Presently, there is a misnomer regarding the use of assessments to evaluate job candidates at roofing companies.
First, many employers refer to their assessments as "tests," which is inaccurate. A test is designed specifically to produce a "pass" or "fail" grade and as such should never be used as a hiring tool.
Second, there are numerous assessments that were created with little forethought or are discriminatory in nature.
However, a properly researched and designed assessment is a valuable tool for assisting companies in finding the right fit for a position. Such assessments simultaneously provide critical information to the applicant regarding his or her strengths and how to improve performance in specific areas.
At Dave Yoho Associates, we have been recommending the use of assessments for over 50 years. We specifically suggest our clients use the DiSC personality and behavioral assessment, which detects potential roadblocks that might not be apparent in a conventional interview and helps teams improve their collaboration, communication and productivity. According to the creators of this assessment model, "At its broadest, DiSC measures four aspects of personality: dominance (D), influence (i), steadiness (S) and conscientiousness (C)."
The DiSC assessment can assist roofing companies in the following five areas:
- Examining and defining the behavior of those with potential to succeed in the job role
- Determining those who may not have the behavior to excel in the position
- Avoiding the eventual termination of a job candidate who may not fit the organization and structure
- Overcoming tendencies to "value-judge" and thus miss out on strong applicants
- Providing advanced knowledge on the best methods to manage, train, and motivate an individual
Further, it provides direction to contractors on how to effectively:
- Lead and manage
- Handle pressure, change and conflict
- Persuade others
- Solve problems
- Communicate better
- Respond to negative conditions
- Work in a team dynamic
- Stay motivated
- Perceive success and failure
- Adapt to new situations
- Organize and prioritize
- Set goals and define success
- Listen to others with different behavioral styles
- Make decisions quickly
To make sure you are hiring someone who is an ideal fit for your company and the open position, you need to equip yourself with information that cannot be uncovered in an interview. DiSC assessments are a great tool to have in your kit for this purpose.
