Kenexa and Rocket-Hire Spotlight Next Generation Talent Management

Virtual World Technology Creates Highly Realistic Job Simulations to Boost People's Potential for Workplace Success


WAYNE, PA--(Marketwire - September 23, 2010) -  Kenexa (NASDAQ: KNXA), a global provider of business solutions for human resources, today announced a new research collaboration with Dr. Charles Handler, President and Founder of Rocket-Hire. This partnership focuses on developing cutting-edge employment assessments targeted at creating highly realistic job simulations through virtual world technology. Kenexa and Dr. Handler will demonstrate their proof of concept and its multiple promising applications for hiring, workforce development and team building via a highly engaging and interactive demo at Booth 700 during the upcoming HR Technology Conference and Exposition in Chicago from September 29-October 1, 2010.

On the heels of winning Human Resource Executive® magazine 2010 Top HR Product of the Year award for its 2x Mobile™ solution, Kenexa is continuing a trend of investment in Talent Management thought leadership by combining innovative technology with market leading content. Through this project, organizations will have the opportunity to offer the next generation of assessments by delivering interactive, realistic simulations that can be adopted for use in a wide range of jobs and industries. Having conducted tens of millions of assessments annually, Kenexa has found candidates able to perform within actual examples of the job for which they are applying has been proven to be one of the most effective ways to evaluate their potential for success. Kenexa's proof of concept is designed to provide a flexible way to replicate a wide range of work environments in which job candidates can demonstrate their ability to handle critical, real-life situations.

"The level of simulation sophistication enabled through Kenexa's proof of concept is extremely impressive. Through our many years of delivering world class assessments, we know that the assessment accuracy ensures a higher level of ROI in the hiring and development process," Derek Bluestone, Vice President of Product Marketing said. "Our research collaboration with Dr. Handler, a well-known thought leader for the recruitment, staffing and pre-employment assessment industry, also is a continued demonstration of Kenexa's commitment to investment in Talent Management thought leadership and innovation."

Dr. Handler stated, "Previously, technology limitations meant that creating realistic simulation-based assessments was an expensive proposition and often lacked the high levels of realism needed for success. Most simulation-based assessments available right now are not highly interactive and do not provide the user with a truly realistic experience. Our goal is to change this by delivering a simulation that not only provides high levels of fidelity with a job's actual content, but also entertains and engages job applicants, which results in acquiring top talent and helps further strengthen a firm's employment brand."

About Dr. Charles Handler
Charles Handler, Ph.D., is the president and founder of Rocket-Hire. Throughout his career, he has specialized in developing effective, legally defensible employee selection systems. He has taken what he learned while developing recruitment and selection solutions for a wide variety of organizations and combined it with his love of technology to help clients develop new models for employee selection. His philosophy focuses on combining sound science with innovation and practicality to create online hiring strategies that provide ROI and demonstrate the value of human capital. Charles has a master's degree and a Ph.D. in Industrial Psychology.

About Kenexa
Kenexa® provides business solutions for human resources. We help global organizations multiply business success by identifying the best individuals for every job and fostering optimal work environments for every organization. For more than 20 years, Kenexa has studied human behavior and team dynamics in the workplace, and has developed the software solutions, business processes and expert consulting that help organizations impact positive business outcomes through HR. Kenexa is the only company that offers a comprehensive suite of unified products and services that support the entire employee lifecycle from pre-hire to exit. Additional information about Kenexa and its global products and services can be accessed at www.kenexa.com.