Is Psychometric Testing Snake Oil or the Key to Hiring Success: Ramblings of a Recruiter in Real Estate

Welcome to Issue 47 of "Ramblings of a Recruiter in Real Estate" – your exclusive insider's guide to navigating the world of real estate recruitment in 2024!

In our last issue, I shared a summary for H1 recruitment activity and a quickening of recruitment activity in more senior markets across the UK, you can check out the full briefing here. In this issue, we discuss:

1. A discussion I started on the tools used for improving employee assessment as part of hiring and further development with key contributions from Kay Tear .
2. Updates from the latest episodes of the Accelerating Careers in Real Estate Podcast featuring Gary McLuskey and Rob Heasman .
3. The newest opportunities from the development team at Macdonald & Company.

Are assessment tools misunderstood or snake oil?

I broke down the key tools adopted during hiring and team assessment 4 weeks ago, generally speaking, these tools can be grouped into three categories:

1. Behavioural Assessments: Tools like the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI), DISC Assessment, and Hogan Personality
2. Skills and Competency Testing: Platforms like CodeSignal and SHL Talent Measurement
3. Psychometric Testing: Instruments like the Gallup StrengthsFinder and EQ-i 2.0 (Emotional Quotient Inventory) measure emotional intelligence, strengths, and other psychological traits

I asked LinkedIn communities what they made of testing and the results from a small sample group were not surprising. 62% stayed clear of using testing, 24% had used them but ruled them not essential and just 15% thought they were vital. My personal experience with testing tools is that they have a place to play in the armoury of the interviewer, but not essential. A strong core of multiple interviewers can lessen their impact/need, interviews need rigour, planning, clear communication and tailored to the role and employer. But more often these tools are rushed and shoehorned into diaries and as a result, they detract from the interviewer's ability to judge a prospective employee's success in a role or business. So, testing has its place for me, however, one of the largest misconceptions is that they are objective, and they provide insight that ascends the interview. These tools are in the main, self-scored, they only inform what the individual's impression of themselves is and these presentations need to be discussed and assessed, they can only INFORM the next stage of interviews not CONFIRM.

I asked Kay Tear , who I have worked with in shaping interview processes to contribute to the discussion.

“Getting the right person for the job is a challenge, not least because you rarely see the real person; you see the interview version.  It is like going on a first-date where the person is on their best behaviour. Add to this that confidence is often mistaken for competence and you can see why it is so beneficial to use assessment methods to help you make a robust decision.  Personally, I steer away from personality assessments because people’s intentions and motivations are both powerful in helping people to adapt to a role they are interested in. Instead, I prefer to see people ‘doing the role’.  I would be interested in seeing someone applying for a leadership role demonstrating their ability to coach and performance manage someone; this can be done easily using a roleplay and would give you a much deeper understanding of their level of skill.  There are lots of accidental managers who have neither the desire nor skill to inspire and lead teams.  If you are recruiting internally then a qualitative 360 process (short interviews instead of online) would be an effective way of hearing about the impact of someone’s behaviours first hand from colleagues and team members.  At the end of the day, when I train people on interview skills I also say: it’s “hell, yes!” or “No!””  

🎙️ Hear from the Experts 🎙️

In this week's Accelerating Careers in Real Estate Podcast episode, I share the podcast booth with Rob Heasman , CEO of The Earls Court Development Company . Rob is responsible to his shareholders (TFL and Delancey) for delivering the largest vacant site in zone 1 London. The scheme will include 4,000 homes, 2.5m sqft of workspace creating 12,000 new jobs.

You can listen to the full episode on Spotify:

 or on Apple Podcasts

In our latest ☕ Espresso Episode 🎙️

In this ESPRESSO episode of Accelerating Careers in Real Estate, I revisit the conversation with Gary McLuskey , from 2020, he is the Managing Director, Global Design for Greystar (International) , an architect for 25 years, back in 2020 his past catalogue as Strategic Design Advisor had covered nearly $5 billion worth of GDV. Gary shares a story filled with adventures in design and architecture across the living sector and his intense passion and inquisitive nature led him down paths many wouldn't have thought of.

 or on Apple Podcasts

🌟 Explore Career Opportunities with Macdonald & Company

Despite the summer hols, the team hasn’t slowed down so discover the latest roles in the UK development sector, powered by Macdonald & Company :

1. Senior Project Manager (Mission Critical Services): Expertise in major commercial/heavily serviced environments, with mission-critical facilities a must. Salary: £90,000 - £120,000.
2. Development Manager: Working on a mixed use development, you will be essential in the early phases of design and planning for commercial and residential development. Salary £65,000 to £80,000 plus 40% bonus.
3. Fit-Out Project Manager (Life Sciences): Join a team dedicated to creating new biomedical facilities across the UK, with experience in critical systems being advantageous. Salary: £65,000 - £80,000.
4. Calling Engineers or Project Managers to be a Development Manager: Oversee projects in the commercial and living space, from new builds to asset improvements across the UK. Salary: £65,000 to £75,000.
5. Investment Analyst: ability to underwrite new acquisitions for central London commercial development, excel wizardry essential with support and mentoring to be a future investment manager. Salary £55,000 to £65,000.

📢 Shape the Future with Us!

We value your input! Do you have a real estate recruitment topic or podcast guest in mind? Let's collaborate! As we wrap up, stay tuned for more updates, insights, and transformative opportunities in real estate. Keep reading and chasing those real estate dreams! 🏢✨🔥