hile applicant-tracking systems can identify potential candidates, they cant
evaluate individuals in relation to real-world challenges. As a result, a
growing number of companies are turning to skills-based testing and personality
tests to determine whether a candidate is equipped to handle the job.
Skills tests can come in a variety of forms, says Terry Terhark, senior vice
president for Aon Consulting. Some ask basic questions and use paper and pencil
exams to determine whether a person has the knowledge or ability to handle a
job.
Web-based tests simulate actual environments, such as working in a call
center. "They can provide a fairly good indication of how someone will perform
on the job," he says.
Many organizations are also turning to personality tests, which can provide
insight into peoples behavior and how theyre likely to act and interact on
the job. Increasingly, "these tests can create a profile and provide valid
insights into a candidates tendencies," says Scott Burton, vice president
of selection solutions at DDI. Lou Adler, president of Power Hiring, adds that
such tests are especially useful when compared with observations made during an
interview.
Finally, theres pre-employment drug testing, which about 80 percent of all
large companies use, as well as interviewing techniques designed to spot
inconsistencies. "No one tool is completely effective," Adler says. "The
best strategy for screening candidates is a combination of tests and techniques."
Workforce, June 2002, p. 58 -- Subscribe Now!
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