"YOU"RE HIRED!" FULL CIRCLE LAUNCHES PERSONAL PROFILING ARM
Business tycoon Sir Alan Sugar freely admitted to being in a quandary when faced with making a final decision between candidates in his latest series of “The Apprentice.” However, his task could have been simplified had he known about an internationally recognised personal profiling analysis tool, according to West Yorkshire consultancy firm Full Circle Associates, which has successfully adapted, piloted and launched the pioneering recruitment concept in the UK market.

Director Ian Cunningham explains: “In The Apprentice, behavioural traits counted against a number of the ‘fired’ finalists, but Sir Alan could well have identified these in advance had he utilised the new system, which reveals key behavioural characteristics, along with candidate strengths and weaknesses.” The personal profiling analysis (PPA) requires candidates to undertake a simple 24-question exercise that can be completed in just eight minutes. Full Circle then produces a full report outlining behavioural styles and the suitability of a candidate for a particular vacancy, make suggestions on key subject matter for discussion and key questions to ask that will challenge a candidate’s suitability head on.

There is also a job analysis facility, which can evaluate a particular position at the outset before the job selection process actually begins. This is said to be a particularly powerful tool. Cunningham notes: “Interviewing can be a nightmare as there are so many unknowns. Our PPA provides an insight into how people are likely to behave at work, clearly identifying their strengths and weaknesses, how they communicate and what motives them. “We feel the system will be of particular interest to SMEs, primarily in helping to improve their recruitment processes, but also as a valuable tool for use among existing employees to increase staff retention and enable more effective people management.”

Based in Keighley, Full Circle Associates offers a wide range of services, from training to marketing. It was established by Mike Bower, chairman of leading regional mobiles communications group Link Telecom. Ian Cunningham, 38, from Menston, was brought on board to develop the personal profiling arm of the business. Previously, he spent six years as a director of Martec Europe, based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, one of the leading providers of sales and sales management development programmes to car manufacturers and dealer networks nationwide.

Both men are approved PPA practitioners. Cunningham adds: “We have already successfully trialled the system extensively on clients across the country in its fuller format, before developing this tailored version. We are now ready to roll it out to other companies across the region.”