Engel Machinery

Headquarters: York, Pennsylvania

“I’ve profiled enough people over the years to know that these [pre employment] tests really do work.” John Evans, Human Resources / Operations Manager

The Need

Engel Machinery Inc is one of the world’s leading plastics processing machine manufacturers. Adding brilliant minds to the company’s engineer think tank is just one of the demands placed on the human resource department of this well-reputed organization. As such, the company has a unique approach to hiring that entails three strategic steps:

  1. A phone interview following the resume submission
  2. The completion of a formal application, coupled with background report
  3. A ¾-day onsite interview with the entire team of engineers

The third and final step in this vetting process requires significant resource investment—from any costs associated with bringing a candidate into the office, to the time existing employees must give in order to assist in the decision-making process. It’s therefore essential for management to have as much information about the candidate, and his or her qualifications, abilities, and personality, before the decision to move to step #3 is made.

Customized Solutions

The solution to Engel Machinery’s challenge was found in a working relationship with Success Performance Solutions, through which the company gained access to some of the most accurate and insightful employee assessments available. John Evans, the company’s Human Resources Manager, talks about how the usage of these tools has improved the identification of the right candidate, the first time.

We once advertised internally for a management position. There were three applicants—one with management training and experience, one with management training only, and one with no management training or experience at all. While it might be expected that the first or second candidate would be most qualified, it was actually the third candidate—the one without training or experience—who was the closest match for the job.

What the assessment testing told us was that while this individual would probably face some challenges in a managerial role, they weren’t issues that should necessarily prevent him from receiving the opportunity. It also told us that we most likely would have missed the right candidate for the job if we didn’t have this assessment as part of our process.

Evans also cited a recent situation when Ira Wolfe, President of Success Performance Solutions, reviewed the assessment results of a candidate as a great troubleshooter and knowledge resource  except that his work pace might be less than expected.  When Evans called the candidate’s reference, the results were “spot on” – dedicated but slow.

The Added Bonus

When asked, Evans said the bonus of working with Success Performance Solutions is the customer service he receives. “The staff is very responsive,” he explains. “More than once, I’ve made requests after 5:00 PM or even on a Saturday. But, someone picks up the call. We also often need to review results and receive explanation. They not only provide an extensive response by email or phone, but they do so in a way that is easily understood.”

Note: Engel Machinery Inc uses the CriteriaOne custom package of assessment in screening each service technician candidate: ASSESS, Prevue Learning & Reasoning, Business Values & Motivators, and CriteriaOne DISC.