Psychometric Profiling Valued

May 28 2008 - Recruitment specialist TMS Asia-Pacific recently reminded employers in the tourism and hospitality and tourism sectors of the valuable role psychometric profiles can have in recruitment.

According to Ainslie Hunt, TMS Asia-Pacific's General Manager for Australia/New Zealand, many businesses still focus on the skill factor when making their ultimate hiring decisions. But in doing so, she said, they are completely overlooking the all important 'other' attributes candidates can bring into a company.

"This has become extremely relevant in today's candidate-light environment, particularly with the advent of the 'Gen Y' phenomena," Ainslie Hunt said.

"Candidate attitude is now seen by many employers as one of the main hiring factors.

"And this is where the value of psychometric profiling comes into play."

Ainslie Hunt added that now, more than at any other time, employers need to understand how important a role company culture plays in attracting candidates into an organisation.

"Psychometric testing provides an objective way of assessing a candidate's strengths and weaknesses and presents an objective, accurate and reliable insight into a person's behavioural and/or temperamental styles.

"This includes their social confidence, attitude, motivation, leadership and decision-making styles, sales potential, capacity to work under pressure and ability to work individually or as a team.

"These characteristics can be very useful for predicting if a potential candidate is suited for a particular position in the company and can aid in retaining and developing existing employees.

"Finding a candidate that fits in culturally will ensure a much better chance of success.

"It is important to remember, in addition to monetary cost, a bad hiring decision can also adversely affect the morale of other employees.

"Even worse, hiring the wrong person can actually result in a company losing its good staff members."

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