PWC STOP USING A-LEVEL GRADES AS PART OF SELECTION PROCESS
PWC has said it is going to stop using A-level grades to select young people for jobs. PWC will now use aptitude and behavioural tests to select candidates for their graduate scheme jobs.This is a most welcome change and I hope other companies will also follow suit.
Richard Irwin who is the head of student recruitment is reported as saying:
“By placing too much emphasis on A-level grades, employers miss out on talented people from poorer backgrounds, who can perform less well at school.”
I have long believed that A-levels, and to a lesser extent Degrees, may not provide an accurate picture of a potential candidate’s abilities or suitability for a specific role. Who you recruit and how you train people will depend on their personalities, skills and abilities. A-levels are not an accurate predictor of such characteristics. On the other hand it is possible to determine a candidate’s attributes by designing, delivering and interpreting assessments that fit an employer’s requirements.
If a particular group of students (middle class and privately educated) are more likely to do well in their A-levels than other students from less privileged backgrounds, then it means we are ignoring, dare I say abandoning, a valuable source of untapped talent. The recently published Global School Rankings report by the OECD puts Asia at the head of the table, with Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan taking the top five places. However it makes unpleasant reading for the UK and USA who are ranked 20th and 28th respectively. The report stated that in the UK one in five students are still leaving school without a basic level of education. This is nothing less than shameful.
Back in 2013 I talked about the skills gap that currently exists in the UK and the inability of students to utilise effectively the knowledge and skills they have acquired, or should have acquired. I looked at how 60% of employers consider skills and attitude to be deciding factors when determining whether to give a pay rise or a promotion.
OUR TESTS ARE TAILORED AND INTERPRETED BY EXPERTS
We ensure that any tests we deliver are not only expertly tailored to the needs of our clients, but also interpreted accurately by outstanding experts in their field. We believe it is important for companies to assess their candidates using appropriately tailored psychometric tests. Oftentimes companies just use a standard, one-size-fits-all template, which may not be appropriate for the specific candidate/role and may even provide misleading results, especially if not interpreted by an appropriate expert. This can raise serious ethical questions, as well as running the risk of costly and protracted legal action. So it is crucial you instruct an expert who can devise, deliver, and interpret the results accurately.
Our specialist team is headed by internationally respected business psychologist Nigel Evans. Nigel is an expert on the use of psychometrics and objective assessment, holding the highest occupational test registration issued by the British Psychological Society (BPS). He is qualified to train others in the proper use of ability tests and personality questionnaires, and serves on the Committee for Test Standards.
Psychometric tests can provide important information about the capability of an individual to perform a particular role or deliver on a project. Our expertly designed psychometric tests will assess candidates ability and behaviour, identifying their critical characteristics and abilities, in order to ensure that you select the best candidate for the role.
A-level grades cannot provide an assessment of candidates critical characteristics and abilities, and therefore fail to provide employers with the comfort and re-assurance they need when hiring individuals. Nor do A-levels teach essential skills like communication, teamwork, and leadership; all skills that are essential for business and life and which form a core part of the portfolio of services that Potent Communications Ltd provide.
The techniques we apply will save you time and money both in the short-term recruitment process and in the long-term staff retention process.
Many companies offer psychometric testing; however, it is essential that you entrust a company with the expertise and experience to devise, deliver and, more importantly, accurately interpret the results.
Nigel is qualified through the British Psychological Society not only to deliver and interpret results, but also, if desired, to offer training in this highly complex skill set. Nigel’s consultancy takes him all over the world, working either with global corporations and national governments, or in his capacity as the nominated BPS representative for the International Test Commission.
Contact us now to discuss how we may help you to improve your public speaking and presentation skills so you get traction with your specific audience and achieve your desired objectives.
Author: Lee Phanurat-Bennett
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