Assessment
- Diagnostic dyslexia assessments by Chartered Psychologist suitable for Disabled Student Allowance. Provision of working diagnosis for ADHD – fee on application
- Assessment Centre design
- Psychometric assessment, including Personality, Ability and Aptitude
- Personality profiling for high risk appointments
- Diagnostic dyslexia assessment (Adults, including where they are required to provide Expert evidence for Court or Tribunal)
- Adult assessments for dyspraxia and dyscalculia
- Screening for Adult ADHD/Autistic Spectrum disorders
- Vocational Rehabilitation Needs Assessment/Feasibility Review
- Workplace assessments – reasonable adjustments/support/job retention
- Identify and make recommendations in cases of under-performance issues in the workplace
The way we work - objective and fair assessment
Objective, accurate and fair assessment runs through everything we do as consultants and professional advisors. Sometimes an accurate assessment is all that is required, such as on some selection assignments. However, often, assessment is the starting point for further intervention or development.
We are experienced in providing assessments in many different contexts and using many different tools. For example, graduate to senior level selection for promotion and recruitment; specialist dyslexia and other neurodiverse assessments (where we also act as expert witnesses to Court/Tribunals); fitness to plead in a legal context; and assessment of someone’s readiness to return to work after injury / disability.
We pride ourselves on being able to make effective use of robust assessment tools, such as a stand-alone psychometric, or an assessment centre approach, combined with the insight and depth of analysis that comes from our experience as coaches, counsellors, and psychotherapists. However, we always make sure that depth of analysis does not distract from the purpose of the intervention, and so we remain grounded and practical at all times in order to deliver the kind of information that leads to sensible and sound decision making.
We take very seriously our role as consultants. No selection or assessment tool is infallible, and we never go beyond the evidence and always make it clear how much confidence we have in an assessment. Our role is typically to provide as relevant, objective, and fair assessment as possible to help the final decision maker reach a more informed decision.
We are acutely aware of the demands of the Equality Act 2010, but personally, are also very committed to diversity and inclusion. We always ensure our assessment processes do not cause adverse impact for minority groups (i.e., do not disproportionately disadvantage individuals with ‘protected’ characteristics).
We are frequently asked by the Courts to act as an expert witness to assess someone’s ability to return to work or sometimes to work with an individual to help them return to work. Either way, a relevant and accurate assessment is the starting point, and one that can stand up in the Witness Box if necessary. We use a number of assessment methods to achieve this, including psychometrics.
Through all our assessment work, we endeavour to provide honest, considered, and sensitive feedback that provides outputs that are fair and justifiable to any outside audit.
- We have considerable experience in designing assessment centres and have been responsible for some of the most highly regarded schemes in the UK; for example, a major graduate recruitment scheme in the top 3 of the Times 100 best employers
- Our approach is to work in collaboration with you to identify an effective way of incorporating your requirements to enable you to deliver the Assessment Centres in a coherent and timely manner
- We can work with your own competency framework and design materials to give the required output
- Alternatively, we can undertake a job analysis, conducting short focus groups with representatives from each tier to be recruited and/or distributing survey forms in order to gain information about what the job involves, the behaviours and skills that are required for someone to perform effectively in the role and, last but not least, company objectives, so linking the performance of the individuals to the objectives of the company
- We can develop a competency framework for your organisation using the information gained during the job analysis or from your own job analysis
- Assessment exercises can include role-play, group exercises, strength-based or competency-based interviews or a combination of both, business briefings, presentations
- We can develop assessment exercises that can be delivered remotely online
- We can provide assessor training and if, required, quality assurance for the assessment days
- Where psychometrics form part of the assessment, for example a Situational Judgement Test, we can provide suitably qualified Test Users on the BPS Register to administer them, either online or at suitable venue
Psychometrics provide added value in a wide range of settings, including:
- Diagnostic dyslexia assessments by Chartered Psychologist suitable for Disabled Student Allowance (individuals)
- assessment for selection and development
- career coaching/changing careers
- various forms of coaching - executive, personal development, resilience, career coaching
- dyslexia assessment and screening for other neurodiverse profiles in the case of career management, work-related performance issues, DSA applications and in order to support Disabled Student Allowance applications
- underperformance at work
- team building
- vocational rehabilitation, to assess retraining capability
Our consultants are qualified and registered with the British Psychological Society to use a wide range of psychometric tools, including, but not limited to:
- Neo PI-R
- OPQ32
- 15FQ+
- 16PF
- EPP
- FIRO-B
- HDS
- Resilience Questionnaire
- Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
- Jung Type Indicator
- Wave
- Talent Q
- Motivation Questionnaire
- Situational Judgement Tests
- Full range of reasoning tests, including graduate, general, technical
Note on recruitment/selection
We have considerable experience in using personality assessment tools in a selection / recruitment context. We would not use such tools to make pass \ fail decisions on their own, but when combined with an interview, the insights gained can lead to the recruiters gaining a richer and more nuanced understanding of a candidate. For example, their preferred leadership style, how they typically respond to stress, their self-awareness, the environments in which they thrive. Such assessments, when carried out with skill, can contribute to a risk assurance process, particularly important if recruiting senior people.
- Who needs vocational rehabilitation? Anyone who may be out of work or risk losing their job as the result of an acquired disability or long-term health problem.
- A feasibility review is undertaken to determine whether an individual is likely to benefit from vocational rehabilitation at this stage. This ensures resources are allocated where and when they are going to do most good and give best value for money for the individual concerned.
- Doherty Stobbs takes an holistic approach to Vocational Rehabilitation Needs Assessment and we are usually funded by insurers or occupational health/HR departments.
- Click here for more information about our vocational rehabilitation services.
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