The path to finding skilled candidates is not complete without skills assessment. Using skills assessment software is vital because it helps recruiters and employers assess applicants rapidly. Delivering qualified candidates faster than the competition is critical for a successful hiring process. Combining the use of this software with the recruitment CRM platform is hugely beneficial.
Each hiring process involves a candidate proficiency check. Employers need to be assured that the applicant they are recruiting can do the job and will fit with the company culture. Skills testing at the pre-employment stage helps determine the candidate’s fit. It helps companies avoid the wrong hire.
Skills tests and how to choose them
Candidate skills evaluations offer a lot of benefits. Good skills testing software is full of different skills tests. There is even the option of custom skills tests if you are a recruiter who is hiring for a niche role.
Choosing the right skills test is key to performing a good assessment. Recruiters will find there are skills tests to measure competency in a variety of sectors. A good skills assessment software will have a library of tests that recruiters and HR professionals can make use of during the hiring process.
The popular ones are literacy skills tests, numeracy skills tests, MS Office skills tests. These are commonly used because they evaluate grammar, spelling, and number skills which are fundamental to all industries. And the use of Microsoft Office suite is common in all offices. In fact, it is quite necessary to be familiar and even adept at using MS Office tools.
Using the numeracy and literacy test online, recruiters can easily assess applicants’ abilities to write and do the basic math.
Good candidate skills assessment software systems support industry-specific candidate proficiency assessments such as accounting skills tests, healthcare skills testing, driving skills tests, etc. They even offer data protection online testing and GDPR employee testing these days.
Psychometric testing is a bit different because it doesn’t measure technical skills but rather an individual’s leadership and communication style. This type of skills assessment is designed to focus on personality and soft skills. Companies also hire based on cultural fit as they want employees who will get along with other staff and add value to the existing employee culture.
Online skills testing, bespoke skills tests, and their importance
With talented candidates getting great offers quickly and removing themselves from the job market, recruiters feel the pressure of working swiftly. Online skills testing software provides a smart way of evaluating applicants quickly.
Client companies do not just want a skilled candidate. They want to be certain that the final candidate they decide to hire can do the job. They want their new employee to be technically competent as well as have the interpersonal skills and values that align with the company.
Online skills testing is valuable here because recruiters can quickly check for technical ability through a variety of skills assessments as well as check their soft skills via psychometric testing. The skills tests range from anywhere between 5 to 60 minutes. It is extremely efficient to use the online testing method and have candidates take the test virtually and complete it as soon as possible. It saves a good deal of time that would otherwise be spent on arranging the test and commuting, etc. The online assessment results are also immediately available which speeds up the recruiting.
This type of software is not limited to measuring abilities via literacy skills tests, typing skills tests, etc. Many skills assessment software vendors also have custom skills testing which means staffing agencies can create their own tests, have a branded and structured format, etc. This is especially helpful when recruiting for niche roles which have different requirements that are not commonly available.
In recruitment, a proactive recruiter who works quickly optimising their hiring system with the use of good recruitment CRM systems, online skills testing software and other recruiting tools are certain to get ahead in this competitive industry.