Assessment Tips

“Our employees are our most important assets." If a company takes that slogan seriously, then career opportunities for their employees must also be taken seriously.

Have a role that became vacant? Then first look within its own ranks for a suitable candidate before recruiting externally. Perhaps an employee is ready for a promotion, or perhaps there is someone who aspires to obtain a different role (horizontal mobility).

Do you know all your employees?

This means that the HRM department must have a clear picture of each employee's ambitions and capabilities. Who is ready to take on a leadership role? Who is strong at organizing and coordinating?

Every company follows an annual cycle of performance and assessment interviews. These go a long way toward clarifying individual ambitions. Especially when you combine these formal moments with informal conversations. However, they do not help you get a clear and objective picture of the competencies of your employees.

With a competency test, you can achieve exactly that. The Bridge Personality test of TestGroup is a scientifically substantiated competency test that is taken online.

Online competency test

To take The Bridge Personality competency test you don't need a special testing room or expensive consultants. The test is designed to be taken online. The test is time and place independent.

This means that the employee can answer the questions at a time that suits him or her. He or she can take his or her time, making the answers more reliable than if it had to be done "in between business." He or she can also choose a place that feels comfortable.

20 languages, different levels

It is well-known that a person’s language proficiency can influence test results. A competency test should evaluate someone’s professional skills, not their language abilities or familiarity with exam formats. That is why many organizations combine a competency test with a 4 color personality test, so you get a clearer picture of work style and communication without over-relying on language-heavy questions. Many companies employ international employees, and English, German, and French are often used in multinational teams and workplaces.

Therefore, like all TestGroup tests, the test is available in over 20 different languages. Besides the languages already mentioned, also in languages such as Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Russian. Want to know if another language is also available? Then please contact us.

The level of education can also influence the outcome of the test. Someone with a vocational education interprets questions differently than someone with an academic education. Moreover, someone with an academic education may simply be better at completing tests. However, the degree obtained says little or nothing about a person's managerial abilities or decision-making skills. That is why the competency test is available at vocational, bachelor and university levels.

Competency test for internal use

The test is designed specifically for internal use by organizations and companies. It measures 34 Big Five competencies by default, but is flexible enough to add other competencies. This makes this competency test a valid measurement tool that allows for customization.

Honest answers

The employee seeking promotion may be tempted to answer socially-desirable answers during the competency test. With many (non-scientific) tests, this tendency can greatly distort the results, possibly leading you to offer the wrong candidate the promotion. If it turns out afterwards that the competencies are not as highly developed as you thought, you are in trouble.

TestGroup's Bridge Personality Test uses Normative-Ipsative split technology®. This technology uses AI to reveal steering response behavior. In the report, you immediately see in which questions and competencies the candidate had doubts. Although doubt does not only indicate steering behavior (it can also mean that someone has seriously thought about the question), it is important information in the selection and evaluation of candidates.

Comprehensive, but clear, reporting

After the candidate completes the test questions, the system immediately creates a clear competency report. In it you first get a general picture on the dimensions of control, execution, mental and attitude. These dimensions are then further explored.

Furthermore, the test report gives a good insight into the personality of the candidate. The well-known 4-color model is used for this purpose. This model is elaborated in The Bridge Colour Wheel, from which a total of 72 different personality types can be expressed.

Finally, the report shows the strengths of the candidate, while also highlighting any development points.

For selection and development

The competency test can be used when you are selecting for a specific job opening. In this occasional use, the test helps you arrive at more informed decisions. Valuable, but The Bridge Personality test can provide much more value. For commercial roles, you can add a sales assessment to measure sales-related competencies and working style in a targeted way. Make the competency test an integral part of your talent management process.

Use the competency test to engage with employees. Examine where ambitions and competencies don't match. Perhaps with some guidance the employee can strengthen his or her competencies so that next time he or she will be ready for the next step. You may also conclude together that the ambitions need to be adjusted.

Whatever the outcome, when used properly this competency test will help your employee get the best out of theirself. The competency test helps you tap into the full potential of your employees.