Paramount Potentials has more than twenty-five years in the employee selection and development business. We assist organizations with attracting, selecting, onboarding, and retaining high-potential candidates. By creating and implementing hiring and development practices that foster a positive and healthy work environment, we consistently fulfill our mission to increase an organization’s’ overall productivity and success.
Using scientifically researched assessments and training, Paramount Potentials helps organizations select candidates with the highest performance potential. We work alongside Human Resource Managers, Recruiting and Talent Management Professionals to implement and administer Pre-Employment Testing, Employee Development Solutions and Personality Assessments. As a result, our clients see improved performance, motivation and employee job satisfaction.
Our Experience
Led by industrial-organizational psychologist Dorene Burkhalter, Paramount Potentials delivers a highly specialized approach to business partnerships by providing clients with the exclusive training and knowledge that very few in the assessment industry can claim to possess.
Simply put, industrial-organizational psychologists are highly trained in statistically-reliable psychometric assessment design, employment law and ethics and the human factor of organizational effectiveness.
When a C-Suite business leader, HR or training professional works with Paramount Potentials, they quickly realize that we provide more than a service. We protect businesses from legal and financial risk. We work directly with company leadership to ensure a cost-effective, statistically-predictive and legally-sound assessment selection and testing process.
Our Client List Includes:
Advanced Technology Services • BMI • Bridgestone Americas • Caterpillar • Elgin Sweeper • Federal Signal • Hinkle Law Firm • IL Cancer Care • Illinois Mutual • Maui Jim • Missouri Employers Mutual • Pearl Companies • Pekin Insurance • SONY ATV
Company Leadership
Dorene Burkhalter, M.S., C.E.C.
Founder, Paramount Potentials
Dorene Burkhalter, M.S., C.E.C., is an organizational consultant, educator, and leadership coach who creates successful working relationships with employees at all levels of an organization. Dorene’s experience in a variety of industries, such as: government, healthcare, power, finance/insurance, manufacturing, retail, and social services enable her to facilitate the advancement of individual and organizational capabilities for very diverse clients and provides the structure necessary to move organizations forward.
Dorene facilitates initiatives designed to improve organizational culture and employer of choice standing and leads processes for improving organizational notoriety, creating a candidate-to-job-match hiring process, designing behaviorally-based panel interviews, assessment center design, and training managers on selection and leadership techniques.
Consulting examples include: Process-improvement or employee-engagement analysis, change management strategies, competency-based performance management systems, leadership development and education, coaching, career succession, strategic planning processes, and corporate universities.
In addition, Dorene coaches and consults for Bradley University’s Center for Professional Excellence and Belmont University’s Center for Executive Excellence. She also teaches Maximizing Leadership Potential for the Center of Creative Leadership.
Ms. Burkhalter received her B.S. in Secondary Education and her M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Illinois State University.
Dorene Burkhalter, M.S., C.E.C.
Founder, Paramount Potentials
Paramount Potentials has more than twenty-five years in the selection and leadership development business and has fulfilled their mission to increase organizations’ bottom-line through more scientifically proven hiring practices and leadership awareness tools.
This has been accomplished through the value practices of Integrity, Accuracy, and superior Customer Service.
Dorene Burkhalter, M.S., C.E.C., is an organizational consultant, educator, and leadership coach who creates successful working relationships with employees at all levels of an organization. Dorene’s experience in a variety of industries, such as: government, healthcare, power, finance/insurance, manufacturing, retail, and social services enable her to facilitate the advancement of individual and organizational capabilities for very diverse clients and provide the structures necessary to move organizations forward.
Dorene facilitates initiatives designed to improve organizational culture and employer of choice standing and leads processes for improving organizational notoriety, creating a candidate-to-job-match hiring process, designing behaviorally-based panel interviews, assessment center design, and training managers on selection and leadership techniques.
Consulting examples include: Process-improvement or employee-engagement analysis, change management strategies, competency-based performance management systems, leadership development and education, coaching, career succession, strategic planning processes, and corporate universities.
In addition, she coaches and consults for Bradley University’s Center for Professional Excellence and Belmont University’s Center for Executive Excellence. She also teaches Maximizing Leadership Potential for the Center of Creative Leadership.
Ms. Burkhalter received her B.S. in Secondary Education and her M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Illinois State University.
Our Clients Are Saying…
Kimberly S. Remmert, PHR, SHRM-CP, AINS – Pekin Insurance
Vice President – Human Resources
Dissatisfied with our previous hiring assessment and service, we embarked on a relationship with Paramount Potentials in 2015. From the onset, Paramount Potentials introduced us to the PXT which cost less than the previous tool, has no additional charge for the multitude of reports that the PXT provides, plus the ongoing training and consulting with our managers is included in the fee!
Because of Paramount Potential’s desire to partner with our managers to provide them with a tool they can understand, my managers are re-engaged in the hiring process and actually value the information in the PXT report.
Last, but not least, over the past four years, our testing utilization has been cut in half with our new hire retention increasing and our voluntary turnover decreasing. The icing on the cake is that Paramount Potentials is led by an Industrial/Organizational Psychologist who has our best interest in mind – ensuring that the validity and reliability of our testing tools & process is legally sound!
Ellen Gorman, FSA, MAAA – Illinois Mutual
Assistant Vice President and Actuary
Using the PXT Profile XT interview guide from Paramount Potentials helped us identify candidates who would be a better fit for our position. It helped us determine which candidates we wanted to bring into the home office for face to face interviews, and saved us the time and expense of conducting home office interviews with those whose profiles didn’t meet our criteria. During home office interviews, I used several of the recommended interview questions from the guide.
HR Business Partners – Maui Jim
HR Business Partners
Maui Jim is proud to partner with Dorene Burkhalter of Paramount Potentials for employee development and pre-employment skill set testing. Dorene delivers in the seat Leadership Training courses that encourage open dialogue amongst all participants in a safe, judgment-free environment. The pre-employment skill set testing is a valuable resource in Maui Jim’s recruiting process for high profile positions. Once the testing is complete, a detailed report covering all of the findings is provided. The report identifies the candidate’s professional interests, strengths and areas of concern.
Sue Reitz, FSA, MAAA – Illinois Mutual
Vice President and Chief Actuary
The ProfileXT tool has been a very useful addition to our department’s interview and hiring process. The customized criteria allowed us to effectively identify candidates with the greatest likelihood of being a successful match for the position. The suggested interview questions based on the profile results allow us to be more focused in the interview. Best of all, once a candidate has been hired, the results of the profile test allow us to identify potential areas for proactive coaching before the new employee has even started.
Nancy Affolter – BHA, Inc.
Retired Executive, BHA,Inc. and BHA Poland
Independent Consultant
As a trainer and leadership coach, Paramount Potentials has been my exclusive provider of testing (personality and 360 assessments) for the last five years.
Paramount Potentials is keenly aware of the importance of managing relationships throughout the assessment process. They excel at encouraging reluctant raters to complete assessments and responds immediately to any last minute changes a client may require.
Their attention to detail and customer service is exceptional and they has always exceeded my expectations!
Testing and Assessment Partners
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