Each domain or scale in the assessment is scored separately on a percentile scale which has been normed on the working population of North America. Percentile scores are then compared to score ranges identified in the benchmarking process and an Overall FitScore™ is reported based on where the score falls relative to the benchmark range. If a candidate’s scores falls outside that range, the correlation will decrease more rapidly the further from the benchmark the actual score falls. A perfect correlation results in a 100 being reported with points deducted the further from the benchmark the score falls. A proprietary algorithm is used to calculate the Overall Job Correlation.

Regardless of the individual’s FitScore™, the results of the assessment should not be used as the sole-basis in the decision-making process when hiring the individual. The TalentSorter provides a useful tool for the hiring process, and when used correctly, may provide valuable information for future placement and promotion. As with any assessment, the results of the TalentSorter should never make up more than one-third of the information used in decisions regarding the hiring process or the ultimate placement of an individual.

Assessments administered for particular jobs are customized based upon extensive locally validated job analysis procedures and analysis of traits of existing employees who have been successful in the position.

The TalentSorter includes a process for helping to determine the viability of assessment results. When respondents intentionally try to misrepresent themselves, have difficulty reading, or simply select item responses randomly, the resulting inconsistency of responses can lead to a warning in the report stating that the assessment results may not be representative of the individual and should be used with caution. This scale does not determine whether or not a person is lying, but rather refers to the validity of responses and the confidence which may be placed on results based upon the individual’s response patterns.

We often hear from our clients that because our approach leads with Fit first, they quickly start finding themselves in great conversations with folks who are a GREAT fit for their organization, but who they would never have looked at in a million years on the basis of their résumé.

If the fit’s right but there’s a gap in experience or a skill that’s missing, those can often be taught quickly in the onboarding process or the first 90 days.

If the fit’s not right… nothing else matters.

The key to the effectiveness of any assessment system used for selection and placement is local validation. That is, the assessment and resulting information must be relevant to the selected job for which the system is being used. To accomplish this, the TalentSorter uses a comprehensive Position Analysis Survey (PAS) along with concurrent study capabilities to identify the behavioral and cognitive factors which most greatly influence the potential success of a candidate in a specific job. While other assessment systems require test-takers to respond to all questions in all scales regardless of their relevance to the job in question, the TalentSorter only requires candidates to respond to items in those scales which have proven to be associated with success on the job based on the results of the position analysis functions.

Along with determining which scales need to be assessed for a specific job, the PAS also establishes a range of scores within those scales which have shown to be correlated with success on the job. This may be accomplished by having a person familiar with the demands of the job complete the PAS, which contains a proprietary algorithm for determining score ranges, or by assessing incumbents in the job and determining the range of scores most often reported for those who are or have been successful in the position. The score ranges for the scales assessed become the benchmark against which all future candidates will be compared to help determine their potential for successful performance in the job.

As a candidate, what direction seems best for me to direct my career? Playing to my strengths boosts my performance and amplifies my success. Is there a better career strategy?

As an employer, I welcome the ability to prioritize my candidate list in a reliable way, so that I can invest my time first with those candidates who have the greatest likelihood of success. It just makes so much sense – and prioritizing based on FitScore™ is a whole lot more logical than relying on keywords and Boolean searches through résumé databases!

And even so, there’s no substitute for a good interview. We can generate interview guides for you, based on the unique relationship between each candidate and the job itself, or you can go it alone if you are confident in your interviewing skills. Think of the interview as an opportunity to dive below the FitScore™, to explore their likely fit with the manager, the work, the people they will be spending their day with, and the unique culture of the company and the department they’ll be in. Probe to get a sense of their standards, their attitudes, and their values in the areas that will matter most to their success.