In-Depth Assessment
SDS recommends the use of In-Depth Assessments (IDAs) to determine a person’s relative strengths and weaknesses in relation to one or more organizational roles. IDAs can also be used, more generically, to help a person understand their own capabilities and exploit their strengths while effectively managing or developing their weaknesses. IDAs include general measures of job-related personality variables, along with problem-solving assessments, and measures of specific job knowledge (e.g., Java programming knowledge).
Step 1: Job Analysis and Assessment Design
Starting with a proprietary template, we will work with your organization’s representatives to establish and weigh critical competencies for the position/s of interest. Once these competencies are identified, we will map them to a test battery with a focus on personality and problem solving assessments. Personality traits will be mapped in order to measure the likelihood that a particular candidate will succeed on the job. Areas of problem solving ability to be measured will typically include numerical, verbal and critical thinking skills. Mechanical, spatial, and other “specialty” abilities will also be measured as needed. In all cases, each measure used has demonstrated validity for predicting future job performance above and beyond the predictive accuracy of a typical resume/interview approach to selection.
Step 2: Candidate Assessment
For “high stakes” testing, we recommend that candidates take the assessments in a proctored environment which may be at an SDS office, your office, or at one of thousands of testing offices across North America. The person being assessed will typically spend two to three hours completing the battery of assessments on an internet-enabled computer.
Step 3: Reporting
Personality and problem solving scores are combined using the scoring developed during the Job Analysis. A narrative report outlining each candidate’s potential strengths and weaknesses, and a Baseline Composite score indicating each candidate’s relative probability of success in the role are generated. A sample IDA report can be viewed using the link below.
The standard cost for the In-Depth Assessment process is $600 per assessment. This price includes the cost of testing and reporting including unlimited telephone support. Additional proctoring fees for offsite candidates are typically $100 per assessment.
