Understanding the Achiever Assessment

1. Understanding the Achiever Assessment

2. Brief Company History • In business for over forty-seven years • Originally comprised of staff psychologists who interviewed and evaluated applicants • Developed 1st written assessment to incorporate mental aptitudes & personality dimensions • First assessment to use concurrently validated hiring patterns based on client’s successful people • Developed technology leading to today’s advanced computerized & internet accessible instruments • Patent pending on e-Employment Center: 1st applicant tracking system to legally define applicant status

3. The Achiever • The Achiever has been validated by construct validation in accordance with federal standards and procedures. • Although validated against the MMPI and 16 PF, both considered to be the premier psychological exams of today, The Achiever is not a psychological test itself. • The Achiever is, by definition, a personality assessment, therefore admissible by the ADA.

4. And Remember. . . • The intent of the assessment is to ensure job-fit • The assessment should not constitute more than 1/3 of the hiring decision

5. Understanding Stanine Scoring Bell Curve 23% 54% 23% Average General Population 66% Desirable Pattern based on top performers

6. Quick Check. . . Average Pattern When an applicant scores outside of the desirable range in more than 6 of the dimensions it may imply a non-fit for the position in question.

7. Interpretations Mental Aptitudes Personality Dimensions Numbers highlighted in RED represent extreme scores.

8. Mental Acuity • How quickly the individual learns • Ability to think conceptually • Ability to solve problems • Ability to project and anticipate

9. Slow to learn Slow decision maker Prefers routine tasks Short-term planner Requires guidelines Needs structure Conceptual thinker Systematic mind Analytical Quick decision maker Overloads themselves Needs mental challenges Mental Acuity

10. Business Terms • Understanding of basic business language • Demonstrates management experience

11. Lack of exposure Lacks interest Probably young and inexperienced Executive / Mgmt exposure Financial / Legal dept knowledge Reads trade periodicals Business Terms

12. Memory Recall • Knowledge of current events • Observational skills • Retention

13. Possibly isolated Remains uninformed Limited resources Lacks interest in current events Observant Good retention Wide range of interests Keeps abreast of current events Memory Recall

14. Vocabulary • Ability to communicate orally • Written skills • Convey thoughts and ideas

15. Poor writing skills Weak presentation skills Inability to convey thoughts & ideas Ineffectual communicator Strong communicator Perceived as professional Convincing Convey abstract concepts May ‘talk down’ to others Vocabulary

16. Numerical Perception • Ability to work accurately with numbers • Skill with detail work • Rapid visual acuity when dealing with numbers & symbols.

17. Poor detail orientation Error prone Transposes numbers Slow number processing Possible visual problem Good visual accuracy Detail oriented Quick with numbers Superior number & detail recognition Numerical Perception

18. Mechanical Interest • Desire to understand how things work • Willingness to learn technical language • Facility with office equipment

19. Cannot grasp technical functions No interest in how office equipment works Calls repairperson 1st Technically / Mechanically inclined Able to learn / sell / maintain tech products & office equipment Mechanical Interest

20. Energy • Energy level • Level of internalized nervous tension • Degree of stress • Amount of physical activity necessary for comfort

21. Action-oriented Restless Easily distracted Short attention span Easily frustrated Internalizes stress Vents anger Calm Procrastinates Difficult to motivate Slow to act Prefers repetitive functions Reluctant decision maker Energy

22. Flexibility • Extent to which actions are based on precedent, rules, policies • Flexibility regarding change • How much structure is required • Degree of reliability and consistency

23. Innovative thinking Quick decision-maker Thinks ‘outside of the box’ Inconsistent Poor self-correction Too expedient / Cuts corners Applies personal judgment Predictable Rule oriented Dependable / Reliable Adheres to procedures Hates change Inflexible Reluctant to make decisions Flexibility

24. Organization • Need for order and planning • Organizational habits • Time management • Ability to multi-task

25. Spontaneous Thrives on variety Enjoys multi-tasking Over-commits time Likely to be late Poorly prepared Messy Predictable Neat and orderly Prefers routine procedures Single task orientation Needs a plan in place Extreme time-management Cannot deviate from plan Organization

26. Communications • Need for social interaction • Ability to focus when listening • Communication style

27. Quiet Distant Good listener Detail oriented Works well alone Poor communicator Limited social circle Talkative Often funny People-person Usually well-liked Poor listening skills Interrupts others at work Cannot work alone Communication

28. Emotional Development • Sense of Urgency • Ability to adjust to emotional stress • Level of goal-orientation • Level of self-esteem • Age impacted

29. Eager / Action oriented Strong sense of urgency Impatient / Demanding Needs to prove oneself Blames others / Volatile Low ego strength Immature control of emotions Well-liked Easy-going / Laid-back Handles stress very well Tolerant and patient Not action oriented Lacks sense of urgency Not motivated or driven Emotional Development

30. Assertiveness • Need to control situations • Level of authority desired • Decision-making style • Attitude towards confrontation

31. Passive Vacillates Cooperative Lacks initiative Easily intimidated Avoids confrontation Customer-service oriented Confident Decisive Quick to act Strong initiative Confrontational Intimidates others Ignores opinions of others Assertiveness

32. Competitiveness • Team compatibility • Response to incentives • Need for individual achievement • Relationship orientation

33. Well-liked Team oriented Fears comparisons Not incentive-driven Cannot drive the team Doesn’t like to keep score Nurtures work-relationships “Winner” vs “Loser” view Enjoys sales environment Motivated by incentives Likes a challenge Self-absorbed Individualist Not relationship-oriented Competitiveness

34. Mental Toughness • Attitude toward criticism • Level of empathy • Aesthetic awareness • Physical stamina & endurance levels

35. Sensitive Nurturing Incline to the arts Thin-skinned Easily discouraged Fears criticism Prone to absenteeism Highly objective Likes direct feedback Rugged Takes rejection well Insensitive Lacks empathy Blunt and direct Mental Toughness

36. Questioning/Probing Skill • Questioning ability & need for the facts • Degree of shrewdness • Level of trust in others • Need to analyze motives of others

37. Trusting Easy to get along with Relies on hope Gullible Frequently blindsided Accepts things at face value Shrewd Inquisitive Probes motives Suspicious Appears to distrust others Highly challenging Questioning/Probing

38. Motivation • Need for recognition • Levels of risk-taking • Need for challenges

39. Loyal Serious Opposes risk Hates change Clings to the past Security motivated Optimistic Ambitious Pushes for change Risk/growth oriented Turn-over risk Motivated by status/reward Motivation

40. Distortion • Measures the extent to which individuals attempt to present themselves in a favorable light regarding conformity, self-control or moral values. • Undesirably high scores often result from over-analysis of the questions, and the individual’s need to look for the hidden meaning.

41. Equivocation • Measures how many times the person chose the equivocal or neutral responses. • Indicates the ability to commit to an opinion or viewpoint. • The willingness to follow directions. • Online version requires compliance

42. Correlations • Correlations occur when an Aptitude and its characteristics, or a Dimension and its behavior, combine with one or more other Dimensions to produce a third behavior. Correlations only develop when the Aptitudes or Dimensions are in the extreme Stanine scores. Correlations can: • Compensate for behaviors • Enhance or intensify behaviors • Re-enforce behaviors • Create a new behavior

43. Correlations - Examples • High Mental Acuity compensates for low Organization • High Flexibility re-enforces structure of high Organization • High Mental Acuity enhances innovation of low Flexibility • Low Flexibility enhances creativity of low Mental Toughness • Low Mental Toughness tones down high Assertiveness • High Competitiveness re-enforces dominance of high Assertiveness • Low Flexibility & high Competitiveness leads to ‘cheating’ • High Organization compensates for lower Mental Acuity • High Energy score re-enforces lack of motivation of high Emotional Development • Mid-range in Energy and Emotional Development = Drive + Add high Assertiveness and Motivation to Drive = Ambition