When two shortlisted candidates both interview well, deciding whom to hire can be difficult. Their experience may look comparable, while questions remain about how they approach work, respond to feedback or manage competing priorities.
Behavioural assessments can provide another perspective. Their value depends on whether they address a relevant hiring question—and how carefully the results are interpreted alongside other evidence.
For Singapore employers considering specialist or leadership hires, the starting point should be the decision you need to make.
What Can Behavioural Assessments Add?
Depending on the instrument, behavioural assessments may explore work preferences, motivations or typical ways of interacting with others. These findings can help frame follow-up conversations.
For example, an employer hiring a department head might want to explore:
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How the candidate balances independent decisions with consultation.
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What kind of structure and direction they prefer.
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How they approach disagreement and feedback.
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What working conditions help them perform effectively.
A report should lead to more specific questions. If it suggests a preference for clear structure, ask the candidate for examples of working through ambiguity, what they found challenging and how they adapted.
The useful output is a better understanding of the candidate in relation to the actual role.
What an Assessment Cannot Confirm
A behavioural profile does not establish technical competence, prove past achievements or guarantee future performance and retention. An appealing report cannot resolve an unclear job brief or unrealistic expectations.
The term “psychometric assessment” also covers different types of instruments. An ability test and a questionnaire about work preferences answer different questions; their findings should not be treated as interchangeable.
CIPD’s guidance recommends checking the evidence supporting a test’s validity and reliability, using appropriately trained practitioners and avoiding selection decisions based solely on test results. See its guide to selection methods.
When Might an Assessment Be Useful?
Consider an assessment when there is a specific, job-relevant question that it is designed to help explore.
For a leadership appointment, that question might concern how someone approaches delegation or collaboration. For a specialist role, a practical exercise may be more useful if the main uncertainty concerns technical capability.
Before adding an assessment, ask:
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What uncertainty are we trying to resolve?
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Is this instrument suitable for that purpose?
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Who will interpret the findings?
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How will the findings influence our decision?
Adding another report should serve a clear purpose. It should not become a routine hurdle simply because the tool is available.
How to Use Findings in a Hiring Discussion
Consider this illustrative example: a candidate is being assessed for a leadership role in a growing company where priorities change frequently.
If an assessment raises questions about their preference for predictability, explore those questions through examples of previous work. Ask how they handled changing priorities, communicated decisions and supported their team.
Compare that discussion with relevant interview evidence, work examples and references. Give the candidate an opportunity to explain apparent inconsistencies.
Avoid reducing the decision to a personality label or a vague judgement about “culture fit”. Define the working demands of the role and consider whether the candidate can meet them.
Where Harrison Assessments Fits at PathSource
PathSource founder Wills Heng has used Harrison Assessments in career coaching to help individuals explore their career direction.
For employer recruitment, our position is that an assessment should be a supporting resource where appropriate. Any proposed use should begin with the role’s requirements, the suitability of the assessment and a clear understanding of how its findings will be interpreted.
Our recruitment proposition centres on founder-led involvement and clear reasoning behind candidate recommendations. Assessment insights, where relevant, should support that work.
Make the Hiring Decision with the Full Picture
A useful candidate recommendation should explain the evidence supporting the hire, the questions that remain and the trade-offs the employer needs to consider.
For a broader approach to evaluating candidates, read our guide to hiring with greater confidence.
PathSource Consulting supports specialist and leadership recruitment in Singapore. If you are weighing up a shortlist or preparing for a critical hire, we can discuss your requirements and the questions your selection process needs to answer.