The Golden Hammer

"It is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail." - Abraham Maslow, The Psychology of Science, 1966.

The above quote (called "The Golden Hammer", "Maslow's hammer", or "the law of the instrument") is a reminder to us to not rely on the same solution for different problems.

A number of referring counselors, in our experience, choose one type of assessment over another for their clients and consumers. While there is some overlap, it might be worth an explanation of what is different in each process, and why there can (and should) be different results of each. That way, counselors and job seekers can know what they should expect as some best practices.

Psychological Assessments

When selecting a psychological assessment, a counselor should be looking to see if there are any serious complications that would disrupt an individual's abilities or mental capacities (otherwise known as a diagnosis). While it can be used to measure a basic reading and math level and to obtain an IQ score, these generally are not very detailed and are secondary to the determination of a diagnosis.

A job seeker should expect, under ideal conditions, to spend at least a few hours with a testing professional conducting academic and non-verbal activities, including some motor and personality tests. They should also expect to spend enough time for a full conversation with a psychologist of PhD level or above. If this has not occurred by the end of activities, then there is a breakdown in the process. In some cases, an accurate diagnosis can take a bit longer, extending across more than one day. The question that should be answered is "Is there a (mental) problem to proceeding further in the process?".

Vocational Assessments

When the impact of a diagnosis is preferred, a counselor might choose a vocational assessment. While the process generally takes longer (as long as several days), the information can be as or more helpful in a job search. Such an assessment can be as simple as "Can this individual do the job of a typist?", or as complex as "What jobs would be a good fit for this individual, and how can we as a team make those jobs a lasting career?". A set of standards and questions asked by the counselor ensure that a complete picture is created of an individual and his or her skills and interests. It does not include a diagnosis, but can include any newly discovered information or observations that the evaluator finds during the process.

Here, a job seeker should expect to work with one or more team members and, under ideal conditions, to interact with a group of evaluees in a similar situation. They should expect a discussion with the evaluator about what goals they have and might wish to explore at some point in the process; this may take place once some of the results of activities are available, so that the best possible options can be determined.

Some good questions to be answered by the final report are "How should we proceed further in the process?" and "What can make the process successful or better for everyone involved?".

Doing one's best

Whichever assessment an evaluee participates in, they should try to make the best effort towards their activities. Performing at less than their potential eliminates good opportunities at the top of the scale. The results help to determine the best path for an evaluee.