|
The prospect of sorting through that mass of information to identify qualified candidates is more like a nightmare than a dream come true. Sure, managers want the best and brightest to apply. The reality is that relatively few of the applicants will have both the skills set and motivation Robert deems necessary. As is the case with most other business owners, Robert has neither the time nor staff to sort through the résumés and pre-qualify likely candidates. Then he has to play phone tag trying to set up interviews. Reference checks loom on the horizon. There's high potential for wheel spinning--kicking up a lot of mud without going forward. Even after all that work, Robert knows good people may fall through the cracks. His stomach sinks with the thought that, after all the effort, he may make bad choices.
There has got to be a better way
The downside of effective recruitment campaigns is a "tsunami" of applicants--a wave that drowns all other company activity. All these "employee wannabees " will tax Robert and his recently hired human resources manager Becky to the limit. Before the human resources staffer came on board, Robert handled all recruitment activities including interviewing and employment agreements, depending on his assistant for supplemental tasks as assigned. He knows that model isn't going to work this time.
On the plus side, Robert knows it's no big deal to weed out a third of the résumés. It's a no-brainer to eliminate applicants who lack experience or who submit résumés with missing details or spelling errors. It's the two-thirds of "possible" applicants that stresses Robert. He simply can't put aside running the company and meeting with customers to sort through résumés and conduct non-productive interviews.
Step one was to put Robert and Becky at ease. They have a problem common to the small-to medium-sized business community--the need to effectively and efficiently evaluate a large applicant pool. It's not easy in any case, and it's especially difficult when there is no dedicated human resources department geared for this type of activity.
More tidbits and interesting facts
Personality tests should never be substituted for a face-to-face interview. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures encourages hiring decisions that factor in a variety of acceptable tests along with prior performance appraisals and interview results to get a complete picture of an employee or job candidate without adverse discrimination.
Despite some publishers' claims to the contrary, neither the Office of Federal Contract Compliance nor the EEOC validate pre-employment assessments. The authority of these agencies extends to auditing or investigating unacceptable procedures following a charge of discrimination. Good news for employers
The popularity of workplace personality testing is skyrocketing, thanks to advancements in employee assessment technology and the Internet. That's good news for employers--testing is now more accurate, more reliable, competitively priced with real-time reporting.
With an ever-increasing eye on productivity, employers actively search for ways to assure accurate hiring decisions. However, like Robert and Becky, employers and human resources staff with no prior experience have difficulty choosing the right vendor for this service difficult. After all, many assessments aren't appropriate to use in the workplace, and that can pose a risk to employers. That's because the most troubling consequences of using the wrong test or of using any test improperly may pose a legal problem. An employer who uses personality tests for the wrong reason or as a sole selection tool might land in court if a disappointed job candidate or disgruntled employee is rejected for the job. For that reason, the decision to use personality assessments must be made as part of the whole selection process and the assessments must be job-related. In other words, the results of the assessment must be linked to job-specific behaviors or competencies.
Here's a safe bet
If you think that using personality testing is too risky, think again. U.S. Department of Labor's best practice guidelines consider a job interview, observation, resume review, and reference checks to be tests. The consistent thread throughout the entire selection process must meet the same criteria--validity, reliability, and job relatedness.
Pre-employment test benefits far outweigh the time-honored method of standard resume review, interview, and background and reference checks. A well-constructed, validated personality test quickly screens out high-risk or unqualified candidates. And, the early stages of the pre-employment testing process places the time burden on job applicants, freeing managers for more productive time with qualified candidates.
After high potential job candidates are selected through a fit with personality, ability, and motivation, hiring success improves dramatically. One component of these online tests is helping an interviewer ask focused behavioral questions. Say goodbye to chitchat as you get to "know" each applicant. A focused evaluation centers on the key strengths and core competencies required for the job, as well as identifying applicant characteristics and traits that may be challenging to an employer.
Keep these tips in mind before starting your Internet search:
1. Not all assessments available on the Internet are validated for workplace behaviors.
2. Workplace-validated assessments fall into two categories: screening and selection. Screening pre-employment tests weed out high-risk candidates prone to counterproductive behaviors such as absenteeism, dishonesty, aggressive tendencies, and workplace substance abuse. One assessment goes a step further by screening for work attitude, and integrity. Selection-type assessments match a job candidate's abilities, interests, and personality traits to the skills and motivations required to do the job.
3. Case law defines clinically based psychological tests as medical tests, which must not interfere with an employee's rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act. SPS advises its clients to avoid any personality tests derived from a test initially developed to diagnose clinical pathology. Many assessments are specifically designed for the business world. Of course there are situations where medical testing is appropriate and legal. At SPS, we suggest consulting with an attorney to make a decision.
By choosing appropriate personality tests, a hiring manager can save time, reduce time-to-hire, lower hiring costs, and improve the success of finding candidates who fit the organization. When combined with a one-to-one interview and a background check, a personality test increases hiring success from a 50-50 crap shoot to a 90% chance your choice is the right one.
|
