Optimize Hire for Retail

Psychologists at the Wharton School typically recommend adding traits like grit and customer service focus to standard cognitive ability, personality and motivation tests when hiring for retail positions. Give us a call or contact us online to tell us more about your business so our expert partners can offer company-specific customizations.

Why Optimize Hire?

Optimize Hire behavioral tests are 8-10 minutes long and have a 96% national completion rate. Created by Dr. Adam Grant and customized by experts at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania our tests have been validated to show improvement in turnover and other job performance outcomes.

What experts recommend

All applicants are tested on behavioral traits and ranked by score. Psychologists recommend choosing the highest scorers to go on to resume review and interviews. It works the same way as the SAT - the higher the score, the greater likelihood - on average - of success.

cognitive ability

personality

motivation

Traits of reliable retail employees

The following traits are proven predictors of job performance and turnover for retail employees according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and decades of psychology research. The Optimize Hire Retail Pre-Employment Tests can assess any combination of these traits and others that are specific to your company needs.

Dependability — Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations

Attention to Detail — Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks

Cooperation — Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude

Integrity — Job requires being honest and ethical

Self Control — Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations

Adaptability/Flexibility — Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace

Social Orientation — Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job

Stress Tolerance — Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations

Independence — Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done

Initiative — Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges

Achievement/Effort — Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks

Persistence — Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles

Concern for Others — Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job

Leadership — Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction

Analytical Thinking — Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems

Innovation — Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems

Popular retail positions tested

Clerk, Customer Assistant, Retail Salesperson, Department Supervisor, Key Carrier, Shift Manager, Store Manager, Buyer, Display Specialist, Merchandiser, Marketing Associate, Cashier, Customer Service Representative, Help Desk Manager, Stocker, Product Specialist, Stocking Associate, Mystery Shopper

Our clients

To learn what we can do for you, give us a call at 800.330.2020.