Sales Assessment Comparison – Objective Management Group versus Devine

It’s not often that we get to compare the assessment results of an individual that took our assessment and another.  Why?  Because most companies don’t use multiple assessments that report on similar findings.  Notice that I said “report on” and not “look at”.  While other assessments report on findings similar to ours, they don’t look at or measure the same information to draw their conclusions.  That’s why the reports I received today make for such an enjoyable comparison.

The candidate was assessed by Objective Management Group AND Devine, a company that produces behavioral styles assessments that are marketed and sold as sales assessments.  Because their questions are not asked in a sales context, they get findings that, while likely accurate in social situations, are usually out of context, and  less accurate for sales.  That is why, as is often the case, the results between ours and behavioral styles assessments are contradictory.

Below, you’ll see how this candidate scored on ten of the key findings for each assessment:

Variation
OMG Finding
Devine Finding
Conflicting FindingStrong DesireQuestionable – Ambition & Drive
Conflicting FindingStrong ResponsibilityQuestionable – Accepts Responsibility
Conflicting FindingStrong OutlookQuestionable Outlook
Conflicting FindingIs TrainableQuestionable – Challenge/Growth/Change
Similar FindingGets Emotionally InvolvedQuestionable Emotionally Objective
Conflicting Finding74% Hunter SkillsPoor Sales Prospecting
Conflicting FindingDecision MakerPoor – Resists Think it Overs
Similar FindingSome Need for ApprovalPoor – Lacks Need for Approval
Similar Finding75% Ambassador SkillsExcellent Relationship Effectiveness
Conflicting FindingIneffective Selling SystemExcellent Process Orientation

Seven out of ten findings shown here are in conflict.  Knowing that our accuracy is legendary (95% predictive validity), which assessment would you rather base your decision on?

There are two more findings that you should know about:

OMG also measures commitment – the candidate’s commitment was weak and the finding was Lacks Commitment.  Behavioral styles assessments can’t measure commitment to sales success.

OMG’s recommendation was “not hirable”.  Devine’s recommendation was “Good Overall Job Fit”.  Now which assessment would you rather base your decision on?

If you want to read more about the difference between assessments that were built for sales versus those that were adapted – and not too effectively – for sales, here are three on the subject:

This was the first in the series.

Then came this follow up with more detail.

Then came this article after certain PHD’s had their world rocked.