Hiring is complex because people are complex. There is an endless list of factors you could take into account in order to make a hiring decision – resumes, interviews, references, assessment scores, education, previous roles - the list could go on. So why would you let one single factor make your hiring decision for you?
This question comes up a lot with pre-employment testing. When employers administer pre-employment tests to their applicants, whether it is a cognitive aptitude test, personality test, or skills test, it can be tempting to use the test scores as a sole deciding factor for whether or not that candidate should move forward in the hiring process. After all, pre-employment tests are one of the best predictors of actual job performance.
But while pre-employment tests provide incredibly valuable, predictive information about your candidates, they shouldn’t be the sole basis for your hiring decisions. Tests aren’t designed to take the human element out of the hiring process – they’re designed to help us make smarter, more informed hiring decisions. Taking a holistic view of a candidate enables you to truly dig into what this person has to offer, and may even help you identify some hidden talent that you might have otherwise overlooked.
As you start incorporating tests into your hiring decisions, you’ll begin to see tangible improvements in key business metrics, like reduced turnover or improved quality of hire. Testing ultimately adds one more incredibly powerful tool in your belt to help you achieve your hiring goals.
