AVA® when used as a
Pre-Employment Assessment Tool for Financial Institutions
BANKS | BROKERS | CREDIT UNIONS | INSURANCE | INVESTMENT FIRMS | MORTAGE COMPANIES
In financial services, consistency matters in hiring. Small missteps can quickly become costly, especially in high volume roles. Placing the right people in the right roles directly impacts how reliably you serve clients, uphold fiduciary responsibility, and manage risk. When behavioral tendencies align with role demands, teams perform more consistently, compliance improves, and risk exposure is reduced, allowing your organization to deliver with confidence.
AVA® is often used as a pre‑employment behavioral assessment for financial institutions that brings consistency and structure to hiring and development by clarifying role expectations, strengthening interviews, evaluating candidate fit, and supporting coaching after hire.
Common AVA® and JDA Process for Employee Selection
In developing a JDA, teams start with one high-volume role and expand once the workflow is in place.
Define the Job. Then Measure Fit.
Build a Shared Benchmark for the Role
When your team interviews candidates for the same role, they don’t always look for the same things. One manager wants speed. Another wants service. Another wants perfect process. That’s how “good candidates” slip through and why new hires can feel like a coin flip, followed by turnover and re-training.
Job Demands Analysis (JDA) fixes that by gathering input from the people who know the role best to create a clear, shared picture of what the job truly requires.
JDA participants often include:
Branch leaders
Top performers
HR
Training
Compliance
Once the role is defined, AVA® helps you measure candidates against that benchmark and guides interviews on what to ask.
Example JDA: the behavioral benchmark for a role.
Start with one role. Expand when ready.
Uses of AVA® in the Financial Industry
Financial institutions vary, but the need for consistent, job-related hiring and development does not.
Explore how AVA® supports each sector.
Brokers
Insurance
Banks
Investment Firms
Credit Union
Mortgage Companies
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? Take a look at the FAQ or reach out anytime. If you’re feeling ready, go ahead and apply.
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The timing of the AVA assessment is determined by each organization based on its hiring process and internal practices. There is no single required point in the selection process.
Most commonly, the AVA is administered to candidates who are being seriously considered for a position, such as finalists or a short list of applicants. In this context, the AVA provides additional job related behavioral insight to support interviews, reference checks, and overall decision making.
Although the AVA can be used as part of the hiring process, it is not recommended to use the assessment as a pass or fail or no go tool. Instead, AVA results are intended to inform discussion, clarify behavioral tendencies, and support more thoughtful, well rounded decisions when combined with other selection components.
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The AVA includes a wide range of measurements that reflect how an individual is likely to behave across different work situations. While the reports provide valuable information, an AVA Analyst plays a critical role in ensuring those results are interpreted accurately and in proper context.
An AVA Analyst is trained to integrate the various AVA measurements and provide a complete, balanced picture of the individual. This includes identifying how different behavioral tendencies interact, clarifying nuances that may not be immediately evident in written reports, and translating results into practical, job related insights.
By involving an AVA Analyst, organizations gain deeper understanding beyond surface level scores. This helps ensure assessment information is used appropriately, responsibly, and in alignment with the behavioral demands of the role.
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There is no time limit to complete the AVA Assessment. On average, most individuals complete the AVA in approximately 10 to 15 minutes, though some may take a bit longer.
We strongly encourage individuals to take their time and respond thoughtfully. The AVA is not a speed test, and careful consideration of each response helps ensure the most accurate and meaningful results.
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We offer two primary pricing options for using the AVA: unlimited usage or per‑assessment pricing.
Pricing is based on each client’s needs and how the AVA will be used. After an initial conversation to understand your goals, volume, and applications, we recommend the option that best fits your organization. We then provide a clear, transparent quote with no hidden costs.
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There are many assessment tools available, and while some may appear similar on the surface, AVA is different in both its approach and application.
AVA is built on decades of research focused on workplace behavior and is designed to deliver accurate, reliable, and job related insight. Rather than categorizing or labeling individuals, AVA looks at each person’s results as unique and situational, providing a more complete and balanced understanding of behavior.
We take behavioral assessment seriously. AVA results are interpreted thoughtfully, communicated clearly, and used to support informed decisions rather than quick conclusions. It is not just what the assessment measures, but how the information is interpreted and applied that sets AVA apart.