Assessment and Development Report for:


Sam Salesman
Demonstration: Corporate
June 1, 1999


A seminar on interviewing and professional development (which highlights the most informed usage of The Computer Psychologist) is recommended and can be arranged by contacting us at (770) 455-4510. This assessment and development report is a component of a broader array of products published by The Computer Psychologist, Inc. Responsibility for proper use and interpretation rests with the user. All assessment-related statements should be thoroughly probed (and confirmed or denied) by interview responses and behaviors, background data and references, and behavioral performance. Only then can a clear path of professional development be created.

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THE COMPUTER PSYCHOLOGIST

Narrative Description

NAME: Salesman, Sam

Candidate: Sales Representative

Company: Demonstration: Corporate

It has been our experience that a person is most effective and content in work that plays to the largest number of his strengths, to the fewest number of his weaknesses, that involves the largest number of his interests and that satisfies the largest number of his needs. Based upon the psychological assessment instruments, we have identified the following assets, limitations, needs and interests.

PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS: He possesses above average problem-solving skills and general intelligence. His intellectual effectiveness is increased by his energy and activity levels. He evaluates problems in a logical and analytical manner, and his conclusions are typically objective. He lacks the self-discipline to fully utilize his capabilities and talents. He reacts quickly on his feet to situations demanding change and flexibility.

EMOTIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL PATTERNS: He is an active and energetic person. His outward behaviors do not always mirror his inward feelings. He is strongly confident, yet not overly so. His self-esteem is naturally strong regardless of specific feedback. When things are not going according to plan, he becomes increasingly decisive and action-oriented. He "keeps his eyes wide open" with new acquaintances and develops trust slowly. He prefers action over reflection. He is emotionally even-keeled and consistent. He allows his feelings to show to others in an appropriate manner. His patience is moderate. He possesses a moderate level of insight into the behaviors of others. His concern for others is consistently evident, but not extreme.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS: He is able to flexibly adapt the impression he conveys to match the demands of the social setting. He can project a polished and sophisticated image when he must. He has developed an impressive degree of social savvy. He is socially bold and moves in quickly to establish relationships. He uses his social skill to network relationships. He relates effectively to a wide range of behavioral styles and personalities. He can meet his needs by dealing with others in a shrewd and political fashion. He achieves his aims and asserts his needs in subtle and indirect ways. His listening skills are adequate. He will respond to other people in a service-oriented manner if he is required to do so. He judges his own behavior in conjunction with the practical requirements of the task. He balances his competitiveness with a willingness to work with other people.


Specific Personality Factors
with Target Profile for Sales Representative

Similarity Index = 84.79

  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  



Solitary People-oriented
Cool, detached Connecting, comforting



Lower General Ability Higher General Ability
Lower scholastic aptitude Higher scholastic aptitude



Emotional Even-keeled
Uneven, varying mood Predictable, resilient



Passive Controlling
Submissive, conciliatory Opinionated, in charge



Subdued Gregarious
Reserved, solemn Enthusiastic, exuberant



Unconventional Conscientious
Ignores rules, resists authority Follows rules, respects authority



Cautious Fearless
Quiet, socially uncomfortable Friendly, talkative, outgoing



Thinking-oriented Feeling-oriented
Logical, solution-focused Empathic, intuitive, artistic



Accepting Distrustful
Positive view of others Negative view of others



Pragmatic Conceptual
Bottom-line, fact-oriented Theoretical, internal focus



Self-disclosing Unrevealing
Open, easy to read Hard to get to know



Self-confident Unsure
Self-secure, comfortable Prone to worry, insecure



Conservative Change-oriented
Prefers established patterns Open to new ideas



Team-oriented Independent
Enjoys being part of a group Prefers to work alone



Unorganized Detail-oriented
Procrastinates, cuts corners Planful, exacting, precise



Easy-going Restless
Forgiving, tolerant of others Easily irritated, quick to judge



  Low Average High  


Highlights

 

Potential Assets
Based upon the assessment, the following list prioritizes his greatest potential assets. These potential assets should be confirmed through interview responses and behaviors, background data and references, and behavioral performance. They include:


  • He has a strong level of self-esteem.
  • He possesses problem-solving skills which rank in the above average range.
  • He is socially bold and he moves in quickly to make acquaintances.
  • He is able to network relationships and use them positively.
  • He is socially flexible and nonpretentious.
  • He has a high level of energy.



Potential Limitations
Based upon the assessment, the following list prioritizes his potential limitations. These potential limitations should be confirmed through interview responses and behaviors, background data and references, and behavioral performance. They include:


  • His self-discipline and attention to follow through could use improvement.
  • His nonverbal expressions often do not reflect his genuine feelings.
  • He tends to assert his needs in subtle and indirect ways.


INTERVIEW GUIDE

Potential Limitation: His self-discipline and attention to follow through could use improvement.

Interview:

  • Describe your goal-setting process.
    Listen for use of time markers, achievable goals and deadlines. Does he use a daily planning calendar and a time management system?

  • When working on a project (at work or at home), are you more likely to conceptualize the "big picture," or ensure that the details are all organized and completed? How do you stay focused on the job and the details?
    Does the candidate possess the self-discipline to follow-through on details?

  • When working on a project, are you more likely to complete the project before starting another?
    Probe to determine if the candidate is more likely to jump from project to project, never completing the one he started. Juggling more than one project is not a negative, as long as the self-discipline exists to complete started projects.

  • How did you get your last job?
    Listening to the response to this question can help provide insight concerning the applicant's determination, self-discipline, follow-through and creativity.

Interview Behaviors:

  • If applicable, was any follow-through in the interview process completed appropriately? For example, did he promptly return phone calls, send required information and complete all interview requirements as promised?

Background:

  • Ask previous employers if he was able to follow-through on assignments and complete them appropriately.

  • If applicable, determine if an assistant was responsible for ensuring proper completion of details, or if the candidate was responsible.

  • Determine if long-term projects were often left uncompleted.

  • Look for success in past jobs that required working toward goals that were somewhat undefined until he made them concrete. In addition, determine if results were delivered within the time frame in which they were promised.

INTERVIEW GUIDE


Potential Limitation: His nonverbal expressions often do not reflect his genuine feelings.

Interview:

  • Do you feel that others are able to "read" you based upon your nonverbal expressions? Please explain.
    Feedback from others may be a good indicator of this issue.

  • Describe situations where it is always appropriate to cover-up your genuine feelings. Describe situations where it is always appropriate to let others know what you're thinking.
    Listen for stated willingness to conceal emotions and judge the situational appropriateness. Does the use of nonverbals seem to be under his conscious control or is it more of an ingrained style?

  • Describe a situation in which you were able to mask your true feelings from showing in your facial expressions. Was this difficult for you to do?
    Is the candidate conscious of trying to mask his feelings? Does he do it often? Does he recognize situations where it may be appropriate and situations where it may be inappropriate?

Interview Behaviors:

  • Do you sense that his facial expressions and nonverbals reflect his true feelings? Do you think that this individual is being straightforward with you, or trying to mask something? Do his nonverbals sometimes seem to lack congruence to the content of his statements? For example, does he smile when telling of a difficulty or mistake?

  • Do nonverbal reactions during the interview indicate a fake, nongenuine or "canned" response?

Background:

  • Does the individual's background include any situations where he may have had to mask his feelings? For example, was he ever in a sales position in which he was responsible for "cold-calling" on individuals in a "canned" presentation or selling products in a manipulative manner? Was he ever in a position which rewarded the ability to conceal feelings (such as negotiating)?

INTERVIEW GUIDE


Potential Limitation: He tends to assert his needs in subtle and indirect ways.


Interview:

  • Tell me about an occasion when there were objections to your ideas. What did you do to convince others of your point of view?
    Examine how the candidate asserts his needs. Is it effective?

  • When you need something or want to express an opinion, how do you assert that need or opinion? Please give an example of when you have had to express a certain need at work.
    Listen to how the individual asserts his needs. Is he able to directly express his needs or does he feel too intimidated? Is his indirect method effective? Listen to the example to see if it reflects an indirect style that may seem manipulative.

  • Have others sometimes overlooked your needs or ideas? Why? How did you respond?
    Examine his communication style to see if others may overlook his needs because of his indirectness. If so, does he become sequentially more direct and assertive or does he fail to assert his needs and feel neglected?

Interview Behaviors:

  • Does he ponder questions before answering them, almost as though he is calculating what he will say?

  • When you ask about his salary requirements or other specific questions, is he forthright in telling you what he needs or wants?

  • Overall, would you characterize him as a direct, straightforward and assertive person?

Background:

  • Ask a former employer about his ability to communicate needs and his method of doing so. This communication could occur with his manager, co-workers, or employees reporting to him. Was he effective at obtaining what he needed and/or wanted from others?

  • Ask former employer if he seemed to get his needs met without being directly assertive. Could he navigate heavily political environments with ease? Did some of his needs get overlooked because of his lack of directness?

DEVELOPMENTAL RECOMMENDATION

Potential Limitation: His self-discipline and attention to follow through could use improvement.

BOOKS
Goals and Goal Setting, by Larrie A. Rouillard, 1998.

The Magic Lamp : Goal Setting for People Who Hate Setting Goals, by Keith Ellis, 1998.

Getting It Done: The Transforming Power of Self-Discipline, by Andrew J. DuBrin.

Getting Organized : The Easy Way to Put Your Life in Order, by Stephanie Winston, 1991.


TRAINING SEMINARS
Fundamentals of Successful Project Management Skills (Two Day), presented by SkillPath Seminars., 1-800-873-7545.

Managing Multiple Projects, Objectives & Deadlines, presented by SkillPath Seminars., 1-800-873-7545.


VIDEOS
Project Management/4 vols.(1997), Starring: Larry Johnson, et al..

Setting and Achieving Goals, by AMA, 1997.


DEVELOPMENTAL RECOMMENDATION

Potential Limitation: His nonverbal expressions often do not reflect his genuine feelings.

BOOKS
Communication: Skills to Inspire Confidence, by Barrie Hopson, 1993.

Coaching and Counseling : A Practical Guide for Managers and Team Leaders (50-Minute Series), by Marianne Minor, 1996.

Coaching for Development : Skills for Managers and Team Leaders (Fifty-Minute Series), by Marianne Minor, 1996.

The Art of Communicating : Achieving Interpersonal Impact in Business (Fifty-Minute Series), by Bert Decker, 1997.

Training Games for Assertiveness and Conflict Resolution: 50 Ready-To-Use Activities, by Sue Bishop.

Fifty Activities for Interpersonal Skills Training, by Sue Bishop.

Training in Interpersonal Skills : Tips for Managing People at Work, by Stephen P. Robbins, Phillip L. Hunsaker (Contributor), 1996.

Effective Human Relations : A Guide to People at Work, by Paul B. Paulus, Catherine E. Seta, Robert A Baron, 1995.


TRAINING SEMINARS
How to Become a Great Communicator, presented by CareerTrack., 1-800-334-6780.


VIDEOS
Interpersonal Communication Skills (1997), Starring: Debra Sutch, et al..

Successful Negotiating, by AMA, 1996.


DEVELOPMENTAL RECOMMENDATION

Potential Limitation: He tends to assert his needs in subtle and indirect ways.

BOOKS
Managing Assertively: How to Improve Your People Skills: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley Self-Teaching Guides), by Madelyn Burley-Allen.

Asserting Yourself: A Practical Guide for Positive Change, by Sharon A. Bower et al., 1991.

Assertiveness: A Positive Process, by Dr. Hopson Barrie et al., 1993.

Communication: Skills to Inspire Confidence, by Barrie Hopson, 1993.

The Art of Communicating : Achieving Interpersonal Impact in Business (Fifty-Minute Series), by Bert Decker, 1997.

Effective Human Relations : A Guide to People at Work, by Paul B. Paulus, Catherine E. Seta, Robert A Baron, 1995.

Training in Interpersonal Skills : Tips for Managing People at Work, by Stephen P. Robbins, Phillip L. Hunsaker (Contributor), 1996.

Be Assertive : The Positive Way to Communicate Effectively, by Beverley Hare, 1997.

Total Confidence: A Complete Guide to Self Assurance and Personal Success, by Phillippa Daviess.

Positive Management : Assertiveness for Managers (People Skills for Professionals Series), by Paddy O'Brien, 1997.

Training Games for Assertiveness and Conflict Resolution: 50 Ready-To-Use Activities, by Sue Bishop.

Fifty Activities for Interpersonal Skills Training, by Sue Bishop.


TRAINING SEMINARS
Conflict Resolution and Confrontation Skills, presented by CareerTrack., 1-800-334-6780.

How to Become a Better Communicator, presented by SkillPath Seminars., 1-800-873-7545.

How to Become a Great Communicator, presented by CareerTrack., 1-800-334-6780.


VIDEOS
Successful Negotiating, by AMA, 1996.

Interpersonal Communication Skills (1997), Starring: Debra Sutch, et al..


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