There are numerous ways to select a candidate for a job. Physical tests, virtual pre employment tests, group discussions, personal interviews, and whatnot are a part of the recruiting process. Among all of the methods mentioned, only pre employment tests can reduce and nullify human error caused when analyzing a candidate’s test form.
But these tests are just one part of the process. The recruiters often rely on their personal judgment, impressions, and opinions when it comes to assessing a candidate. While we cannot deny that these impressions have been right many times, there is also enough possibility for the recruiters to get it wrong.
We are all humans, and it is easy to make a mistake in the assessment. In this post, we are going to see how not to select candidates for a job. By knowing which potholes to avoid, enterprises can optimize their use of hiring assessments testing tools and streamline their recruiting process to choose only the best and most suitable candidates for the business.
Complex and Tricky Questions
Tricky questions sure can tickle the brain. But to what extent do they actually help analyze a candidate’s skill? Unless the candidate has to solve similar brain puzzles at work every day, putting too much emphasis on these will not give the required results.
Some candidates might be naturally tuned to solving complex puzzles while others may not be as comfortable. Also, during recruitment, the time limit puts extra pressure on them. This could deliver negative results.
A deserving candidate might under perform because they are not comfortable with tricky questions that in reality have nothing to do with the job. It is better to model the test form based on the tasks and actions the candidate has to perform at the job.
First Impressions
We’ve been trained to follow the phrase- ‘the first impression is the best impression.’ But is it applicable to all cases? That’s debatable. While recruiters should not ignore their gut feeling or instinct, they also cannot rely too much on the first impression created by a candidate.
The overall impression a recruiter gets should factor only to an extent when finally making a decision. Leaning heavily on either side could affect the recruitment process. And there will always be a possibility of the first impression being a misunderstanding, miscommunication, or an illusion.
Personal Connection to the Candidate
This is something recruiters need to be very careful about. Knowing the candidate previously should not be the primary deciding factor to hire them. Being acquaintances or friends doesn’t mean that the recruiter would know everything about the candidate.
What’s more important is whether the person would suit the job and the work environment or not. The best way to approach this is by taking the opinions of others about the candidate. Others would see things you might miss because you are not looking for it or don’t expect it from that person.
Similarities with the Candidate
This is yet another mistake some recruiters tend to make. They find themselves oddly connected to a candidate because the person reminded them of themselves. Or, it could be that the candidate seems to have the same thought process or opinions/ inclinations as the recruiter.
This in no way guarantees that the candidate will be good at the job. Similarities in personal, political, religious opinions should not be a basis for selecting a candidate. The candidate could simply be saying what is expected of them.
Work Experience Doesn’t Guarantee Talent
Job experience is important. That cannot be denied. But it is not everything. The career path of a candidate should show progress in parallel to the experience they have. The candidate could be working at the same job for years without adding any new skills to their resume or without doing anything exceptional at work. Hiring such candidates doesn’t add much to the enterprise.
Grades in School and College
While education is very important, it is also necessary to not base a recruiting decision solely on the grades a candidate got at school. A candidate with average grades could be better at the job compared to a candidate with excellent grades.
Though there are various arguments about the same, it is always better to opt for hiring assessments testing to know the current skills and knowledge of the candidate. The tests can be designed to identify the extent to which a candidate is capable of converting knowledge to practical application and solving the issue at hand in the limited time available.
Enterprises should keep a track of the performance of the employees and conduct periodic tests to see if their parameters for assessing candidates are matching the predictors and traits of successful employees. This will help in customizing the pre employment test forms and selecting the best candidates.
