How to Do Pre-Employment Assessments Right!

How to Do Pre-Employment Assessments Right! SPONSORED: This post is sponsored by Skillmeter, the online skills testing platform for recruiters. Gone is the time when a company published a job ad, invited candidates for an interview, held interviews and selected the best one. However, hiring the wrong person can become a costly and time-wasting issue for an organisation. Many companies therefore consider pre-employment testing tools which will allow them to screen and select the most suitable, qualified and reliable candidates and screen out those that don’t seem to fit for whatever reason. What are the different types of  tests? Assessment tests are only effective if they are objective, reliable, valid and relevant to the job and industry. A company’s challenge is therefore to create a test that will assess the jobseeker’s knowledge, abilities and/or personality traits. The more customised the test is the better. Companies can now choose from various assessment options, such as: Hard skills tests    computer skills, language skills, clerical skills, math skills or other specific knowledge skills. Job related soft skills  customer service, sales ability, communication, team working, time management and many more. Tests on integrity  theft, trustworthiness, reliability, team and cultural fit. Personality tests   personal character traits (there are many personality tests to choose from, such as Predictive Index Test, Myers Briggs Type Indicator etc.) General reasoning or cognitive tests  how quickly candidates can process new information and analyse complicated scenarios (this type of tests is  becoming increasingly popular considering that the job market is getting tougher as time goes by). Many types of assessments are being presented in a multiple choice format. A particularly effective method in screening out immediately those candidates who don’t want to invest a lot of time in the employer’s interview process is the use of an “Essay Style Application”. Job applicants are invited to describe in more detail what they did, the way they did something and how they overcame various obstacles in the process. At what stage should these tests be set? One might wonder at what point in the interview stage companies are applying these kind of assessments? While some companies use these tests after receiving the candidates’ applications, others use them after the first phone interview, before the first face-to-face interview or between the first and second interview. How to communicate to candidates about the process tests: If, before applying for the job, candidates are being made fully aware of the hiring procedures, it reflects positively on the  company. Often candidates at different stages in the application process find themselves suddenly taking tests which are provided by third parties with external links without any form of introduction. In order to make this transition smoother it would be advisable to provide the job candidate with detailed information in advance regarding: type, structure, duration and reasons of the assessment. Furthermore, it is highly recommended to ask only those questions and to test only those skills that are really relevant to the job. This is an issue that most companies are struggling with since the line between job-related content and finding out about a candidate’s personality is not always clear. If tests are being purchased from third parties, they need to be critically analysed in terms of real job relevance. What is good for one company doesn’t necessarily have to be appropriate for another company too. A company should not hesitate to   make certain amendments if there are any concerns with regard to the content of the test. Once a candidate has submitted his/her application s/he should be informed about the next steps, such as: who and when someone from the company will contact them and what they can expect to be happening next. In order to be perceived as a professional and serious company with high standards it would be good to keep any job seeking person well informed regardless of their test result. This way a jobseeker would make a positive experience, negative word-of-mouth for the company would be avoided and the number of submitted applications would be higher. Benefits for the company: The benefits  for a company using tests include: saving  time in the selection process (only the most suitable candidates will be invited for a face to face interview). saving money. providing a deeper insight into a candidate’s abilities and potential besides a person’s resume. being  more objective (because the Hiring Manager would not be influenced by a person’s appearance, charisma and persuasive skills he would be only focused on the person’s ability). And once the right candidate has been hired, the company will notice further longterm benefits, such as decreased staff turnover, increased productivity and improved morale. Companies should bear in mind that an assessment should be an additional tool to make the right hiring decision but should not be a replacement for a face to face interview, background and reference checks. Hard and soft skills, experiences, qualifications, personality, company culture fit etc. still play an important role that also need to be taken into consideration. Author: Cezar Floroiu is the founder of Skillmeter.

Understanding the Impact of Diversity in Your Organization

Understanding the Impact of Diversity in Your Organization In this weeks episode, we’re going to chat about Diversity Inclusion, a hugely important topic, and how it impacts your organization’s employer brand. Tayo Rockson is the CEO of UYD Management, a strategic leadership and consulting firm that helps corporations improve their bottom line by incorporating diversity, inclusion, and social justice strategies. The company helps leaders, organizations, and communities focus on the issues that matter most â€" locally, globally, and financially. Have a listen to the interview below, keep reading for a summary and be sure to subscribe to the  Employer Branding Podcast. Listen on  Apple Podcasts,  Stitcher Radio,  Google Play  or  SoundCloud. In this episode youll learn: Who Tayo Rockson is and what a Culture Translator is. What the benefits are of a diverse workplace are to your business. How to combat unconscious  bias in the recruitment process. How to improve misconceptions about inclusion in the workplace by educating and communicating. How CEOs can play a part in cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment. Why its important you measure your diversity initiatives. What Tayos top tips to improve diversity and inclusion for employer branding managers are. Whether or not the will be a point down the line where companies will no longer be talking about diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Connect with Tayo on LinkedIn.

Advice Id Give To My Twenty-Something-Self Entering the Workforce -

Advice Id Give To My Twenty-Something-Self Entering the Workforce - I’m at a point in my life when I think I can  fairly  claim to know a few things.    I’ve had many years of  work experience spanning restaurant,  legal,  academia,  pharmaceuticals and the publishing/film  industries. And there are things  I wish I’d known when I was starting out.  So, here’s a shot at bestowing some of that wisdom on upon the next generation.         Reputation is  Everything.     Reputation â€" people’s  perceptions of you  arent  hard to create, but theyre tough  to change.    A big part of reputation is  likeability.    So be cool, catch bees with honey, and for goodness sake, smile.     Speed is Important, But Quality Matters.   You want to get work done quickly, but taking a break  and coming back later,  or  even  the next day,  can  significantly  improve quality.    Pausing to  sense-check  your work  vis-à-vis new information of environmental factors is  a smidgen slower and a ton  smart.   Keep Secrets.   Keep Promises.   There’s a Fine Line Between a Groove and a Rut.     In a groove you’re confident, you  know the niches in which you excel.    It’s  a good place.    In a rut you’re  bored and possibly  stuck.   People might want you stuck.    The only way out of  a rut is through change.   Save Money.     Having a chunky savings account can make you less afraid of change.     YOU  Own Your Future.     Don’t let others dictate where you go, they’re motivations may not be aligned to yours.   Accept That  You WILL Have Bad Days.     Many days you’ll rush to work excited to pick up on yesterday’s work, but  many days you won’t.  Working hard can feel really good,  maybe even give you a rush,  but  it’s hard  and  it’s work.   It’ll All Work Out.   You might eat crow,  you might get  embarrassed, you might be tired, you might fail, you might be wrong, you might get fired,  you  might  get laid off. It might not feel like it will, but I promise, it will all work out.   Maybe not today, maybe not next week.     Make Friends at Work…with everyone.     Here’s the  thing about people you meet through work… they’re  more likely to be different than  you  than the friends you  meet at your kid’s school or  your neighborhood and you’ll ultimately be richer with a diverse group of friends.    You don’t know it now, but some of them will be  forever friends  who can help you on those bad days  and convince you that it’ll all work out.   Take Feedback Seriously.     It’s easy to brush off  or  defend  criticism.    But, when it  comes from a good place, which is not uncommon,  it’s  better to unpack it  with careful consideration regarding changes you may make.     Principles are Worth More Than a Paycheck.   If it doesn’t feel right in your belly, it’s probably wrong.   Thank  yourself for that  aforementioned  savings fund, because  it  may give you  the confidence  you need  to say  â€œno.”   It’s Okay to Not Know.     No one knows everything, except that guy who  thinks he knows everything.   Most people don’t like that guy.   Most people enjoy sharing their knowledge when you ask: “Can you explain it to me?” There are  those  who like the extra power of knowing more than you do;  I call  them  â€œBad Witches.”   Learn to Tell the Good Witches from the Bad Witches.   I hope you make friends and you’re likable and  people answer your questions, but here’s the reality:  There are plenty of Bad Witches.   The first step is recognizing them.   The second step  is believing  that others will see it too,  eventually.   Eventually may be  a long time.   In the meantime…   Do a Good Job and The People Who Matter Will Notice.   You’ll work for a long time,  and most of that time it’s rewarding and fun and exciting.   You’ll learn and experience, maybe travel.     My wish for you, 20-something-Cindy, is that you’ll come out  of this work thing smarter, savvier, financially secure, with a pack of friends and colleagues  who hold you in high regard and that one day you’ll be able to help the next one in line.   This guest post was authored by Cindy Callaghan Cindy Callaghan is the author of the middle grade novels  Lost in London,  Lost in Paris,  Lost in Rome,  Lost in Ireland  (formerly titled  Lucky Me),  Lost in Hollywood, the award-winning  Sydney Mackenzie Knocks ’Em Dead,  Just Add Magic  (which is now a breakout streaming original series), and its sequel  Potion Problems. Her newest novel,  Saltwater Secrets, is coming April 28, 2020. She lives in Wilmington, Delaware.   Photo credit to: Lighteous Photography Do you find yourself saying there are things I wish Id known more often than youd like?   Tell us about them!