality tests and interviews are designed to do - they tell managers how an individual will respond to problems, competition, adversity, time management, decision-making prioritizing, communicating with others, and stress. Work-related personality tests and behavioral interviews aren't supposed to be about finding out if you like this person. They are designed to identify individuals who will be successful in the job and fit in the company culture.

Personality tests add accuracy and speed to the selection process. Personality tests take very little management time to administer and provide invaluable information about future job performance, without having to spend hours screening out the unqualified candidates from the high potential employees. The results of personality assessments can then jump start interviews and allow the hiring manager to focus on the job specific interview questions.

I've observed thousands of test-takers over the years and the behaviors they display are uncanny at predicting job performance. Some fidget, other talk. Some are focused, others are easily distracted. Some answer questions quickly, others think and ponder. Some finish quickly, others meticulously review and check their work. When all is said and done, the astute and trained observer can assess a candidate with the highest degree of reliability - but that takes time and training. By combining casual observation with the accuracy of online personality tests, the interviewer gets a complete picture of a candidate's behavior and job fit in a fraction of the time.

Need help in hiring or promoting the right employees? Success Performance Solutions provides behavioral interview questions, pre-employment tests and background checks for all size businesses and all employee positions.  And more about understanding online personality tests.

2. Perfect Labor Storm Alerts #340 to #345
http://www.perfectlaborstorm.com/facts.html

Don't miss day-to-day updates on Perfect Labor Storm. Save the Perfect Labor Storm blog to your favorites.

Fact #341: The number of families where both spouses are working increased to 51 percent compared to 33 percent in 1976. (Source: Current Population Survey)

Fact #342: Students in the United States finished in the bottom of mathematics skills when compared to students in 40 surveyed countries. Yet 72 percent of the US students said they got good grades in math, more than any other country. (Source: Organization for Ecocomic Cooperation and Development)

Fact #343: The United States ranked 28th of 40 countries in math and 18th in reading when comparing outcomes per dollar spent on education. (Source: Organization for Ecocomic Cooperation and Development)

Fact #344: In 1991 in the United States, only four states had an obesity prevalence of 15 percent to 19 percent. No state had an obesity prevalence of 20 percent or more. (Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control)

Fact #345: In 2003, 15 states had an obesity prevalence of 15 to 19 percent, 31 states had an obesity prevalence of 20 to 24 percent, and four states -- West Virginia, Indiana, Alabama and Mississippi --had a prevalence of 25 percent or more. (Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control)

Don't be caught in storm without all the facts. "The Perfect Labor Storm Fact Book: Why Worker Shortages Won't Go Away" is a must-read leading edge forecast that predicts workforce trends for decades to come. Order your copy today - Only $7.95.

3.  New! Create Effective Interview Guides in Minutes

SELECTPro(R) - The Automated Online Interview. Screen candidates over the web. Candidates provide written responses to customized interview questions online --ideal for a pre-interview screening or first interview.

SELECTPro(R) is web-based program that helps interviewers design and organize behavior-based selection interview in minutes. It also allows the interviewer to easily create a custom Interview Guide: a document (or script) that the interviewer uses to conduct a behavioral job interview.

Take a Tour and Sign Up for a Fee Interview Question Guide Membership.

4. New! Automate Candidate Screening with Online Interview Questions and Resume Submission. Perfect for the small and medium sized business.

The Resu-mess is back! If piles of resumes and crowded email in-boxes have got you frustrated, you NEED to attend this webinar about Total APS.

What is Total APS? It is an applicant tracking and assessment system that puts your recruiting and selection efforts on auto pilot.

Total APS frees up your time to communicate with only QUALIFIED candidates and helps you ensure a good job fit between a person and the job. Total APS can save your company is to experience the system in action.   View our online 7-minute, no-obligation video online demonstration of the Total APS system here.

Can't view it online? Contact us today for a Free CD-ROM on How to Screen and Interview Candidates Online

5. NEW! Customer Service Skills Profile

This easy-to-use assessment solves one of your biggest headaches in customer service - ensuring consistency in your staff's performance.

How? By giving employee a clear picture of their unique strengths and areas they need to work on - and the motivation to acquire all the skills of an all-around good customer service giver.

Employees can rate themselves in seven competency areas widely considered to be critical to the ability to provide exemplary service:

More about Customer Service Skills Excellence.

We now offer Pre-employment Online Background Checks.

Syndication available - call us.