The assessment: so you need no longer fear it

Many of us, in the course of our careers, have been through the "assessment" stage during a recruitment or internal promotion process. Some, indeed, retain a vivid memory of it, like Lionel, a client who told us: "We were analysed, filmed and scrutinised for two days, and every detail of our lives was then used for or against us. Sheer hell."

The assessment came into being during the First World War and, more broadly, in military barracks. The aim was to evaluate, sort and select soldiers. Those who, even today, go through "military recruitment" know what it involves: taking various types of tests and evaluations in order to be "directed" towards a particular kind of military career.

It was the Americans, in the 1950s, who adapted the methods of potential assessment developed in the military to the business world, and more specifically to positions involving managerial responsibility. AT&T was the first company to create an Assessment Centre and to demonstrate the predictive effectiveness of assessment methods.

Since the 1980s, assessments have been widely imported into Europe and have become more commonplace. Initially reserved for senior executives and very costly, they have gradually evolved into what they are today. And we believe it is time to take them a step further still.

Indeed, today the market is dominated by two types of assessment.

• The classic ones, which are often very costly and complex, and which last between one and two days.

• The simplified ones, which are affordable and quick, offered online via a computerised questionnaire. The latter are not, strictly speaking, assessments, even though they are often used as such, but rather psychometric profiles.

And between these two options, there are genuine assessments: flexible, adaptable, responsive and reasonable. This is the method we have chosen to develop.

What defines an assessment?

An assessment is an observational evaluation of a person's knowledge, know-how and interpersonal qualities in relation to a vacant position within a company. The evaluation must take into account the specific characteristics of the person but also those of the role's environment.

The aim is to assess the fit between "profile <-> role" but also between "the candidate's values <-> the company's values" and "the candidate's motivation <-> the company's motivational levers".

And above all, the assessment must evaluate the fit in both directions. Is the company right to choose this candidate, and is the candidate right to choose this company?

Which competencies should be assessed?

For a long time, assessments evaluated a standard battery of competencies. "The manager's 18 abilities", for example, or "the 15 strengths of a good salesperson". Today we know that the competencies required to fill a position depend greatly on the role's context. It is therefore important, for each assessment, to determine which competencies are needed and to focus on those that will make the difference in the field.

​Example

An administrative director must of course have skills in analysis, synthesis, reporting and others required by the job. But to take up the role successfully, to adapt to the company culture and to develop their full potential, what they may need above all is a strong capacity to listen, to withstand stress or to assert themselves.

Why? Because the role on offer is within a foundation in crisis, or an SME in difficulty. And they will need to be able to concentrate despite interruptions.

Why? Because the company will be relocating in 12 months and the premises are undergoing renovation. And they will need to be comfortable with digital tools. Why? Because part of their team works remotely and is used to using the latest tools of digital 4.0. ​

​How do you determine which competencies to assess?

You need to assess the competencies that will make the difference in the field. And who is better placed than the immediate team to determine these competencies? The future team, HR, prospective managers, peers or deputies must work together to define, or at least validate, the key competencies. Ask them what qualities their new colleague should have. What matters most?

By carrying out this exercise, you achieve three objectives:

• You clarify the profile you are looking for and lay the ideal groundwork for the assessment

• You prompt the team to reflect on its expectations, needs, strengths and weaknesses

• You prepare the candidate's integration by clearly communicating the expectations of their future colleagues

​This exercise can be carried out for any type of position, not just for roles involving managerial responsibility. An assessment can be conducted, for example, for an administrative assistant position in order to validate stress management skills and the ability to say no and set limits with others, if these are the two crucial elements in the working environment.

Anecdote

We support some care homes in implementing care methods, notably the Montessori method, which aims to restore residents' autonomy. One dimension of this care method involves asking the resident what is important to them in a nurse. What is the essential competency to develop in order to be a good nurse?

​The most frequent answer? Warm hands! This is a competency, or rather a characteristic, that never appears on a nurse's job description. And yet... Proof, if proof were needed, that the key characteristics of a candidate must be determined with the people on the ground. ​

​How are competencies assessed?

Each competency is assessed against clearly defined and observable indicators. This is what gives the assessment its credibility and genuine predictive effectiveness.

For example: the "listening" competency can be defined by the following indicators:

• "not interrupting"

• "paraphrasing to make sure you have understood correctly"

• "saying when you have not understood something"

• "allowing others at least 40% of the speaking time when leading a meeting or interview"

Conclusion

The assessment, today, is a bespoke, flexible and adaptable tool that can be used at various stages of recruitment, for any type of position. It can last a few hours or a full day depending on the need, and be regarded as an integral part of the employee onboarding process. It also makes it possible to identify ways of supporting the candidate's integration: should they undergo training? Are there specific projects to entrust to them? Should their line manager adapt their management style to the candidate's personality? Do they need autonomy, or guidance and oversight? ...

We believe that an assessment should resemble neither an army recruitment process nor a simple test taken online, but should be a process that involves the team, management and the candidate, and that prepares their meeting as effectively as possible. To end on a somewhat trivial comparison, we might say that an assessment centre works rather like a dating agency. In fact, the assessor is an expert in marriages: they should be able to tell you whether the chosen partner is the right one. Except that, in this case, it is not necessarily meant to last a lifetime.