If you’ve taken a pre-employment behavioral assessment during a recent interviewing process and gotten to keep the results, congratulations! You now possess a secret weapon.
Okay maybe you would have rather had the job, but these results are the next best thing. You can use this written record of your behavioral traits to help win the job on your next interview with a company who doesn’t give a pre-employment test.
Creating an exceptional resume doesn't have to be a burden. Our team has just reviewed the best resume-writing services.
The following are three strategies for how to highlight your strengths, differentiate yourself, and show that you researched the company. Use them at the right time, and impress your interviewer right into hiring you.
- Use Your Pre-Employment Analysis to Highlight Your Strengths
The first strategy for using pre-employment testing results to get your next job is to allow potential employers to have insight into your strengths and weaknesses. Providing behavioral assessment results brings an objective third party into the conversation to confirm that you have certain traits that match what is required by the job.
So when is the right time to give the results to the hiring manager? During the interview, most employers are going to ask what value you will add to the company, or where you are strength-wise for position.
When the conversation turns to you, say: “I brought this with me. It’s an analysis describing my behavioral drives and what I bring to the table. I thought in addition to telling you what my strengths are, you would appreciate seeing them from an objective angle.”
Just as importantly as identifying your strengths, employers want to see that you are aware of weaknesses and have developed, or are working to develop skills that will help you in the role. Armed with the behavioral testing results, you can show the interviewer that you are ahead of the game in knowing what weaknesses you will have to address when taking the job.
Join The Break Community
2) Differentiate Yourself with Behavioral Assessment Results
Another strategy to bring into play with pre-employment test results is to use them as an opportunity to differentiate yourself from the pack of applicants. Bringing in a third party source can take the guess work out of the process for the hiring manager, making you both a memorable and helpful candidate.
For example, say you’re aiming for a job in software sales and you have Predictive Index Test (type of behavioral assessment frequently used during the pre-employment process) results that provide proof of natural ability. You will be describing yourself in ways the interviewer may never have thought of before.
An example of PI Test results that would show you are excellent at software sales would be: that you’re strong in targeting new opportunities; that you have a significant results orientation and drive; possess a natural analytical and tech mindset; and you would be likely to follow through with clients to meet their needs and expectations.
Listing these descriptors of your ability can take the hiring manager outside of the box and possibly even a step ahead of how they were previously assessing candidates.
- Show You Researched the Company to Match Your Behavioral Drives
The final of the three strategies is to use your pre-employment test results to demonstrate that you researched the job position and company before applying. That you are not just out there to land any job, but one that will be a fit for you, that will keep you engaged and motivated so that you get to play to your strengths every day.
Bringing your behavioral analysis to the table switches the roles of the interviewee and interviewer for a moment. It allows you to say, here’s what I’m good at, now let’s talk about how the position is a good fit for me and discuss some ways in which it might be a less than good fit.
If you're looking for additional job resources, don't miss our round-up of the best job posting sites for more options
Conclusion
Using pre-employment testing results as a secret weapon in your interview can help you land a job. Use the three strategies explained in this article to help you with when and how to put the results in play and you’re sure to stand out in an interview.
Good luck and happy job hunting!
Steve Picarde, Jr., is Vice President of PI Midlantic, a behavioral and cognitive assessment consulting firm based in Annapolis, Maryland. PI Midlantic’s consultants aid businesses in hiring and with other stages of employee development using the Predictive Index System, Wonderlic test, and more. The PI Worldwide member firm is celebrating 30 years in business this month.
