The interview process can be long and exhausting, whether you're the hiring manager who wants to be sure you're investing in the right person for your team or you're the interviewee who has high hopes about landing the job of your dreams.
It's not unusual for some potential job seekers to be asked to take a skills assessment test to validate their qualifications—depending on the role. The process can be nerve-wracking, so it's natural for candidates to feel anxious or intimidated about their ability to move to the next step. That's why nine leaders from Forbes Human Resources Council are here to help HR professionals set candidates up for success for the job at hand or for future opportunities. Read below to discover their best practices for effectively administering a skills assessment of job candidates.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of individual members.1. Write An Accurate Job Description
Be sure to set clear expectations, starting with the job description. Ensure the job description accurately explains the essential nature of the job and its required skills and competencies. With a quality job posting, you can offer job-related tests and communicate them in ways that give candidates the best chance at success. - Neil Morelli, Codility
2. Describe The Company's Hiring Process
Communicate clearly in advance the key steps in your hiring process so they know what to expect. Send practice test links so candidates can try out the system and make sure they have the right equipment and settings. This is essential to avoid technical or user interface issues during the actual tests. Candidates can then focus on doing their best and showing off their skills during the test. - Eugene Goh, HireQuotient Technologies Pte Ltd
3. Set Expectations And Explain Why The Test Is Relevant
Employers should make it clear to the candidate what they should expect when taking the test so they are mentally prepared for what the test is. Then explain to them how the test is relevant to the position they are interviewing for. If you can't explain why it is relevant to the position, you should question if you should be giving a timed skills test in the first place. - Amy Casciotti, TechSmith Corporation
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4. Provide Multimodal Instructions
Help job seekers prepare properly by providing clear and thorough instructions one to two days in advance. If possible, provide multimodal instructions—written, oral and visual—along with the opportunity for them to ask questions in advance of the test. That way, when test time comes, the candidate can focus on demonstrating their skills rather than getting stuck interpreting the instructions. - Jennifer Rozon, McLean & Company
5. Give Candidates A Chance To Ask Questions
Hiring managers or recruiters should provide a clear brief of the test and then give job candidates a chance to ask questions before the timed skills test starts. This will help them to better understand what’s expected. Also, be sure to emphasize to the interviewee that this is only part of the equation when it comes to making a hiring decision. It will take some of the pressure off! - Kim Pope, WilsonHCG
6. Share Tips With Test Takers
Anxiety is most often experienced by any person taking a test. Sending an article to candidates with tips to combat anxiety, prior to testing, can help to ensure not only that they test correctly, but also that the organization gets the proper insight needed to assess their knowledge and make a decision. - Tiersa Smith-Hall, Impactful Imprints, Training & Consulting
7. Only Require A Test If Necessary
I am an advocate for conducting a skill test only if it's absolutely required. I believe organizations should ensure that the candidates are aware of why the skill test is needed to progress in the interviewing process. In addition to this, I believe that organizations should ensure that the skill tests are time conscious of the candidate's availability. - Nakisha Griffin, Neustar Security Services
8. Don't Create Unnecessary Entry Barriers
Requiring applicants to pass a skills assessment test is a regression for diverse hiring initiatives. Many general hiring tests create additional entry barriers, specifically for underrepresented populations. If skills assessments are required, employers should note the potential negative impact on applicant flow as candidates become more intentional in the companies they target during their job search. - Cynamon Voe Scott, DuploCloud Inc.
9. Be Respectful Of The Candidates' Time Availability
Communicate early in the hiring process about what types of assessments are required and when they will happen. Be respectful of the candidates’ time and work with them on scheduling the test. Keep assessments under one hour (no more than two) and accommodate for off-hour assessments so they don’t need to take time away from their current job. - Lisa Shuster, iHire
