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Using Preference Questionnaires to help you select the very best employees

Posted on 22nd May 2016

Preference Questionnaires (PQ) are a new type of selection tool that can be pivotal in your selection process. Each applicant is provided with a questionnaire, either paper based or online, and asked to rate their preferences for a number of different work scenarios e.g. ‘I like working in a fast paced environment’ or ‘I prefer a role where I can use my initiative‘.

The idea behind the questionnaire is to rate an individual on their job preferences to see if they possess the characteristics needed to fit a particular role. If your employees show strong preferences for their job then they are more likely to enjoy carrying out the key tasks required for job success, and they might be more effective. Your organisation can then reap the benefits with employees who are more engaged in their job.

A top law firm was seeking to improve its selection processes

A top law firm in the United Kingdom decided to use a bespoke PQ to help fairly and objectively consider large numbers of applicants for their Trainee Solicitor and Vacation schemes. Their aim was to only invite the highest calibre of candidate to their bespoke assessment centre.

The law firm commissioned The Occupational Psychology Centre (OPC) to help improve further the efficiency and effectiveness of its recruitment process. Due to the popularity of their two schemes the high volume of applications subsequently meant that to manually assess each application in full was becoming more of a challenge. Therefore they were seeking a process that would allow the large number of applications to be assessed swiftly in a fair and objective manner.

The OPC designed a PQ to be used as a selection tool at the beginning of their process to assess the candidate’s preference for the role. The questionnaire was created following a thorough analysis of the Trainee Solicitor role; key preferences were then devised and discussed with job experts within the law firm. Once they were agreed, 30 key preference questions were developed and implemented.

Each candidate who applied for the position sat the PQ online. Candidates who performed well on both the PQ and the application form were then invited to an assessment centre which assessed the competencies required for the job.

A good predictor of performance at assessment centre

After the law firm had completed their recruitment process, the OPC conducted an analysis of the data. A significant link was found between an applicant’s score on the PQ and their subsequent performance at the assessment centre. The applicants who scored higher on the questionnaire in general also performed better overall at the assessment centre.

Using the PQ has provided both long term and short term benefits to the law firm. Firstly, it has allowed them to consider several hundred applications in an efficient and objective manner. It has therefore provided time savings for the stakeholders involved, giving them time to dedicate to other areas of their job role. Secondly, the results have shown that the PQ has also selected a high calibre of candidate who moved forward to the assessment centre. This is advantageous as it allows the organisation to only spend time assessing and interviewing applicants who have a strong chance of succeeding.

There is an expectation that there will be long term benefits as the applicants who have been selected based on their preference for the role and law firm values are more likely to prove a valuable asset when placed into the real life demands of the Trainee Solicitor role. Therefore it would be expected to lead to an increase in performance and engagement within the workforce while also decreasing employee turnover.

A fair tool to help achieve a successful, diverse workforce

The OPC checked out the fairness of the PQ by conducting a thorough analysis of the results. The PQ was found to show no gender, age, ethnic, sexual orientation or religious conviction bias. Therefore the law firm were using a questionnaire that provided them with a successful selection tool that showed no discrimination.

The OPC, One Wellstones, Watford, WD17 2AE
Tel 01923 234 646
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