First Move Assessment vs Kolbe: Which Actually Fits a Contractor?
The short answer: Kolbe measures how a person instinctively takes action. Its Kolbe A Index sorts that into four Action Modes and returns a four-number result, and Kolbe sells it on its own site for $63.1 For hiring, Kolbe offers a separate system, Kolbe RightFit.2 First Move Assessment fits a contracting business that wants to buy assessments one at a time and see which move a candidate reaches for first in the exact trade seat it is hiring for, scored against a written standard for that seat.
We checked every Kolbe fact on this page against Kolbe Corp's own public website on 14 October 2026, plus one published interview, named where it is used. Prices and features change, so confirm on their site before you buy. Sources are listed at the bottom.
Who each one is for
Kolbe. Kolbe says the Kolbe A Index measures a person's conative strengths: how they instinctively take action, as distinct from intelligence or personality.1 Its hiring product is Kolbe RightFit. Kolbe's hiring page leads with "Hire RightFit Talent" and calls RightFit a hiring system "that screens and selects the best job applicants."2 Kolbe also trains and certifies consultants who work with its results.3
First Move Assessment. Built for owners and managers who do their own hiring in nine trades: HVAC, plumbing, electrical, roofing, garage door, pest control, commercial mechanical, residential cleaning and commercial cleaning. Each seat has its own written standard, from the field crew through the office, up to the chief executive.
What each one measures
The Kolbe A Index has 36 questions. It reads a person's instinctive way of acting across four Action Modes, which Kolbe names Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start and Implementor. The result is a four-number code, one number from 1 to 10 for each mode, which Kolbe calls the person's MO, or method of operation.1
First Move Assessment measures work instinct: the move a candidate reaches for first when the work gets hard. The candidate reads situations from the seat and picks the move they would make first. The report scores them out of 100 against the seat's written standard, with a margin of error printed beside the score, and shows where their instincts pull away from what the seat needs. It does not test skills or trade knowledge, describe personality or check backgrounds.
What that means in practice: the Kolbe A Index describes how a person goes about any piece of work. First Move Assessment reads which way a candidate leans on the calls one seat runs on: check first or jump in, fix what keeps causing the problem or the one in front of them, handle it or pass it to the right person.
The research behind each
Kolbe says the Kolbe A Index "is the only validated assessment that measures a person's conative strengths," and calls RightFit "statistically proven."12
First Move Assessment is built on situational judgment, a hiring method with 30 years of published evidence. Candidates face real situations from the seat and pick the move they would make first. What the published research on the method has found:
- A meta-analysis pooling 118 results found situational judgment tests predicted job performance at .26 (McDaniel, Hartman, Whetzel and Grubb, 2007, Personnel Psychology).
- Tests built around teamwork situations predicted at .38, and leadership situations at .28 (Christian, Edwards and Bradley, 2010, Personnel Psychology).
- The approach lines up with decades of research on tacit knowledge, the practical know-how that separates experienced performers (Sternberg and Wagner, 1985; Lievens and Motowidlo, 2016).
The limits page explains how these findings on the method relate to this assessment.
Field seats and office seats
Kolbe's strength is framed around a person's instinctive style of action, wherever they work. First Move Assessment is built for the hiring decision, one seat at a time, with field seats and office seats each read against their own standard.
One published view from inside the landscaping trade is worth knowing. On The Landscaper's Guide podcast in 2022, Jason Cupp, a Kolbe Certified consultant, said that for field positions "probably the Kolbe A Index is not something that we would ever recommend," and that for office and management seats, such as office managers, customer service and accounting, "we absolutely recommend to use Kolbe RightFit."4 That is one consultant's practice, not Kolbe Corp's policy.
First Move Assessment writes each situation from inside one seat in one trade, in that trade's own words: a night crew cleaner alone in a locked building who finds a floor that is not on the route sheet, or an estimator with a bid due and a scope question the general contractor has not answered. A dispatcher is read against what a dispatch board demands, a bookkeeper against what the books demand.
Pricing
Kolbe sells the Kolbe A Index on its own site for $63.1 Its hiring page shows no price for Kolbe RightFit.2 Kolbe Certified consultants pay an annual membership renewal of $795, on top of the initial certification.3
First Move Assessment charges per assessment. One assessment is $149. Packs run $595 for 5, $995 for 10 and $1,995 for 25. The Practice License is 100 assessments a year for $4,950. Every seat costs the same, assessments never expire, and the first one is covered by a 30-day refund. Full details are on the pricing page.
The honest math: per person, a Kolbe A Index costs less than one First Move Assessment. The two buy different things. The Kolbe A Index describes a person's instinctive style for any work; First Move Assessment reads a candidate against one trade seat's written standard. RightFit pricing is not published, so no side-by-side hiring number is possible.
Setup and support
Kolbe. You buy and take the Kolbe A Index on Kolbe's site.1 For hiring, Kolbe's page invites employers to get started with RightFit.2 Kolbe Certified consultants are trained to interpret Kolbe A Index results.3
First Move Assessment takes almost no setup. Your account email arrives within a minute of buying, and you set a password from it. Pick the seat, type the candidate's name and email, and the link goes out. The candidate finishes on their phone in about 10 to 20 minutes, with no app and no account, and the report lands in your inbox. The report is written for the owner to read directly, with no consultant or certification in between. Questions go through the Contact us form on the homepage.
Frequently asked questions
Is First Move Assessment a Kolbe alternative?
For hiring in the trades, it answers a different question. The Kolbe A Index describes how a person instinctively takes action, across four Action Modes.1 First Move Assessment reads the move a candidate reaches for first in situations from one trade seat, scored against that seat's written standard.
Can I use the Kolbe A Index for hiring?
Kolbe's hiring product is Kolbe RightFit, which Kolbe describes as a system that screens and selects applicants.2 One Kolbe Certified consultant in landscaping recommends RightFit for office and management seats and does not recommend the Kolbe A Index for field hiring.4
How much does Kolbe cost?
Kolbe sells the Kolbe A Index for $63 on its own site. RightFit pricing is not published on its hiring page.12 First Move Assessment is $149 for one assessment and drops to $49.50 a candidate on the Practice License.
What are the four Kolbe Action Modes?
Fact Finder, Follow Thru, Quick Start and Implementor. The Kolbe A Index gives a number from 1 to 10 for each.1
Do I need a consultant to read the results?
Kolbe trains and certifies consultants to interpret Kolbe A Index results.3 A First Move Assessment report is written for the owner to read directly.
Which one covers field seats in the trades?
First Move Assessment has written standards for field seats and office seats in all nine trades, from apprentice and installer to dispatcher, estimator and the chief executive. See HVAC for one trade's full list.
Sources
Kolbe facts checked on kolbe.com on 14 October 2026. The addresses are shown as plain text.
- Kolbe A Index: https://www.kolbe.com/kolbe-a-index/
- Kolbe RightFit hiring: https://www.kolbe.com/for-business/hiring/
- Kolbe Certification FAQs: https://www.kolbe.com/kolbe-certification-faqs/
- The Landscaper's Guide, How To Manage Your Landscape Team With Kolbe Assessments (27 May 2022): https://landscapersguide.com/how-to-manage-your-landscape-team-with-kolbe-assessments/
Kolbe A Index, Kolbe RightFit, and Kolbe Wisdom are trademarks of Kolbe Corp. First Move Assessment is not affiliated with or endorsed by Kolbe Corp.
First Move Assessment reads the first instinct a candidate brings to one seat in your trade before you hire: get the three sample reports.