Episode

How Psychometric Talent Assessments Should be Used by Boutique Professional Service Firms

July 31, 2023

Episode Summary

Pro serv firms are people driven businesses, therefore, getting the people decisions right is mission critical. As a result, many members are using assessment tools, or have in the past. However, the results have been mixed. In this session, learn from a PhD in organizational psychology how to improve the results you are getting from assessment tools.

About the Guests

Ted Jackson

CEO

Ted Jackson has been CEO of SIGMA Assessment Systems for around 20 years. A psychometric talent assessment firm with over 50 years of expertise, SIGMA helps organizations make better hiring and leadership decisions through science-backed assessment tools. Ted started out as a freelance software developer computerizing performance appraisal systems, was hired by SIGMA to do the same, moved into sales and business development, and was promoted to president before taking over ownership.

Dr. Julie Carswell

Vice President, Head of R&D

Dr. Julie Carswell is Vice President and Head of Research and Development at SIGMA Assessment Systems, a psychometric talent assessment firm with over 50 years of expertise helping organizations make better hiring and leadership decisions through science-backed assessment tools. She holds a Ph.D. and has decades of experience in industrial-organizational research and development, and is also a certified executive coach.

Key Takeaways

See full transcript below for key insights from this episode.

Full Transcript

Greg Alexander [00:00:10] Dive all in on the next chapter of your life. Welcome to the Pro Podcast, a podcast for leaders of thriving boutique professional services firms. For those that are not familiar with us, Collective 54 is the first mastermind community focused on the unique needs of boutique processor firms. My name's Greg Alexander. I'm the founder of Collective 54, and My World Today will be your host. On in this episode, we're going to talk about assessments. Now, why are we going to discuss assessments? Well, in professional services, it's obvious that there are people driven businesses and therefore getting the people decisions correct is pretty important. And as a result of that, many of our members are using assessment tools or they have in the past or they're considering them in the future. However, the results have been mixed. So my hope today is that we can help our members improve the results to getting from their assessment tools and help me with that. We have the leaders from Sigma Assessment Systems members, Ted Jackson and Dr. Julie Carswell, and they're experts in this area and they're going to share the wisdom with us. So as they say here in the great state of Texas, welcome. And how are you all doing today?

Ted Jackson [00:01:36] Thanks, Greg. Doing okay? All right.

Greg Alexander [00:01:39] Very good. Would you please.

Dr Julie Carswell [00:01:41] Nice to be here.

Greg Alexander [00:01:42] Provide it. Provide an introduction for the. For the audience.

Ted Jackson [00:01:47] Yeah, sure. Before I do, I just want to say I'm really inspired with what you guys have created here. 254 I've benefited from the podcast from the Office Hours, the expert instructions, and you guys have saved me a ton of time and money, so keep up the good work.

Greg Alexander [00:02:02] Oh, thanks for saying that. I appreciate it.

Ted Jackson [00:02:05] Yeah. My pleasure. My name's Ted Jackson. I've been the CEO of Sigma Assessment Systems for, gosh, about 20 years now. I started off as a freelance software developer, mostly working on computerizing performance appraisal systems and then was hired by Sigma to do the same, eventually got involved with sales and business development at Sigma, was promoted to president and eventually took over ownership. And here we are one than 20 years later.

Greg Alexander [00:02:39] And Doctor, how about yourself?