Case Study: Leading Insurance Company achieves better hiring success and more top performers with Criteria Corp's CCAT

Financial Firm Predicts Employee Performance with CCAT

A mid-size insurance firm in the financial services sector wanted to improve hiring accuracy and reduce turnover by making fewer “bad hires.” To validate a new selection approach, the company began using Criteria’s Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) for applicants and ran a study comparing test scores to manager performance ratings.

Sixty-two salespeople took the CCAT and scores were compared to supervisory performance rankings. CCAT scores correlated positively with performance (r = .30, p < .02). Using a cut-off score of 20, 74% (14/19) of low scorers were low performers versus 33% (14/43) of higher scorers, while only 11% (2/19) of low scorers became top producers compared with 28% (12/43) of higher scorers. The company thus reduced hires who became low performers and increased hires who became top producers.