Candidate Assessment

We recognise that search and selection for board and chief executive positions requires a different approach to other forms of recruitment. At this level, an appointment brings together an organisation and an individual with similar values and aspirations, and it offers the candidate the right challenge. A sound assessment therefore examines the fit from both sides.

Our candidate assessment can form an integral part of the executive search process. It is also available as a standalone service, allowing organisations to gauge the capabilities and competencies of the executives already in their leadership team.

When organisations use executive assessment

Executive assessment adds most value when the cost of a wrong decision is high and interviews on their own leave the picture incomplete. Organisations use it to compare shortlisted candidates on equal terms, to judge whether an internal leader is ready to step up to a larger role, and to understand the strengths and gaps within their existing leadership team.

• On an external appointment, everyone on the shortlist completes the same exercises, which gives the interview panel comparable evidence on each person.
• Where an internal successor competes with external candidates, a shared assessment lets the panel judge every candidate against the same standard.
• As a standalone service, assessment can review the capability of a current leadership team ahead of growth or a change of strategy.

The need is greatest for the most senior roles. At that level, a single appointment shapes the direction of the organisation. For chief executive appointments, and for the finance, operations and commercial leaders who report to them, the assessment is best agreed with the client at the start of the retained executive search.

Assessment methods we can facilitate

We work closely with each client to agree the most appropriate approach to candidate assessment, and we can facilitate any combination of the four methods below. The choice depends on what the panel most needs to learn about each candidate. For the testing itself, we partner with leading HR and psychometric assessment providers who specialise in this field. Our established relationships with them allow us to offer each client an assessment tailored to its specific hiring needs.

Ability tests

Ability tests measure how well a candidate reasons with verbal, numerical or abstract information within a time limit. At executive level they are most useful where a role calls for interpreting complex financial or operational data quickly, and the results are usually read against a comparison group of senior managers.

Personality assessment

A psychometric assessment of personality considers how a candidate prefers to work, including how they make decisions, relate to colleagues and respond to pressure and change. The results describe tendencies. They also give the panel informed questions to explore at the next interview.

Assessment centre exercises

An assessment centre asks candidates to show how they would handle situations that closely resemble the role itself. Typical exercises include a business case analysis presented to the panel, an in-tray or briefing exercise, and a role play with a board member, investor or senior stakeholder.

Media assessment

Media assessment examines how a candidate communicates in public, for example in a recorded interview or a challenging press briefing. It is relevant for chief executives, chairs and other leaders who will represent the organisation to the media and to regulators.

The British Psychological Society reviews psychometric tests against published quality criteria and keeps a Register of Qualifications in Test Use. Organisations can then check both the test and the qualification of the person who administers it.

What a leadership assessment looks at

A leadership assessment considers the results a leader has delivered and also how those results were achieved. Our approach rests on the belief that leadership is based on values and associated behaviours and becomes apparent in interaction with others, which is why we observe candidates in exercises as well as at interview.

Within that framework, an assessment usually covers:

• Capability against the brief, and the judgement behind the decisions a candidate has made
• Leadership style, and how the candidate builds and develops a team
• Values and motivation, and how closely they match those of the organisation
• Behaviour under pressure, and the risks that may emerge in a demanding role
• Communication with boards, investors and external stakeholders

Each brief weights these areas in its own way. A turnaround chief executive and a non-executive chair call for a different emphasis, so we agree the criteria with the client before any exercise is designed.

How assessment fits within an executive search

In a retained search, candidate assessment follows the research and approach stages and comes before the final interviews. We present a shortlist of typically four to six candidates, supported by detailed written profiles covering career history, motivations, fit against the brief and our independent assessment.

Every Stone Executive search is partner-led from brief to appointment. Where the client chooses formal testing or exercises, the results are set out in a comprehensive written report alongside the candidate profile, and they shape the questions for final interview. The interview process for a European product leadership role at Yamazaki Mazak, for example, included an in-depth technical assessment before our client made the appointment.

Assessment works alongside candidate referencing, which verifies a leader’s career history, qualifications and directorships. Together they give the panel a confirmed record of what a candidate has achieved and evidence of how they are likely to perform in the role ahead.

FAQs

To discuss candidate assessment for your organisation, please speak to our team in confidence on 0333 800 1560.