It seems as though almost everything is analyzed and assessed these days, poked and prodded and discussed ad infinitum.  The key, however, is to determine what needs to be assessed and what doesn’t, and when it comes to the world of employment, there’s plenty that’s deserving of such scrutiny.  In this issue of The Animal Science Monitor, we explore the topic of assessment from two different vantage points and perspectives, with an emphasis on achieving better results.  We hope that you enjoy this issue of The ASM, and if you have any astute assessments regarding our newsletter, please send them our way.

—Dan and Don

> Your ASM Calendar of Upcoming Industry Events
> Assessment Tools for Better Recruiting
> Managing—and Investing in—Your References
> Check Out Our Special Jobs Issue!
> An ASM ‘In Focus’ Calendar Event
> Your Personality, Your Passion, and Your Job

Assessment Tools for Better Recruiting
(By Dan Simmons)

In the beginning was the Myers-Briggs Test.  It was not designed to be an employment tool, but by golly, it did help.  By measuring a person’s aptitudes in four quadrants, you could learn enough to make better hiring decisions.  Then the next generations of assessments were created, and these quantified skills, talents, and interests.  Suddenly you could measure (and compare with others) a person’s desire to work with people and their ability to be successful doing so.  You could also measure their ability to work with data.

In case you’re not accustomed to working with personality assessments or aptitude tests, I’ll give an example of what one can provide.  One of my favorite assessments measures the following on a scale of one to 10 (with 10 being the highest): assertiveness, communication abilities, pace/sense of urgency, and attention to detail.  In addition, it measures creativity, emotional control, and situational adaptability.  By having this information on multiple candidates, you can see which ones possess the traits you most desire.

Take these assessments, and with your current team, use the results of your top performers in each role as a benchmark. Through the use of this strategy, you can improve upon your ability to hire more of the personality types that are successful.

Below are some things to keep in mind when choosing and using an assessment:

• Make certain the assessment is fair.  Only use assessments that can provide a validation study that shows the assessment does not discriminate.  Otherwise, you’re vulnerable to legal action.
• Make certain you learn how to read the results.  Data without knowledge is useless.
• Take the time to benchmark your team, or at least the top 50% of your team, so that you can leverage these results.
• Determine if you want the applicant to be able to take the assessment online, since many assessments can be done over the Internet.
• Think about the time and cost factors.  Some assessments take hours, while others take less than 10 minutes.  The results are not always proportionate.  The assessment described above takes less than 10 minutes and a seven-page report is provided.  I can attest that the results are accurate.  The cost of assessments range from $15 to well over $100 each, so consider your budget.
• Use the assessments consistently; otherwise you are discriminating.
• Don’t make the assessment a stand-alone pass/fail to being hired.  An assessment should be a vital tool in hiring.  However, it should not perform the decision-making function.  These are not fool proof.
• Do your homework.  Compare various assessments and then choose.  There are many good tools available, and by researching these on the Web and taking samples of three to four, you should be able to make an informed decision.  Keyword search the following in an Internet search engine (such as Google) to get started: (1) Profiles International – PreVue, (2) Caliper Assessment, and (3) Organizational Analysis and Design AND OAD assessment.

Assessments can help you to identify a person’s strengths, weaknesses, and aptitudes.  If you reviewed the results of some of the assessments I’ve taken over the years, you would quickly learn that I can analyze data fairly well, can communicate with people well, and should not work with any equipment more complicated than a toaster.  These things are true.  Don’t hire me to be your plumber, or we’ll both be in a mess!

If you have any questions about this article, or any question about recruiting, rewarding, and retaining top talent, send me an email at dan@consearch.com.

Check Out Our Special Jobs Issue!

Next week, The Animal Science Monitor will publish its semi-annual Jobs Issue, which consistently ranks as one of our most popular issues during the course of the year.  That’s because we’ll be highlighting premium employment opportunities spanning a wide variety of sectors within the animal science industry—from academia to nutrition to food sciences to integrated food companies.

If you’re currently in the midst of a job search and would like to submit your resume in advance of next week’s issue, you can do so by emailing it to Don Hunter at don@bayresourcegroup.com.  Remember that any exchange of information, including resumes, will be kept in total confidence and handled in a discreet fashion.

As always, thanks for being a loyal reader of The ASM, and we look forward to the publication of next week’s special issue!

An ASM ‘In Focus’ Calendar Event

Every so often in The Animal Science Monitor, we run expanded information regarding an upcoming industry event, outside of our regular calendar feature.  In this issue, we’d like to highlight the Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) and the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), scheduled for Monday, July 7 through Friday, July 11 in Indianapolis, Ind.  Below is an expanded description of this event.

If you’d like your conference or meeting to be an "ASM ‘In Focus’ Calendar Event,” please email all information to matt@animalsciencemonitor.com.

‘A Window to the Future’

The Joint Annual Meeting of the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) and the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) offers those who attend a unique glimpse of the future in the dairy and livestock industry.  A primary focus of the conference is the oral and poster presentation of results from ongoing or recently completed research projects by scientists and graduate students from around the world.  The results presented will be seen in products, technology, and management practices reaching the field in years to come.

The meeting will also include symposia that range from the current application of research to the discussion of very basic research.  For example, subject matter for this year’s symposia range from “Hot Topics in Dairy Management” to “The Molecular Basis for Feed Efficiency.”  Work from the processing side of the dairy industry is also included in both targeted symposia and research presentations.  The meeting also offers a great opportunity to network with researchers, extension workers, and government and industry representatives in your area of interest.

Make plans now to attend to learn more about the future of the dairy and livestock industry.  If it doesn’t fit into your schedule, let the professionals you work with know about this valuable source for information on the latest research and its application.  As a bonus, anyone who attends this year’s meeting will be invited to subscribe to S-PAC (Searchable Proceeding of Animal Conferences) at ADSA member rates.  S-PAC is a searchable database currently housing 146 proceeding and presentations from 29 conferences.  The invitation to subscribe will be sent following the meeting.

Registration, housing, and other meeting information for this event can be found by clicking here.  Two-day or full meeting registration options are available.

Your Personality, Your Passion, and Your Job
(By Don Hunter)

Are you experiencing some type of incongruence with your current job, something that you can’t quite seem to put your finger on?

It might have something to do with your personality.

Not that there’s anything wrong with your personality, let me just get that out of the way up front.  But when it comes to employment—and  more accurately—satisfactory employment, a person’s personality is often the wild card that helps to ultimately determine their success.

External vs. internal

In the interest of objectivity, let’s use a hypothetic example.  Suppose a friend comes to you frustrated about their job and wanting your advice.  How would you approach the situation?  Since you’re on the outside looking in, you might come to the conclusion that the problem can be only external in nature or internal.  That means your friend’s frustration is either the result of outside factors that are bearing down on them (an overly demanding boss, an unusually long commute, etc.) or the result of dissatisfaction from within.

The key is to determine which factors (and situations) are causing the feelings of dissatisfaction.  External factors can sometimes be altered or improved, although sometimes they cannot.  Internal factors, on the other hand, are less likely to be permanently changed for the purpose of creating harmony.  The reasons?  First and foremost, because you can’t change your personality, your core being.  Now it’s true that you can alter certain aspects of your personality, but you can’t change who you are—and what’s more, you shouldn’t try.

Second, personality goes hand-in-hand with passion.  Who a person is (i.e, their personality) and what they’re passionate about are almost always linked to some degree, and sometimes to a large degree.  That’s because who you are is most often an indicator of what you’re passionate about.  For example, if you’re outgoing and sociable, it makes sense that you might be passionate about helping people.  As a result, a job that allows you to pursue that passion would be the best one for you.

Experience and enjoyment

Forget, for a moment, about personality tests.  Yes, companies employ such tests—like the Myers-Briggs Indicator—quite widely.  However, their accuracy in predicting a fit between person and position could be challenged for any number of reasons.  Instead, let’s focus on data that’s more accurate, not to mention more accessible: your experience.

I’m talking about your work experience only in the larger context.  Specifically, I’m addressing your life experience.  In other words, what do you enjoy doing?  What brings you the most satisfaction?  And what do these things say about your personality and your current work or employment situation?  Is there a positive connection between who you are and what you have a passion for doing and what you are doing right now?

And perhaps most importantly, do you enjoy what you’re doing?

When you get right down to it, this is the most important question.  Because if you enjoy what you’re doing, then it’s obvious that what you’re doing is a match for your personality.  And if you enjoy what you’re doing, then presumably you’re going to do it well, which means you’ll add value to your company, thereby helping it to grow and earn more profit.  It’s truly a win-win situation for both you and your employer . . . if you’ve identified your passion, what that passion means in relation to your personality, and how you can use both to find a job that’s rewarding and satisfying on every conceivable level.

If you have any questions about this topic, please send me an email at don@bayresourcegroup.com.  And if you’re currently engaged in a job search or are interested in advancing the scope of your career, be sure to send me your resume.  I’d be happy to discuss your career goals and ambitions, including ways in which I can help you to achieve them.  Any exchange of information, including resumes, will be kept in total confidence and handled in a discreet fashion.