By Lauren Mackelden, Features Editor, Onrec
Hiring the right people is more important than ever in tough times. By using screening and testing software online, employers can make much more informed decisions. New technology makes this even more useful and cost effective than before, so it's worth investigating what could be possible for your organisation, as experts have told Lauren Mackelden at Onrec.
Online screening is changing as organisations look to differentiate themselves from their competitors with a tailored approach, claims Christine Higgs, Head of Business Development at Talent Q, with organisations increasingly using bespoke assessments. Higgs believes such screening, whilst ultimately designed for employers to reduce the volume and increase the quality of candidates, can also be of enormous value to the candidate too. "Situational judgement tests offer a realistic preview of the job which assess the candidate as well as informing them about what it is like to work there. As a result, candidates may wish to de-select themselves if they feel it isn’t the right organisation or role for them." Higgs says at the moment, the use of multimedia in assessments makes their high development costs prohibitive to many organisations. Over time, she sees these costs reducing and improvements in technology will allow for even more innovation in psychometric tools.
Technology is definitely transforming online screening and skills testing, according to Mary Clarke, CEO of Cognisco. Clarke reports that there is a greater use of video and Skype for initial interviews as well as social media to verify candidates’ details. "With the steep rise in the number of iPad and iPhone users, much of the candidate screening can be done from any location and at any time." She predicts candidate screening will be done increasingly using technology which in turn will lead to far fewer candidates being interviewed face to face. Clarke also expects more use of online situational judgement assessments in the recruitment phase to also test candidate behaviour and aptitude for a job role , saying such tests will reveal how people are likely to behave in the workplace and if they will fit into the organisation. "They are more likely to recruit candidates not only with the right competencies but the right behavioural traits and attitude for the company."
It has been reported that even though unemployment is high, employers are still struggling to identify the right talent for some positions, says Jason Pierce, Managing Director of Skillsarena. "Skills assessment can help by not only adding real value to the selection, identification and development of skills within an organisation, but it is also of mutual benefit to both the employer and the candidate." In Skillsarena’s opinion, it is the approach to skills assessment that is new, rather than the service itself. Pierce reckons clients have really bought into the idea of assessment and revelled in the measurable results that can be achieved by utilising this assessment method. His Skillsarena ethic is to work together with their clients on all aspects of the process from assessment design to jobseeker communication and HR delivery. Pierce proudly states "It is not enough to simply sell an off the shelf solution." He believes that by tailoring the solution, you also ensure that the use and perception of the assessment is positive for both the job seeker and the client. His company offers clients a ‘Create Your Own’ fully online system allowing them to make assessments that are directly linked to the skills and behaviours required of the role. This allows alignment with the roles the client is looking to fill, whether this is for an internal applicant or an external candidate. Pierce claims this flexible technology has resulted in a direct cost saving for his clients by limiting the drain on their resources, both financial and physical.
Fraud fears
There is of course, the perennial question of how to combat fraud, and Christine Higgs at Talent Q reveals that various sources of evidence suggest about 10-12% of candidates 'cheat'. There are measures you can take, she says, such as an online honesty contract and making it clear that candidates may be retested before they begin. "This acts as a very strong deterrent whether you follow it through or not. Some assessments offer a short verification test in supervised conditions, in order to validate the original test score by statistically linking the two test results." At Cognisco, Mary Clarke believes you can never totally eliminate fraud. However, she feels that if you have a thorough and detailed screening process, which includes job matching, telephone interviews, face to face interviews and situational judgement assessments then you are covering your bases. In the future, Clarke expects to see the end of the CV, and its replacement will be in the form of an e-portfolio – an online record of achievement for graduates charting their progress throughout university. Clarke explains that such a tool will help employers understand more clearly if the candidate has achieved what they have claimed.
Online assessments must provide the recruiter with peace of mind that test results are a valid representation of the candidate, asserts Cherie Curtis, Head of Psychology at Onetest. Test developers such as her company have dedicated teams focused on ensuring such security through a variety of methods. Curtis explains these include:
- Ensuring that tests are streamed in technology that is not dependent on the speed of the internet connection
- Cross referencing personal information to ensure the candidate is who they say they are
- Clear and water tight candidate instructions and user agreements
- Randomly streamed items where candidates each receive a different set of statistically equivalent questions
- Sophisticated behind the scenes test logs to review the candidate experience
- Being able to offer verification testing to ‘double check’ results, usually when candidates are being interviewed
- Proactive profiling of test taking behaviour and response patterns
- Proactive scanning of Internet forums and sites etc
Furthermore, research shows that the best ‘test’ you can use in recruitment to find the ideal candidate is a work sample, says Curtis. "This is not always a practical or commercially viable option; as a result, many psychometric assessments are mimicking this approach by ‘simulating’ the work task."
For example, Onetest provides a recent case study of a UK customer in the food import business that was able to distinguish the considerable differences in the ethics, aptitude and personality-style of several otherwise similar candidates for a senior management position – and are delighted with the tool as a new, permanent addition to their recruitment process. According to Curtis, another UK customer in the software business decided to decline hiring a string of 6 otherwise suitable support staff candidates, until he found the one that also met his requirements for high cognitive ability and strong leadership potential.
A slightly different approach to checking someone's references is an electronic system that sends surveys to referees for them to score candidates based on behaviours they have observed on-the-job. According to research from SkillSurvey, this method is producing an 80% response rate. Scientifically-validated surveys rate the candidate on about 20 behaviour-related items, providing a way for referees to confidentially express their experiences. It takes less than ten minutes for a referee to complete the survey, and recruiters share the feedback with hiring managers via aggregated reports. As an example, Skillsurvey cites a Fortune 500 firm, CH2M HILL as reducing its time spent on reference-checking from 60 workweeks down to 4.8. Its recruiters now enjoy more time for other hiring activities, including sourcing. In addition, Skillsurvey says global circuit manufacturer Littelfuse experiences an 89% reference response rate. It also routinely receives five references per candidate, and has avoided hiring 12 low-scoring candidates for a salary savings of nearly $1 million ($83,000 average salary). Plus, the technology also provides a way for recruiters to see if a candidate is being totally honest!Summarises Jason Pierce: "With a greater focus on redeploying talent and internal recruitment surfacing in the market, it has never been more important to ensure that your business has the right people to deliver its objectives. At Skillsarena we have seen a dramatic increase over the last 18 months, with a growing need for skills assessment being used to identify training needs and knowledge gaps within already recruited personnel. HR are seizing the opportunity to assess their staff to ensure that this is a part of their learning and development frameworks to build talent pools, succession strategies and enhance employee productivity throughout the business.