Recruitment & Pre-Employment Selection Testing
By using the intuitive method of psychometric testing during pre-employment screening processes, companies are hitting a home run the first time they hire someone. Selective testing is “intuitive”, because it assesses job candidates beyond the normal interview questions, extracting information about the candidate through various kinds of pre-employment tests.
According to Human Capital Magazine, pre-employment selection testing assists in recruiting people who are suitable for both the position and the company. In addition, selection testing also aids companies in “pulling out the bad weeds” that seem like the perfect fit.
How Allphones Weeded out Unsuitable Candidates
Human Resource Magazine highlighted some companies that spoke about the direct benefits that selection testing contributed to their company. For example, during their largest growth phase, the management at Allphones (one of the largest mobile phone retailers in Australia), decided to make selection testing mandatory for sales positions as well as any positions that are customer service related. These roles deal with the consumer that purchase their products and services, so Allphones wanted to recruit only the most effective cross-sellers and those able to quickly learn a wide range of technical product features.
RightPeople’s tests go much further than most, and link directly to the competencies of each role and even provide interview questions that are tailored to specific job requirements.
How Candidates Look vs. Who They Really Are
A candidate can appear to be the perfect match for a company when they present themselves on paper. However, when selection testing is applied, the “real” person is revealed, including characteristics and behaviours that would not normally show up on a resume or a cover letter. People are hiring companies or freelancers to write their cover letters and resumes for them and either exaggerating their skills and experience or outright lying about who they are to get the position that they want in a company. As a matter of fact, according to a recent survey that Galaxy Research conducted, 33% of job applicants lie during the recruitment process.
Background checks and employment laws that prevent employers from revealing derogatory information about past employees might cover up a candidate’s past blunders. In this case, selection testing can expose some of the behaviours and characteristics that otherwise would have gone unnoticed in the interviews, helping to avoid the hiring of candidates who are not just a bad fit, but also threats to the company as a whole.
Tips about Selection Testing
Companies that are thinking about implementing selection testing should consider assessment packages that include problem-solving assessments that help identify which people will be good candidates for training. We also recommend that companies should utilise online testing if they are looking for a fast turnaround. Streamlining the selection process means that you will avoid missing out on good candidates who typically don’t wait around for drawn out hiring procedures.
As companies grow and expand and look for ways to streamline their human resource departments, they are leaning towards pre-employment selection testing in order to pull out the bad weeds and pick the right people the first time – every time. With the help of professional aptitude and skills assessments, companies report that their turnover has decreased and their business is growing faster because they are choosing the right candidates and placing them into the most appropriate positions.
