People First HR Solutions - Article - Candidate Assessment: Beyond the Interview

As we discussed last issue, the job interview is rarely a reliable selection technique unless done properly. Even then, studies have shown that on its own, the interview is not an entirely accurate predictor of job performance. So, what other options are available? It is not a question of replacing the interview process, but adding to it.

Already, most employers use additional selection techniques in their hiring process. This is usually in the form of reference checks. While we can collect some valuable information from referees, rarely does anyone cite a referee who will have something bad to say. Furthermore, as we become more litigious as a nation, many former (or current) employers are hesitant to provide too much detail or answer specific questions regarding performance. As a result, if we want to get smart about hiring the right staff, we have to get smart about how we do it!

There are many options available to the employer as a means of assessing a candidate’s suitability for a role. For less skilled roles, a valuable means of assessment is the ‘trial’ shift. This allows the candidate to demonstrate his or her skills in the actual work environment, and provides a wealth of information about his or her ability to perform in the role. Trial shifts should always be paid – you would not expect a customer to not pay you just because they were ‘trialing’ your services. The same applies to potential employees.

For more skilled roles, which require a higher level of knowledge and ability in certain areas, such as supervisory/managerial roles, more detailed assessment should be undertaken. Remember, you intend to pay these people a lot of your hard earned money to perform in their role, not to mention the indirect expenses of training and re-hiring if something goes wrong – why wouldn’t you be prepared to spend a little more at the start to ensure you hire the right person the FIRST time?

A range of simple AND inexpensive appraisals are available for testing your candidates on a number of levels. Personality appraisals will help you determine whether your candidates have the desired attributes to fit in with your organisation and effectively perform many of the functions inherent in the job role. That is, you may not want to hire a supervisor in a front of house customer service role who describes himself as a loner and socially insecure on his personality profile! In addition, verbal and numerical tests can show you whether or not your candidate has the minimum ability to understand and utilize certain data, such as budgetary information, performance reports and so on. Finally, a range of simulated activities allow you to assess your candidates’ performance in situations very similar to actual workplace events. This is advantageous if you are recruiting for a role where it is either logistically or ethically difficult to have the candidate undertake a ‘trial’ shift, as discussed above.

Together with your job interview and reference checks, assessments such as those above can increase the probability of you hiring the right person for the job by up to 5 times! That’s a lot of money, time and heartache which can be avoided by spending that little bit more to begin with.

Note: As appraisals of this kind are a highly specialised area, please ensure you discuss your needs with a professional trained in this field.