Using Psychometrics to Enhance the Executive Search Process
Why "Trust the Process" Isn’t Always Enough?
Many executive search firms pride themselves on moving fast. Promising a shortlist of candidates in a matter of weeks. Asking hiring teams to “trust the process,” citing gut feelings and decades in the industry to provide recommendations on which person is the best candidate for the role. This is all valuable, but it can leave some important insights on the table.
Psychometrics can add true value to the executive search process. While they shouldn’t be used to filter out candidates, they can provide a more in-depth perspective on how the leader will perform in the role. While they can be used earlier to understand the strengths, values, and derailment risks of a slate of candidates, they are particularly helpful once finalists have been selected. At this level, everyone has an impressive resume and can interview well. However, one’s reputation at work is harder to understand. What values will drive the person? Is there alignment between that person’s values and the organization’s? Does the person have the emotional intelligence necessary to lead? Are they flexible enough to handle ambiguity and change?
What Can — and Can't — an Assessment Actually Tell You?
An assessment can tell a search consultant how that person is likely to show up at work. Providing insights into their leadership style and values. It can also predict how an individual is likely to react under stress. However, it does not predict performance. It doesn’t speak to cognitive abilities. Nor does it make assertions about how they will function in a particular environment. That’s where human judgment comes into play. The assessments complement the interview and reference process, but they don’t replace it entirely. The data must be translated and interpreted for the hiring team and distilled into an easy-to-understand format.
What Should a Strong Assessment Report Actually Include?
Executive assessment reports should provide context, highlight the capabilities that matter most for the role, identify potential concerns, and offer onboarding recommendations for the first 100 days. Each part provides a more comprehensive picture of not only the individual, but how they will integrate into the new environment. Lastly, keep the information succinct and to the point, with key takeaways clearly identified for the search team and/or hiring team. If it's too complex, the key insights get missed. The report must be detailed enough to paint the picture but broad enough not to obscure the message.
How Should Assessments Actually Be Used?
Oftentimes, search firms use assessments to disqualify a candidate, which is not how they should be used. Assessments can enhance profiles, not filter them. Transparency is also a key part of the process. Assessment results should always be debriefed with the candidates. Debriefing the results also improves the candidate experience, as they better understand how they show up in contexts that matter. Even if they don’t get the role, they can appreciate the feedback. If they do get the role, they may want a similar approach to be applied to their new team or subsequent hires in the organization.
Overall, psychometric assessments can greatly enhance the conversation by integrating validated measures with human judgment. If you’d like to integrate this perspective into your practice, get in touch. In our exploratory call, we’ll discuss your firm, the types of roles you typically hire for, the key capabilities that are hard to assess through interviews alone, and your process for using psychometric assessments in selection.
Dr. Asha Gipson is the Founder and CEO of Addison Leadership Advisory, where she provides executive assessment and leadership advisory services. She holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University and has spent nearly a decade advising founders, CEOs, and executive teams through periods of growth and change.
