FEATURE STRENGTH IN NUMBERS
Competition to engage and attract top graduates is at an all time high, prompting recruiters to look for improved methods of assessment to ensure that they can attract and develop high potentials – filling up talent pipelines for the future. As a result, many organisations are moving away from competency-based techniques in favour of strengths-based approaches. Alex Linley, Founding Director of Capp, a strengths-based people management consultancy, tells us more…
trengths-based assessment is becoming an integral part of UK recruitment, allowing assessors to delve deeper into applicants’ strengths – highlighting what they really love to do and what they do well. Many forward-looking organisations are now introducing this at an early stage in their screening process. Situational strengths testing is a front-end, online sifting and selection tool that accurately and efficiently assesses high volume candidate applications across a variety of role types – reducing time and labour costs, and increasing recruitment efficiencies. The online test works by asking candidates to respond to a series of realistic ‘day in the life’ scenario-based questions that have been researched and built upon specific stakeholder specifications. This allows a tailored approach that includes what is appropriate for the role, the company brand values and the specific culture of the organisation.
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The way the candidate answers the questions provides an in-depth understanding of their strengths and insight into their motivation and organisational fit, showing their match to the role. This helps to quickly identify top talent, enabling the recruiter more effectively to move candidates to the next assessment stage. For many organisations, Situational Strengths Tests can
provide visible advantages over competency-based techniques. The online sifting method allows HR teams to minimise human involvement, while still identifying talent quickly and effectively. Furthermore, analysing strengths provides an accurate insight into how applicants would fit within organisational culture. However, the candidate experience is what really sets situational strengths assessments apart from competency-based alternatives. With candidates often applying to lots of organisations, graduate schemes and introductory jobs without success, they can often become disengaged and de-motivated. As a result, many resort to stock answers that don’t differentiate them or their engagement with the brand, making it harder for the recruiter to identify the best. Situational strengths tests provide a more targeted application process, giving candidates an opportunity to find out about the job that they are applying for, as well as learning about their own strengths and weaknesses. Over the last 12 months, we have been working closely
with Nestlé, introducing strengths-based recruitment to graduate application processes. Matt Stripe, Group HR Director at Nestlé UK & Ireland believes that introducing situational strengths testing has given the recruitment edge over competitors. “The key difference is that we are looking at strengths rather than competencies. When people are exhibiting a strength they enjoy doing it, are good at doing it and are energised by it. Research tells us if individuals are doing things they are good at and enjoy doing them, there are lots of benefits to the organisation, for example, reduced stress, turnover, absenteeism and higher performance. Using this method, we believe we can better match young job-seekers to the roles we have at Nestlé. “We’ve already seen a real improvement in the calibre of applicants. In the first three days of recruiting for 2013, 480 candidates registered their interest – and we’re on track to offer more than 50 talented young people graduate roles at Nestlé next year.”
CASE STUDY
With a desire to differentiate itself in a crowded graduate market place, and to improve the graduate selection process for the emerging Generation Y, Ernst & Young made the decision to shift from a competency method of recruitment to a strengths-based approach. As part of the strengths transformation, Capp helped to develop and introduce first-stage situational strengths testing, as one stage in filtering 19,000 applicants to just 800.
The benefits of moving to a strengths-based approach were clear – a more authentic experience, engaged applicants, early spotting of strengths and minimal drop-out rates. Specifically tailored for Ernst & Young, the situational strengths tests comprised a number of questions, tailored to reflect real work scenarios. Allowing candidates to be tested for role fit, the tests provide a rigorous assessment of strengths and can spot talent early. Feedback from initial introductions couldn’t be better. As well as a 15% increase in the number of graduates deselected at first interview, 12% more graduates accepted offers at the assessment centres.
The online test works by asking candidates to respond to a series of realistic ‘day in the life’
scenario-based questions that have been researched and built
upon specific stakeholder specifications.
20 GRADUATE RECRUITER
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