Recruitment of new employees is one of the tasking and risky business processes. This is because of the potential pitfalls that the recruitment team can easily fall into if is not careful enough. Picking the right candidate involves a combination of processes including administration of psychometric tests. Due to the rigorous and delicate nature of these tests, it is recommended that you employ the services of a human resources consulting company.
These companies make the selection process objective thereby giving you confidence that you are hiring the best candidates. This article looks at the top psychometric tests that you can incorporate into your hiring process.
Emotional Intelligence (EI) Test
This psychometric test assesses the capacity of an applicant to use emotions in solving problems and enhancing thought processes. Prospective employees who score highly in this test are perceived to be in a position to identify and manage personal emotions and those of others. Such applicants can also improve client communications, spur productivity and cope well with stressful conditions. Emotional intelligence is important in teamwork settings, interpersonal relationships and in leadership roles.
Cognitive Ability Tests
These tests which consist of aptitude tests and general intelligence assessments are powerful predictors of future employee work performance. They measure numerical, abstract and verbal reasoning which are critical components in decision making. The numerical test is particularly important because it measures the ability of the candidate to analyze, interrupt, and ultimately draw logical conclusions based on data that is usually presented on tables and graphs.
The score attained by the candidates reflects their respective abilities to acquire, retain and organize information to facilitate informed decisions. Hiring individuals with a high cognitive ability can increase your firm’s efficiency and significantly lower involuntary employee turnover.
Skills Tests
Skills tests generally asses the current level of knowledge, ability or skill in a prospective employee pertaining to a given area of specialization. The skills tested here include computer software competencies and mathematical skills to determine whether the applicant meets the technical threshold of the role applied for.
Candidates can lie, misrepresent or embellish their skills on a resume just to win the job. These tests will not only expose that, but also help you determine whether the candidate under consideration meets the core competencies required for the role or not.
Values Inventory Test
Values are deeply held beliefs that shape the applicant’s opinions and career outlook. For instance, some employees value job security while others treasure career advancement. Through this test, you will be able to measure your candidate’s values alignment and cultural fit, predict their commitment to the organization, and how well they will fit in with the rest of the team.
Getting an applicant with the appropriate value system for the position available will assure you of a low employee turnover, a high level of commitment and a positive contribution to the workplace. This will further enhance the productivity of the employee and that of the business.
Even though these tests have been proven to work in a variety of industries and recruitment scenarios, as the company you have a role to maintain a quality testing environment where the candidates feel comfortable and not threatened. This will help them give out their best.