Assessments are used by companies in selection procedures and to evaluate and coach the current personnel. The objectives of an assessment depend on its reason.

Objectives of a selection assessment

The goal of a selection assessment as part of a selection procedure is to predict a person’s suitability for a position. By using assessments, an employer tries to figure out how someone would perform in a certain position. Using assessments make sure the suitable candidates for the job are selected.

Objectives of a development assessment

The objectives of a development assessment focus more on testing and improving. This type of assessment is often used in internal selection procedures or shortly after someone started in a new position. In that case, the goal is to establish points of improvement to help the employee in their further development.

Objectives of a career assessment

The goal of a career assessment is to advise the employee regarding career choices. During this assessment, the focus is on the job that at this point would be the best fit for the candidate and the changes and adjustments that have to be made to ensure an optimal performance. In companies, career assessments are often used to better coach employees in their position and to put the right employees in the right spot.

Objectives of a management assessment

The objectives of a management assessment focus more on the qualities a good manager is assumed to have. This type of assessment is often used in selection procedures for management positions and with internal applications for an executive position. The main objective of this assessment is showing leadership qualities. Points of interest include independence, the ability to delegate and the way the candidate deals with resistance.

The overall goal of each assessment is to get a better understanding of the candidates. This can be obtained by testing how a person responds and performs in different situations.