Candidate proficiency is undoubtedly the most important factor when employers hire new staff. Recruiters get roped in by hiring organisations due to their expertise in checking for applicant suitability and talent. And successful staffing agencies make use of skills tests and skills assessment software to get the best of the candidates for their clients.
Recruiters who already leverage any employment skills testing software solution know that it is a very valuable tool. It pairs perfectly with recruitment agency software that is also used to streamline the entire hiring process.
But is candidate skills testing truly essential for recruiters?
If you are a recruiter who is debating about getting one such candidate skills assessment software, then you will want it. In fact, you must have one if you’re looking to make your work easier while also improving the quality of your candidates.
Businesses want the top talent available in the jobs market. And it is your job as a recruiter to deliver the best candidates and do it as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence in recruiting because you have other recruiters vying after the same talent pool. You will want to keep your best candidate engaged throughout so that they are not tempted away by other opportunities.
It gives a clear idea of your applicants’ strengths and potential. Depending solely on CVs and cover letters make your recruiting is something that should be left behind. Successful recruiters always expand their candidate search by incorporating skills testing in their process. This way they can be sure that they get skilled and well-rounded candidates every single time for their clients.
How do skills tests work?
Recruiters who use pre-employment skills testing software appreciate how simple and practical the system is. As mentioned above, it works seamlessly with the agency’s recruitment CRM system which further makes the recruiting work simplified.
Online skills testing makes the process of measuring candidate aptitude and skills simpler and more efficient. A robust skills testing software carries a wide variety of assessments that recruiters and employers can choose from.
Some of the more commonly used skills tests consist of Literacy skills tests, Numeracy skills tests and Microsoft Office skills testing. If you recruit for office-based roles, especially admin jobs, then you will probably be using more of these tests.
Additionally, there are more sector-specific skills assessments to choose from – driving skills tests, accounting skills testing, etc.
These days many businesses also want to confirm cultural fit before deciding on the final candidate. For that purpose, psychometric testing is one of the most widely used assessments. Using this helps recruiters convince companies that their candidates have the sort of communication, leadership and problem-solving abilities that is a perfect fit for them.
Recruiters can easily use the online skills testing software. Once the applicable skills tests are chosen, sending the test link to the candidates – whether a big group or just to an individual – is a quick process. This saves so much time.
Candidates can also take the assessment whenever they are ready. The test results will be sent over to the recruiter immediately. This is highly convenient as recruiters can instantly progress to the next stage without losing any time.
Employers can be assured that the skills testing has been done fairly and that the best candidates have been shortlisted. The test results provide a clear overview of each candidate’s areas of strength which is vastly helpful during the decision-making stage.
