How to review the candidate assessment results

Learn how to review and make use of the assessment data to help you make informed hiring decisions

Pernilla Ahl avatar
Written by Pernilla Ahl
Updated over a week ago

Once the candidates have completed the tests, the data will automatically feed into the “All candidates” tab within the job position. Here you will first see how the candidates match against the set test profile where they can either be Very High, High, Medium, Low or Very Low. Next, you can take a deep-dive into the results of each candidate to learn more about how the candidate scored compared to the test profile as well as review the full assessment results. 

Evaluate candidates

In this view, you will see how the candidates match against the test profile resulting in 1 of 5 role fit categories. The role fit category is determined by how the test result scores, ranging from 1 to 10, fall inside or outside the target range of the test profile.

  • Very high (Role fit=100%): All test results are within the target range of the test profile.

  • High (Role fit=75%-99%): Test results are at most 1 point from the target range.

  • Medium (Role fit=50%-74%): Test results are between 1 and 2 points from the target range on average.

  • Low (Role fit=25%-49%): Test results are between 2 and 3 points from the target range on average.

  • Very low (Role fit=0%-24%): Test results are more than 3 points from the target range on average

The test profile determines the criteria the candidates are evaluated against where different test profiles may have different weighting between personality and logic results. Learn more about Alva’s test profiles HERE.

If you have a fairly large number of candidates*, and hence will start with screening, the need for interpretation is limited at the first stage. As long as you have selected a suitable test profile, you can use the candidate ranking as a tool for initial selection. For instance, you may want to continue the recruitment process with only those candidates that have very high/high role fit. 

*The key to build great teams is to ensure you use predictive metrics of success on the job. By using Alva assessments as the first step in the recruitment process you ensure you are giving all possible talents a chance to be included, free from biases, to help you truly identify the top high potential talents for the role. 

Deep-dive view

By clicking on each candidate name in the list over all candidates, you will be able to access the full test results as well as their specific role fit overview.

For both test results, you can press “See full test result” to get more insights on the response pattern for the logic test as well as see how the candidate scored on all 15 personality facets.  

Under "Detailed results" in the role fit view you'll see how the candidate scored compared to the test profile and the preferred range. Alva calculates an overall role fit percentage and shows the personality as well as the logic fit percentage score respectively. You can leverage the results as a guide of what additional information you might benefit from to help make your final hiring decision, e.g., generate situational based interview questions, work case samples, reference check. 

In the example below, you may want to learn more about the candidate's natural social style by adding a few focused questions around this to the interview. As you can see in the example below, the score on the personality facet "sociability" deviates from the preferred range and asking about this during an interview will provide an opportunity to understand more about how this may play out for the candidate on the job.

HERE are a few examples of probing interview questions to ask based on the personality result.

Learn more about the personality factors

Agreeableness:

Agreeableness is a measure of an individual’s natural tendencies with respect to social interactions. This trait reflects how well the individual gets along with others, how cooperative or skeptical they are, and how they might interact within a team.

This personality factor ranges from detached in the lower band to friendly in the upper band. 

A low score on agreeableness indicates a person who is likely perceived as somewhat skeptical and forthright in their way to interact where they may be perceived as indifferent to other peoples’ feelings. They are likely to be more competitive compared to highly agreeable individuals.

A high score on agreeableness indicates a person who is likely perceived as somewhat soft-hearted and very polite in their way of interacting where they have a tendency to put high trust in other people rather than questioning their perspectives. They may be perceived as somewhat naive and submissive at times.

Conscientiousness:

Conscientiousness is a measure of how careful, deliberate, self-disciplined, and organized an individual is. This trait often reflects how productive this individual will be at work. 

This personality factor ranges from relaxed in the lower band to diligent in the upper band. 

A low score on conscientiousness indicates a person who is likely perceived as more easy-going, flexible and spontaneous. They may appear as sloppy or unreliable at times given their more spontaneous and unstructured approach to work. 

A high score on conscientiousness indicates a person who is likely perceived as a hard-working and an achievement-oriented individual who cares about getting things right. They tend to have a more structured approach at work and prefer a planned rather than spontaneous work style.

Extraversion:

Extraversion is a measure of how sociable, outgoing, and energetic an individual is. Some types of positions are better suited for individuals who fall on one side of the spectrum than the other.

This personality factor ranges from reserved in the lower band to outgoing in the upper band. 

A low score on extraversion indicates a person who is likely perceived as more introverted, or more intentional in their social interactions. They may be perceived as somewhat quiet and low key, as well as independent in their working style. 

A high score on extraversion indicates a person who is likely perceived as more outgoing and talkative and have a tendency to share their opinion even if it’s not always thought through. They are often perceived as energetic and engaging in conversations and have a less independent working style. They may have a hard time to take a step back and listen. 

Emotional Stability:

Emotional stability measures the tendency to experience emotions easily, such as anger and anxiety and refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse control.

This personality factor ranges from sensitive in the lower band to resilient in the upper band. 

A low score on emotional stability indicates a person who is likely perceived as more hot-tempered, reactive and excitable. They have a tendency to be more heavy-hearted and concerned and can be perceived as unstable or insecure. 

A high score on emotional stability indicates a person who is likely perceived as even-tempered, stable and calm. They have a tendency to be more carefree and composed and can be seen as somewhat uninspiring and unconcerned at times. 

Openness to Experience:

Openness to experience measures the extent to which an individual is imaginative, creative and open-minded. 

This personality factor ranges from conventional in the lower band to innovative in the upper band. 

A low score on openness to experience indicates a person who is likely perceived as more down-to-earth and realistic as well as very concrete in their way of thinking. They have a tendency to be more conservative in their point of views. 

A high score on openness to experience indicates a person who is likely perceived as more conceptual in their way of thinking. They tend to be curious and prefer new ways of doing things. They may have a difficult time engaging in a more repetitive type of work. 

Read more about what to think about when interpreting assessment results HERE.

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