Over the last 35 years (yeah I’m that old), I have interviewed hundreds of prospective employees. They range from young college grads to experienced professionals. The one thing that I was hoping for from all of them was that they would become top performers in the job I was interviewing. My approach was similar in all: a thorough interview (most of the time an interview with several individuals), a reference check, and a background check. Statistics show that with just these tools, I had a 1 in 4 chance of hiring a top performer. That isn’t a very good batting average in baseball, and it isn’t a very good record when it comes to hiring.

Using assessments can improve your success to as high as 3 in 4.  Imagine your individual success, and your company’s success, if 75% of the people you hired became top performers.

The entertainment industry produces an estimated 2,000 films per year. Of those films only around 600 are released into select theaters all over the globe, and of those 600 only a handful are captivating enough to leave a lasting impression on audiences and the academy. This year’s 82nd Academy Awards nominated a whopping 10 films for the honor of Best Picture. These nominated films were recognized for their ability to tell a story unlike any other film, but at the end of the night “The Hurt Locker” beat out blockbusters like “Avatar” for the award.

This scenario could be likened to the surplus of American talent currently seeking employment. The job market is still recovering from the recession. The ratio of those unemployed to available jobs is dramatic. Companies are struggling to process the volume of applications received per available position. Like Oscar Night, only a handful of applicants will impress enough to be considered. Choosing Best Picture is simple.  The Academy simply votes. But how do you ensure that of the handful of qualified applicants you choose the best?

The Profile XT (PXT) assessment enables hiring managers to narrow down their list of applicants and select the applicant most appropriate for the job. If two applicants have identical resumes, it can be difficult to decide which one looks better. PXT assessments provide objective results that match each applicant to the available position. This information can determine who would be the overall best fit based on their skills, personality and job fit.

Use assessments, like the Profile XT that measure skills, aptitude, behavior, thinking style and personality, to gather as much information as possible so that you can objectively hire the individual who is the best fit for the job. Three separate studies show that using assessment tools, in addition to interviews and background checks, significantly increase the chances that you will be hiring a top performer.  Placing people appropriately the first time saves time, money and energy.  Consistently placing top performers in your company will make you look like a top performer as well.