Introducing the Knowledge Credibility Score™

Introduction

In today’s work environment there are many problems that continue to permeate division and belief that the system is unfair. Employers appear to be biased based on race, religion, sex, and a slew of other reasons. We do not portend that these problems exist, rather we offer an abstraction between capability and the individual. In the world of business, particularly for small ones, its ultimately what an individual brings to the table that matters. What is their work ethic, are they capable of completing their job, and do they have good moral composition, rather, can they be trusted. There is little to answer these questions from the hiring managers perspective. The current process of hiring does not offer a crystal ball nor a good analysis from candidate to candidate. The consequences of not hiring good talent, vs hiring bad candidates can cause the business entity to fail. Thus, employers face a dilemma that modern platforms do not solve. These problems have existed for thousands of years. Finally, there is a solution.

The KnocScore is short for Knowledge Credibility Score. KnoC is pronounced “Knock. Although some may pronounce it is Knowck. This would be correct as well. The idea is that just as there is a credit score that will tell a loan officer an individual’s credit worthiness, there is an equally reliable method to measure an individual’s knowldge. A credit Score abstracts the individual from the capability and history. Similarly, the KnocScore abstracts unneeded bias to provide a clear understanding so that business leaders can make sound decisions on fact rather than unfounded belief.

To learn more. Read Improving hiring quality in 2024 is more than just finding candidates with good resume’s.

“No one else is doing this.” “This is brilliant.”

The KnocScore may sound new, but it actually started in 2020. Despite the repeated apparent demand, it was not until 2023 that we pivoted to make it a greater focus of our effort. The KnocScore’s predecessor was built for TopScholars.co. The software had a built-in system that assessed students as they learned. In a more limited fashion, we were able to provide college students with our first KnocScore. It offered to increase a college students hireability. They could stand out through their metrics in ways that traditional credentials did not offer. To prove that the KnocScore would be effective, we interviewed 20 hiring managers. We started with friends, but to get data that was not biased due to our relationship with them, we interviewed people in other offices. Our first survey/interview was with a Bank Manager who was hiring college students. We had a quick discussion, and he was excited about the KnocScore. Then, he asked how if he could get a KnocScore for himself. I did not have an answer at that time. Surprisingly, we had a similar response from every other person we talked to. Who would not

want a shortcut to improve their status in the work force and show off their knowledge and work ethic? Although we frequently hear “this is brilliant”, it does not change what we think about what we do.

KnocScore is a fair assessment because it has no opinion.

We are on a mission to level the playing field. People should not get a job because of the color of their skin, their nationality, race, nor sex. Despite what people say, these biases creep into our decisions. Serious business owners need a way to abstract such bias. We need people who can do what we hire them to do. People with excellent work values. People who are smart and willing to find solutions to the tough questions. These biases only make us divisive. When these decisions are abstracted, we believe the decision are fair. If we get the position or promotion through a questionable decision, it undermines our ability to work. Like the winner of a marathon race. There is no opinion. The winner is the one who crosses the finish line first. Similarly, KnocScore is a fair assessment because it has no opinion. The results are unquestionable. An individual earns their score. Full Stop!

A KnocScore is earned, not given.

Economic principals are key concepts to the KnocScore. Firstly, there is a cost through a scarce resource. This can be through a measurement of the exchange of money or through a cost to someone's actual reputation. Conversely, systems that offer badges with no measurement, nor clarity to how it was earned are no more meaningful than a like on Facebook. Although there is meaning in a vote. The voter did not lose credibility, nor did it cost anything for them to click the mouse. To earn a KnocScore there is a cost in some form making points scarce. Secondly is the idea of demand. For one individual to give up a scarce resource, there must be a reason to do so. This creates pressure, or demand, for the knowledge that an individual has earned. The exchange of the scarce resource is proof of its’ value. Although these are not the only metrics involved, they are key.

KnocScore is a ‘Gold Standard’ for knowledge credibility, recognition, and validation.

The term ‘Gold Stanard’ is defined in The Britannica Dictionary as “something that is considered to be the best and that is used to judge the quality or level of other, similar things”. The KnocScore upholds to these qualities. It provides a system that is consistent, transparent, self-correcting, and concrete. The scores are derived in such a way

that they are considered absolute meaning that they are unchangeable, difficult to foil, and free of bias and error. It upholds to academic and industry scrutiny as near perfectly as possible and surpasses any other method for a measure of an individual or entities knowledge credibility. In this way, two individuals from different backgrounds or even universities may be viewed in an apples-to-apples comparison.