Software can help firms understand how a candidate will perform
It has become common practice for corporations to use simple and scientific tools, or 'psychometric solutions', in the human resources field, whether for recruitment purposes, assessments for internal promotions, career development planning, team-building or performance management.
One such method is the Personality and Preference Inventory (PAPI), a Web-based assessment tool developed by human resources consultancy Cubiks. The tool can help corporations understand how a candidate will perform at work and how staff need to develop before they can be promoted.
'The key objective in recruiting staff is to find the right person for the right job. And it is vital for [HR managers] to identify and define the competencies required for each job opening,' said Cubiks Hong Kong country manager Virginia Choi Wai-kam.
But it may be difficult to identify the required competencies. To start with, human resources professionals need to have a clear understanding of their company's corporate vision, values, business strategies and competencies. They must then discuss and work with the line managers to determine and confirm the competencies required for a particular opening. More scientifically, they can utilise the PAPI software to identify particular personality traits required for a certain job before the selection process begins.
'It is very important to define the key competencies of both corporations and individuals,' said Ms Choi. 'Our clients Ocean Park and Sun Hung Kai Properties, for instance, have different corporate competencies. An education ambassador in Ocean Park also has a completely different set of core competencies to an accountant at Sun Hung Kai.'
When the selection process begins, corporations can use psychometric tests to assess potential candidates' personalities at work. 'The prospective candidates can answer the 20-minute questionnaire on the Web,' Ms Choi said.