As a recruiter, you need to answer the following questions:
- How do I efficiently identify the most suitable candidate for the position advertised?
- How do I get meaningful information about my applicants early in the recruitment process?
To answer these questions, recruiters have the choice between a variety of of methods and procedures. How can you find the best one for the position you need to fill? Implementing efficient and valid selection procedures are one of the most important challenges for today’s HR departments.
A selection procedure is valid when there is a relationship between a test score or interview rating and on-the-job performance. There have never been more tools that promise to identify the right people. Internet testing also allows to screen high volumes of candidates all around the world in an efficient and effective way.
State-of-the art assessments and how to combine them in the most effective way
Realistic Job Previews
Realistic job previews should provide candidates with realistic expectations about their potential job. State-of-the-art procedures do not raise exaggerated expectations, because they have later been found to increase turnover rates, rather than allow potential candidates, whose job experience is lacking, to decide, on their own, if they want to apply for a specific position or not.
Automated Video Interviews
One of the largest progressions in the field of assessment has been new technology that has reinvented the traditional employment interview. Larger bandwidths make it possible now to interview candidates all over the world. Video recruiting enables a structured interview process with multiple raters and criteria even in the screening stage. And structured interview processes are one of the most valid selection procedures for recruiters.
Personality Inventories
Personality inventories are one of the oldest psychometric measures used in personnel selection. Using online procedures makes it very easy to test screen a large number of applicants. Nevertheless, there is room for deception in such tests as well as applicants reactions, because personality inventories are not always face-valid, which means that it is not easy for every applicant to understand how the test is linked to actual job requirements.
Cognitive Tests
There is a wide range of tests that address many basic cognitive abilities, like numerical reasoning, problem solving, verbal reasoning and many more. Cognitive tests have proven to be very valid predictors of job performance. They are also easy to administer, because of very sophisticated online procedures currently on the market.
Situational and Multimedia Testing
Situational and multimedia testing are based on the principle of low fidelity simulations. That means that typical or critical job situations are presented to test-takers. Older tests used to have text-based descriptions of these situations, more innovative tests present situations in video format. The test-takers then have to choose from a sample of possible alternatives how they would react in a certain situation. Situational tests have also proven to be valid predictors for job performance, especially when video sequences are used.
How to best combine different procedures
Combining more than one selection methods will make your process much more valid than using one method alone. That means, you are more likely to identify those candidates that are really the best fit for your vacancy.
2 tips for a smart combination:
- Fix concrete job requirements that are based upon a job analysis or competency models
- Combine procedures that are able to provide a complete picture of a candidate’s skills. That means you should select tools that cover different competency dimensions and differ in their test and response format.
To give you a concrete example:
You need to fill a Senior Consultant position, which requires analytical skills as well as presentation skills (to present the analytic results in a concise way). A smart selection strategy would be to combine cognitive tests and structured automated video interviews in the screening stage to have a shortlist of candidates that fulfill both competency dimensions.
Want to know more about how automated video interviews can help increase your quality of hire? We’d be happy to tell you more in a personal demo presentation.
