Beyond the CV: How Our 8-Data-Point Assessment Predicts Executive Performance

Finding the right executive isn’t just about matching a list of achievements on a Resume to a job description. At Alexander Executive Search, we know that true leadership performance happens at the intersection of capability, culture, and day-to-day behavior.

That is why we don’t rely on guesswork or gut feelings. Our specialized executive recruitment process is anchored by a rigorous 8-Data-Point Assessment Process. Within this framework, two of our most powerful tools are the McQuaig Job Survey® and the McQuaig Word Survey®.

Here is exactly how this data-driven approach removes risk from your hiring process, delivers higher-caliber candidates, and directly drives long-term business and leadership performance.

1. The McQuaig Job Survey: Defining “How” the Work Gets Done

Most job descriptions focus entirely on what a candidate needs to do—manage a budget, scale a team, or oversee a technical pipeline. But they often miss the critical context of how that person needs to behave to be successful in your specific company culture.

Before we look at a single candidate, we use the McQuaig Job Survey to establish a behavioral benchmark for the role. We work with your stakeholders to define the exact temperament required for high performance in the position.

The Difference: A traditional job description tells us what you want someone to do. The McQuaig Job Survey tells us how they need to do it to win.

2. The McQuaig Word Survey: Uncovering Real Behavioral Styles

Once we have a clear, benchmarked target, we use the McQuaig Word Survey to analyze our candidates. This BPS-registered (British Psychological Society) personality profiling tool takes just 10 to 20 minutes for a candidate to complete, but it unlocks crucial insights.

Instead of measuring temporary interview confidence, the Word Survey uncovers a leader’s core personality traits and natural management style. Crucially, it highlights how they are adapting their behavior to their current environment, giving us a clear window into their morale, motivation, and potential friction points.

The Power of the “Job-Fit” Match

By layering these psychometric insights into our broader 8-Data-Point Assessment Process, we can map a candidate’s natural profile directly against the benchmarked needs of your open role.

+---------------------------+       +---------------------------+
|    McQuaig Job Survey     |   v.  |    McQuaig Word Survey    |
| (Target Role Behaviours)  |       | (Candidate Natural Style) |
+---------------------------+       +---------------------------+
              \                           /
               \                         /
                v                       v
             +-----------------------------+
             |    Predictable Job Fit &    |
             |    High Performance Match   |
             +-----------------------------+

How This Delivers Better Performance for Your Business

When you utilize an executive search process built on this level of scientific rigor, the benefits to your organization are immediate and measurable:

• Predictable On-the-Job Performance: By understanding a candidate’s underlying temperament, we can accurately predict how they will approach problem-solving, lead change, make decisions, and manage pressure before they even step into the boardroom.

• Tailored, Behavioral Interviewing: The assessment generates bespoke, behaviorally-based interview questions unique to each candidate. This allows our team—and yours—to skip the generic interview fluff and probe deeply into past real-world behaviors.

• Accelerated Onboarding & Better Retention: Because we uncover a candidate’s distinct learning style and primary internal motivators, your team receives a ready-made blueprint for managing, coaching, and retaining your new executive from day one.

• Elimination of Hiring Bias: Evaluating both internal and external candidates against the exact same objective, 8-data-point scientific criteria ensures completely fair, transparent, and merit-based executive selections.

Elevate Your Leadership Team

Executive mis-hires are incredibly costly—not just financially, but in lost momentum and fractured team morale. Our 8-Data-Point Assessment Process is designed to ensure your next executive choice is backed by data, validated by psychology, and perfectly aligned with your business goals.

Let’s find your next leader.