3 Major Predictors of Future Job Performance

Psychological testing can predict future job performance, increased work output, increased monetary value, and advanced learning of job-related skills. Companies using these tests when hiring would see an overall increase in workplace productivity.

This article will explain what employee performance prediction is, why it is valuable, and mention some of the best predictors of future job performance. This is valuable information for leaders to use in their performance management processes.

Here are the three best predictors of future job performance:

• Cognitive Ability Test

Cognitive ability, or general mental ability (GMA), intelligence, or IQ, is a great predictor of how well an employee will perform. This encompasses their ability to understand and process information, reason, plan, and control behavior.

What's great about cognitive ability tests is that they accurately predict future performance in thousands of studies. These intelligence tests can predict future performance more accurately than aptitude tests, designed to evaluate specific skill sets for a particular job.

These tests are applicable and valuable to our diverse workforces because they are valid predictors for the majority and minority groups. 

• Personality Test

Although cognitive ability is the best predictor of future job performance, personality is the second most important.

The five-factor model of personality, which looks at dimensions of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, is the most widely accepted way to evaluate someone's personality.

The five-factor model of personality is reliable across cultures, making it a valuable tool for employers who want to attract and retain a diverse workforce. The high reliability of tests measuring personality, specifically the five-factor model, suggests that personality is a useful predictor of success in organizational settings.

In addition, you can determine which personality traits are essential to your team and organization before evaluating candidates' results to find the best match.

• Limitations in Performance Prediction

Even though it would be great if we could simply test for cognitive ability and personality to assess job candidates, the reality is that these methods are not perfect. Like any other recruitment method, there are some limitations to using tests to measure intelligence and personality. Even though these traits are good predictors of job performance, they can only be evaluated to a certain extent because they rely on self-reported responses.

Although we would all hope that most people are honest in their responses, there is always some room for doubt. That said, in especially competitive circumstances, individuals might be motivated to present themselves in a more positive light, knowing the job requirements.

Even though these tests might be vulnerable to response distortion, eventually, it will be clear to the employer if the candidates' responses match their future performance.

Conclusion

Even though cognitive ability and personality are not perfect predictors of future job performance, they are the most accurate and widely used. If used correctly, they will help employers identify candidates whose skills and personalities will fit into the company's culture.

Cognitive ability tests predict performance by measuring one's ability to reason, plan, and control behavior. Personality tests predict workplace performance by measuring one's personality factors. To make the most of the information from these tests, recruiters need to understand what their company is looking for in an employee.

All of this information can be used to find the most qualified, competent, and successful candidates for every position.

Kandio is a skill assessment platform that serves as a strategic tool for evaluating the technological knowledge of third parties, partners, suppliers and candidates. We empower any company to leverage the Silicon Valley FAANG process through an easy-to-use platform to assess and hire great talent with a few clicks. Are you also struggling to find great employees? Or have you ever been hiring a person great on the surface, only to regret it later due to lacking ability? Kandio can help. Test your candidates before hiring today!