Craft Personality Questionnaire Administration Guidelines 888-298-6227 TalentLens.com Copyright 2008 Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
Copyright 2008 by Pearson Education, Inc., or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner. Pearson and TalentLens logos, and CPQ are trademarks, in the U.S. and/or other countries, of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). Portions of this work were previously published. Printed in the United States of America.
General Information The Craft Personality Questionnaire (CPQ ) is a 75-item, factor-analytically derived assessment of eight job-related personality traits. These traits have been proven to predict job performance and employee retention in a wide variety of industries and in dozens of positions. Thousands of managers, recruiters, and consultants across a wide variety of organizations (in North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia) utilize the CPQ for employee selection and development purposes. The CPQ was developed by Dr. Larry Craft, a behavioral scientist who had extensive experience in sales management prior to becoming a leader in the employment assessment industry. Dr. Craft s research on drive and motivation, and that of his associates Dr. Doug Waldo, Dr. Amanda Evans, and others, has been featured in numerous articles, books, conferences, and other publications. The CPQ was developed through thirty years of exhaustive applied research and is made available to managers across the globe through the most advanced technology in the assessment industry. The CPQ as an Assessment The CPQ provides an assessment of eight work-related personality traits (reported by what are referred to as the Basic Eight traits). These traits include: Preparing for Administration Being thoroughly prepared before administering the CPQ will lead to a more efficient administration. We recommend that administrators take the CPQ themselves prior to administering the questionnaire, so as to fully familiarize themselves with the directions and other aspects of taking the questionnaire from the perspective of the candidate. The administration of the CPQ must comply with the code of practice of the user organization, applicable government regulations, and the recommendations of the publisher. Before they receive the CPQ, candidates should be informed about the nature of the assessment, why the assessment is being used, the conditions under which they will be evaluated, and the nature of any feedback they will receive. Administrators need to assure candidates that their CPQ results will remain confidential. It is 1
the responsibility of the administrator to ensure that candidates understand the purpose and procedure of the assessment. The administrator also should ensure that all relevant background information from the candidate is collected and verified (e.g., name, gender, educational level, current employment). The administrator should ensure that the candidate takes the assessment in a quiet, well-lit room. The following conditions are beneficial for creating a favorable attitude by the candidate toward taking the CPQ, and for producing accurate data: good lighting, comfortable seating, adequate desk or table space, comfortable positioning of the computer screen, keyboard and mouse, and freedom from noise and other distractions. Answering Questions The necessary instructions for completing the CPQ are provided on-screen. However, it is important for the administrator to develop and maintain rapport with candidates. The administrator is responsible for ensuring that candidates understand all requirements and how to respond appropriately. The administrator should not explain the meaning of words or items to candidates. If candidates have questions about the interpretation of an item, the administrator should encourage them to respond to the item as they understand it. The administrator also should encourage candidates to avoid spending too much time thinking about any one item. Advise the candidates that their quick, reasonably careful, and honest first reactions to the items will likely lead to the most useful information. Administering the CPQ In order to consistently select and develop employees with the highest likelihood of peak performance and retention, it is important to assess multiple dimensions of success (such as knowledge, skills, abilities, and work ethic). Managers must avoid the temptation to rely upon any single assessment or interview to make a final hiring decision. Candidates can complete the CPQ from the comfort of their own preferred location, provided they have a computer with Internet access. After the candidate has accessed eassesstalent.com or an email link to the CPQ, the candidate will see instructions that will guide him or her through the process of completing the assessment. This process will begin with some demographic questions. The CPQ is not timed. Candidates typically complete the full assessment in about 20 minutes. If a candidate s computer develops technical problems while taking the CPQ, the candidate should move to another suitable computer location, if possible. If the candidate cannot move to another computer, or if the technical problems cannot be solved by moving to another computer location, contact Pearson s Technical Support at 1-888-298-6227 for assistance. The administrator should provide candidates who are completing the CPQ from their own preferred remote locations with information on where to report technical problems. 2
Scoring and Reporting Scoring the CPQ is automatic, and the report is typically available within one minute after the assessment is completed. A link to the report will be available on eassesstalent.com. Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to open the report. The administrator may view, print, or save the candidate s report. Accuracy Occasionally a candidate may receive a warning notice once they have completed the CPQ. This notice, part of the CPQ s Accuracy Index, recommends that the candidate review his or her responses, especially the mhr statements. Any responses that appear to be describing the candidate in unrealistically favorable terms should be changed. If a candidate responds to the CPQ items in a way that leaves an unrealistically favorable impression, the questionnaire cannot be scored. Candidates are allowed to return to the questionnaire and modify their responses to be more frank, open, and self-critical. If, after modifying their responses, the answers still leave an unrealistically favorable impression, the results will be invalid and candidates will not be allowed to return to the questionnaire. Managers should then use other selection tools (additional assessments, interviews, and background checks). Managers should avoid the temptation to use invalid ratings to reject a candidate or deny an opportunity for promotion. Data Security CPQ scores are confidential and should be stored in a secure location accessible only to authorized individuals. It is unethical and poor practice to allow access to data by individuals who do not have a legitimate need for the information. Storing CPQ scores in a locked cabinet or password-protected file that can only be accessed by designated individuals will help ensure the security of the CPQ scores. The security of assessment materials (e.g., access to online information) and protection of copyright must also be maintained by authorized individuals. Accommodating Examinees with Disabilities The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 requires an employer to reasonably accommodate the known disability of a qualified candidate, provided such accommodation would not cause an undue hardship to the operation of the employer s business. The administrator should provide reasonable accommodations to enable candidates with special needs to comfortably take the CPQ. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, modifications to the medium (e.g., having a reader read items to the candidate, or increasing the font size of items). Interpretive data as to whether scores on CPQ are comparable for candidates who are provided reasonable accommodations are not available at this time due to the small number of candidates who have requested such accommodations. 3
Acceptable Uses Users are encouraged to utilize the CPQ only for those purposes deemed acceptable by the publisher, such as to: evaluate candidates strengths relating to a specific job. complement 360-degree feedback programs for growth in key areas, such as communication styles and leadership competencies. determine specific coaching needs for employees. form teams with compatible communication styles and motivational interests. identify sources of conflict and recommend resolution between coworkers. determine compatibility factors relating to succession planning. It should be noted that the CPQ measures compatibility factors, not necessarily an individual s potential for success in a particular situation. An individual can be quite successful but unhappy or distressed by an incompatible job description or workplace culture. The primary purpose of the CPQ is to determine if an individual s personality is compatible with specific job duties. When screening and selecting candidates, it is recommended that the CPQ be used only in conjunction with other job-related, reliable, and validated selection procedures. Unacceptable Uses The CPQ is not a medical assessment and does not provide information relating to psychiatric health, psychological condition, or any other medical evaluation. The CPQ does not provide an assessment of an individual s work ethic, reliability, or self-discipline. Users are prohibited from utilizing the CPQ for any purpose other than that for which the assessment was designed and researched. Generally speaking, acceptable uses of the CPQ in the workplace include employment selection and development applications within sales, customer service, call center, sales management, and related positions, provided users comply with applicable guidelines and regulations. There are federal, state, and local statutes, ordinances, and regulations that prohibit the use of assessments in a manner that discriminates against candidates on the basis of their race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, and disability. Users should seek legal counsel for advice concerning the specific manner in which they intend to use the CPQ to ensure that they are not violating any federal, state, or local statute or regulation. In addition, employers who use assessments must ensure that they retain required information to comply with the EEOC s Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures. Users are cautioned to use the CPQ only in the manner recommended in this document. Further, users are cautioned that the law provides that race norming or adjusting assessment scores based upon a candidate s race or classification is prohibited. 4