The softfactors Recruiting Suite latest addition is a fully integrated and automated online assessment. It can be applied with unlimited numbers of candidates after the screening.
Depending on the complexity of the position, this takes between 30 and 60 minutes for the candidates. They complete a series of 6 – 8 exercises according to the latest scientific standards of diagnostics. The occupational dimensions are measured on:
- Personality
- Competencies
- Motivational drivers
This makes all candidates even more comparable and thus the hiring decision more precise. With softfactors screening and assessing hiring is no longer based on gut feeling and CV parsing but on hard facts. softfactors truly measures and assesses soft skills.
softfactors analytics offers much more than just a self-assessment of personality
Based on the multi-trait / multimethod approach of Campbell & Fiske, various occupational dimensions of the personality are measured with several instruments from different angles. This is compulsory for job applications, because often a tendency to „wishful thinking“ creeps in by the candidates when they have to fill out a self-reported questionnaire about their personality. Since each dimension is measured several times, it is practically impossible for a candidate to maintain the „ideal candidate profile“ throughout the assessment.
softfactors analytics outperforms the weakness of traditional assessment instruments
Both the C.G. Young-based approaches (the basis for popular questionnaires such as MBTI or DISG) as well as the widespread „Big Five“ are general personality descriptions that can only be used to a limited extent in recruitment. In fact they were always recommended not to be used in recruitment by psychology experts. The MBTI or DISG for instance, does not correspond to the generally accepted criteria of quality of the MBTI, because of its complexity (the MBTI uses 16 (!) Personality types). On the other hand a major dimension of the „Big Five“ is called „neuroticism“ Psychodiagnostics, language that should not be used in recruiting. Additionally, both types of tests are self-reported and not really an assessment of a personality.
softfactors analytics has taken a step further to overcome these important disadvantages of traditional assessment approaches:
The basis for the softfactors personality model is the „Bochum Inventory of the Career-Related Personality Description“ (BIP). This model is scientifically validated and is based on a very modern and professional personality concept comprising 14 dimensions divided into 4 areas:
- Working behavior (conscientiousness, flexibility, action orientation)
- Professional orientation (performance motivation, motivation to shape, leadership motivation)
- Social skills (sensitivity, contact ability, sociability, team orientation, enforcement)
- Mental constitution (emotional stability, resilience, self-awareness).
The softfactors Recruiting Suite describes the candidates on 3 levels, which contain the BIP dimensions:
- Personality Profile (thinking and communication preferences)
- Professional Competences (25 skills in 5 dimensions)
- Motivation Drivers (driving factors for professional success)
Daniel Villiger, PhD, father of the softfactors „engine“: „We chose this description framework because it proved to be practical and easy to understand in our many years’ experience in HR consulting work.“
On the first level, the personality profile describes the „fit“ between the task and the typical thinking style of the candidates. In a second step, the job-related competencies measure the abilities of the candidates required to meet the performance objectives of the position. Finally, the motivation drivers provide information on the factors that are important for the job satisfaction and motivation of candidates.
The Magic Matching with softfactors
The softfactors recruiting suite consists of different modules that either can be used as a whole or in its parts. It comes as a software as a service (SaaS) in different languages (currently: English, German, French). A combination of Ability Testing, Personality Style Questionnaires and Interactive Exercises based on 25 Competencies are the core of the matching algorithm. An open API allows other platforms such as ATS, job boards or other recruiting systems to include the softfactors analytics in their environments. softfactors also has basic ATS functionalities, focusing on the sourcing of candidates. It measures from which source best candidates come from.