Emotional intelligence: a new criterion for hiring

Researchers have developed an emotional intelligence test for the workplace that can be used to assess and predict an employee's abilities in interpersonal relations and leadership capabilities. The cognitive skills and personality of a future employee are examined during a job interview: does the candidate have the right trainingα The right career historyα Does he present himself wellα And is he affableα However, qualifications and a nice character don't necessarily mean that the interviewee will be a good boss or a competent colleague, es¬pecially in professions where social interactions play a pivotal role. The individual's emotional intelligence has to be factored in, that is, his or her capacity to understand, regulate, recognize and manage emotions in the specific context of the work environment. Researchers at the Uni¬versities of Geneva (UNIGE) and Bern (UNIBE), Switzerland, have devised an emotional intelligence test that measures emotional competences at work. Known as the Geneva Emotional Competence Test (GECO), it is now available for research purposes and commercial use - and you can read all about the results in the Journal of Applied Psychology. The importance of emotional intelligence is widely acknowledged today, whether it's about recognizing and understanding emotions, regulating one's own feelings or managing those of others. But up to now there has never been a test for measuring these skills in the specific context of work and the standards that govern it, that was entirely based on scientific findings and empirically validated.