The job market is opening up but there is a dearth of skilled candidates. The onus is now on employers to fill open positions in their organisations with the best talent. As job opportunities increase, employers are finding it extremely difficult to attract, employ and retain talented employees.

In recent times, one critical element of the recruitment process has been: the candidate experience that a company provides. With greater availability of job opportunities, candidates have become more demanding and recruiters need to offer a great experience if they want to hire the best talent.

Why is it necessary to enhance candidate experience?

Businesses are in fierce competition to hire the best talent. Every organisation is trying its best to woo candidates with high salaries, perks and a myriad of benefits. While these are important, a vital element that sets a recruitment process apart is the kind of candidate experience it offers. Organisations need to focus on candidate experience to ensure that they attract the right talent.

Some deterrents that discourage candidates are long forms to be filled out, stressful assessment tests, several rounds of interviews, poor communication by recruiters, lack of transparency, etc. Candidates of the modern era are not just looking for great salaries or perks. They assess the suitability of a company based on what they experience during their initial interactions. Good candidates may lose interest in an organisation and look for alternatives if the hiring process is slow and tedious. The recruitment process must be candidate-focused and not company-focused.

Automating the hiring process with the help of application tracking software speeds up the process and enhances the candidate experience. Automation also streamlines the interview process, offering a great candidate experience.

Recruiters need to harness technology to provide a personalised experience to candidates. These techniques help overcome the shortcomings in the traditional recruitment process. However, these are not enough!

Businesses will need to take their efforts to the next level to distinguish themselves. Recruitment professionals are trying new and innovative methods to attract and convert the right talent. One such innovative technique that has become extremely popular in recent times is the gamification of recruitment or including recruitment games in the hiring process.

What are recruitment games?

Recruitment games make the hiring process engaging. Recruiters organise engaging assessments for applicants through game simulations. The performance of the candidates at the games helps them evaluate the potential of the candidate for a specific role. They can assess skills such as cognitive abilities, critical thinking, talent, intellect, leadership qualities and more. Recruitment games help eliminate subjective bias.

Gamifying recruitment makes the process less stressful and more enjoyable for the candidates. Recruitment games can help candidates understand how they would like to be hired. and also influence the prospects to take on new roles that they might not have considered earlier.

Gamification is not restricted to one specific type of game. There are different types of games such as online quizzes, online puzzles, platform games, simulating work scenarios, etc. that may be considered. Recruiters can host recruitment games tailored to their specific needs.

How do recruitment games improve candidate experience?

1. Enable candidates to perform to their full potential: Job applicants need to go through preliminary tests and assessments prior to the interview. These tests help recruiters to gauge the capabilities of the candidate and suitability for a role. Most applicants are not motivated to take such tests because they are time-consuming and tedious. Their performance is hampered because of the stress they experience and their reluctance to take on such tests. As a result, their true abilities are not reflected in their test performance. Recruitment games, on the other hand, enable candidates to perform to their full potential in a comfortable, easy-going environment. As such, recruitment games facilitate a better understanding of the abilities of the candidate.
2. Offer transparency in the hiring process: Organisations are required to offer complete transparency regarding their mission, goals, job description and expectations from the candidates. However, many a time, candidates see different pictures of the company before and after joining. In many instances, candidates have reported that they find employers not meeting expectations. Recruiters can customise recruitment games such that they provide candidates with a better understanding of the job, its complexities, and an idea of how the organisation functions.
3. Eliminate bias: Recruitment games are developed using Artificial Intelligence. The technology-based algorithms help maintain transparency, integrity and fairness. Recruitment games eliminate bias or subjective notions caused by human intervention. They facilitate inclusive hiring.
4. Are less stressful: Job applicants find aptitude tests and assessments stressful. Their performance in tests is affected by their nervousness and anxiety. Recruitment games reduce the stress by offering a relaxed and comfortable environment that enables candidates to loosen up and do their best.
5. Add a fun element to the hiring process: The work culture has changed over the years. Today, most organisations offer an informal work environment to their employees. The hiring process is the first interaction the candidate has with the company. Hence, it is critical that it reflects the unpretentious work culture. Recruitment games add a fun element to the hiring process and put the candidates at ease. When the candidates enjoy the hiring process, they will truly appreciate the relaxed approach of the organisation
6. Provide valuable insights to candidates about themselves: Recruitment games are one of the most effective ways for candidates to learn things about themselves that they were probably unaware of. Psychometric evaluations reveal insights about the candidates that help them understand how their minds work and identify areas for improvement.
7. Help build consistent communication: One of the sore points of traditional recruitment methods is inconsistent communication with the candidates. Candidates often experience communication gaps with recruiters through the different stages of the hiring process. However, recruitment games overcome this drawback by facilitating clear, consistent communication and offering transparency.
8. Save time for the candidates: Long-drawn selection processes involving multiple assessments and interviews are no longer preferred by candidates. Job applicants are short on time and are looking for faster methods of selection and recruitment. Recruitment games are much faster than traditional methods and provide deeper insights to recruiters in a short time. This speeds up the hiring process, thereby enhancing the candidate experience.
9. Assess candidates’ skills in real-life work situations: Recruitment games are designed such that they reveal the gamer’s thinking potential in non-gaming contexts. They enable candidates to display their skills in handling real-life situations that they are likely to face.
10. Help with employer branding: In a candidate-driven recruitment space, employer branding is a vital aspect. Candidates find out details about the organisation where they are seeking employment to assess whether the employer brand resonates with them. Employers must, therefore, effectively market themselves to candidates in order to attract the best talent. Building a digitally empowered employee brand is a must. Leveraging technology for various hiring processes, coupled with AI-based gamification, enhances the candidate experience. Recruitment games facilitate pre-screening that offers a best-in-class digital experience to candidates and exhibits the authentic employer brand.

These are some reasons why organisations are gamifying their recruitment processes to enhance the candidate experience. Choosing the right games and implementing them seamlessly can delight the candidates. They help in directing the best talent to the organisation.

How to gamify recruitment

Gamification of recruitment entails screening candidates based on their performance. Recruitment games make the hiring process enjoyable and fun while projecting an attractive company culture. They are developed using Artificial Intelligence by software developers.

There are several platforms that provide recruitment games. HirePro is one of the leading vendors that offers custom recruitment games tailored to the specific needs of an organisation. We develop games based on extensive research and in-depth knowledge of behavioural science. Our professionals develop games that are uncomplicated and easy to understand.

Final takeaway

Recruitment games are beneficial for both the recruiters and the candidates. If we look at the recruitment process, the first step of the selection process is asking candidates to appear for tests.

The purpose of holding tests and interviews for the selection of candidates is to understand the real person behind the resume and to assess their fitment for a role. However, the true self of an individual hardly emerges under stressful circumstances. Recruitment games put the candidates at ease so that they conduct themselves in a manner that comes to them naturally instead of trying to exhibit a personality that they feel suits the role. The clarity in understanding a candidate helps recruiters determine whether the candidate is or is not the right fit for the role.

Recruitment games also benefit candidates who are comfortable during the assessments and give their best performance. They offer clarity to the candidates regarding the work culture and other aspects of the organisation. It helps them decide whether or not they would like to work for the organisation. Candidates enjoy recruitment games since they are engaging, fun and not as stressful as assessment tests and aptitude tests.

All in all, recruitment games offer a great candidate experience and make it easier for an organisation to attract the best talent.

A sludge of applications, tight deadlines and a lack of resources together impose a daunting challenge on recruiters. How must they cope? Perhaps the solution lies in employing tools that can help quickly narrow down the number of applications. Pre-employment assessment is one such effective tool.

There are various types of pre-employment tests that evaluate a variety of skills: technical skills, psychometric criteria, teamwork and industry-specific knowledge, among others.

Recruiters often administer a combination of one or more of these tests as a means to screen applicants and expedite the hiring process.

However, domain assessments have now garnered special attention. Why?

Case for domain assessments

Let us assume that you want to recruit a data scientist for the financial industry. Shortlisting customers for credit card issuance is part of the job. An excellent data scientist will know everything there is to know about data cleaning and models. However, one who understands the subtleties of the industry will understand how to prepare the data and which model to apply to obtain the most accurate results.

In today’s competitive economy, employees who understand the operational realities of a specific business or domain have the scales tipped in their favour.

Furthermore, low-code platforms reduce the need for hard-core coding skills. Companies are now looking for skills such as problem-solving, designing, understanding the business and so on in their prospects.

The increased demand for domain specialists necessitates undertaking domain assessments to guarantee that you choose the most-qualified applicant for the job.

Evaluate role-fit, get insights

Organisations want to hire people who are competent at their jobs and will stick around for a long time. This is understandable given that hiring is an expensive and time-consuming procedure. Firms must maximise their available resources and apply all the tools at their disposal to succeed.

Here’s where domain assessment tests come in handy. With this, recruiters and HR professionals can:

• Qualify just those candidates who have the required expertise and filter out others.
• Obtain accurate, quantitative and bias-free results.
• Improve recruiting decisions by standardising the evaluation process.
• Save time, effort and money for all stakeholders.

These evaluations are also significant from the perspective of candidates. The transparency of the grading system demonstrates that the evaluation procedure is fair and without bias. Rapid evaluation means that candidates who do not make the cut can be notified as soon as possible. This improves a candidate’s experience even if it entails rejection. No time is wasted and prospects can continue their job search.

These tests can also be used to evaluate candidates’ industry expertise. They will allow you to identify areas for improvement and plan appropriate training programmes.

A peek into the types of domain assessments

The market has a number of industries and roles. The combination yields a million domain assessment possibilities.

The following verticals—sales and marketing, operations, human resources, accounting and finance and customer support—make up all organisations. They are digitised in almost all firms. As a matter of course, professionals who are hired to build and/or maintain software pertaining to any of these verticals must pass the assessment for that domain.

The list is not exhaustive; rather, it is just a glimpse into the various functional assessments that you can administer.

You deserve the best

Making hiring decisions is no easy feat. You need to pull all the plugs and apply every trick in the book.

The market has many domain assessment providers. But you are the best judge of what you need. So, choose a provider who has a rich repository of questions and is willing to customise the test to your specific needs. Rest assured, you will congratulate yourself on a job well done!

Cover letters, resumes, reference checks and the interviewer’s gut feel might have been how companies hired in the past. This method of sifting through potential candidates has proven to be less efficient. Candidates can falsify their skills and work experience and even impress an interviewer, which could then result in an unsuitable hire. One way to keep your hiring process as objective as possible is to use pre-employment tests.

You now have access to a wide range of tests and questionnaires that are designed to evaluate candidates’ cognitive and critical thinking abilities. These tests can also be used to assess the skills, knowledge and even the personality of the candidate. CPI, the publisher of a popular Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test, states that 89 out of the Fortune 100 companies use the MBTI test before hiring a new employee.

The benefits of employing pre-employment tests in your hiring process are many and varied. 

1. Streamlines the hiring process and saves time

The number of applicants for a job posting have drastically increased over the years. This means that recruitment teams are swamped with resumes and often struggle to sift the right candidates from resume spammers who send out their applications to every open position out there. When administered at initial stage of hiring a.ka. top of the hiring funnel, efficient pre-employment tests allow you to identify serious applicants when they take the effort to appear for the test. Applying a cut-off to invite candidates for interviews significantly reduces the number of candidates your recruitment team has to assess. This helps streamline your hiring process and significantly reduces the time spent on hiring.

2. Increased employee retention and reduction in turnover

Pre-employment tests can be used to assess your candidates skills as well as their personality. Hiring a person with a wrong temperament who doesn’t fit in with the rest of the team can affect team morale and result in attrition. When you hire employees with the right attitude and personality, they are more likely to be absorbed into the fabric of your organisation. This in turn increases retention.

3. More objective and hence legally defensible

Any process that relies on objective data is likely to be fair and reliable. Pre-employment tests ensure that the data you collect about candidates are standardised and insightful. This ensures that you are using objective data in your hiring decisions. An added advantage is that your hiring decisions are legally defensible by virtue of being objective and fair.

4. Reduces bias in hiring

Bias in hiring is one of the major reasons for wrong hiring decisions. Interviewers are often susceptible to biases like affinity bias, stereotyping and halo effect. This skews the entire hiring process, affecting your inclusion and diversity aspirations. Introducing pre-employment tests in the hiring process ensures that your selection process is unbiased.

5. Improves quality of hire

Pre-employment tests are intentionally created with a focused objective of being able to identify candidates with suitable skills for specific roles. This allows recruiters to identify the best candidates early in the recruitment process and improve the quality of hire.

6. Increases overall productivity

When the quality of hire increases, it positively impacts productivity. Pre-employment tests can be designed to measure communication skills, logical reasoning and even personality traits like loyalty and honesty.

You can choose from a wide variety of tests and can even customise the tests to suit your specific industry or organisation. However, whichever test you choose to employ, make sure that they are standardised. In other words, the candidate’s scores should be comparable and valid.

A set of fair hiring practices and making use of an accurate assessment structure ensures that the right candidates become a part of the organisation.  Following the right hiring process ensures diversity and higher employee retention, fosters transparency and allows opportunities for people to grow.

Platforms such as HirePro adhere to the codes of practice, abide by anti-discriminatory laws, inculcate a respectful work ethic and practise the ideals of an egalitarian approach.

Here are some ways to ensure fair and accurate end-to-end assessment:

Impart special training to the talent acquisition teams, mentoring panels and HR managers

The HR panel and mentoring teams need specific training sessions or inductions to recruit appropriate candidates. They have to be acquainted with the review guidelines and accurate end-to-end assessment tools that filter the candidates and allow the teams to select the best ones.

Often the hiring personnel is advised to practise fair judgement and be above board in their dealings. It is imperative to be unbiased and not favour people because of the previous sobriquets or titles conferred onto them.

Hiring practices are merit-based.  The HR teams could resort to measures such as removing the candidate’s name and gender and hiding the demographic information while reviewing the resume or CV.

It is paramount for an organisation to follow a streamlined process to disseminate information. TA teams must organise their work on receiving a clear set of instructions from the head.

Considering candidates’ experience and credentials without holding any grudges prevents biases and stereotypes from maligning the reputation of the company.

Making use of sophisticated AI-powered software tools and AI-facilitated processes helps recruitment teams to develop a framework to measure candidates’ technical, soft, decision-making, communication, interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

By coordinating with the virtual assessment centres, the selection teams can enumerate the criteria and see whether candidates meet the necessary parameters.

Communicate with the prospective employees at all stages of the recruitment process and provide necessary feedback

Using AI-powered assessment tools is the cornerstone of an effective recruitment strategy that informs the TA teams they have interacted with the right pool of candidates.

Upon making the assessment, the HRs should send clear instructions to the shortlisted candidates on how to attempt the tests or tasks. Their responses might be recorded and evaluated by a panel of assessors.

Communicating with the candidates is essential. The hiring personnel could interact with them over video calls, exchange text messages and send mails to let them know about forthcoming steps.

In case the candidates fail to succeed, the recruitment personnel must provide them with valid reasons for the decision to not hire them.

Make use of AI-powered assessment platforms and follow the content development procedures

An end-to-end platform for precise functional assessments ensures a smooth recruitment process without any hassles or last-minute interferences.

To make the process more transparent,  the hiring personnel might make use of high-end assessment procedures to see if the prospective employees are worth their salt. High-profile technology provides a detailed report on different aspects of the candidate’s abilities.

The prospective employees must be informed about different hiring procedures, personality tests, asynchronous interviews and sessions they might have to undergo during their onboarding process.

After the candidates have been shortlisted for the interview, the hiring teams should intimate them about the forthcoming procedures. The recruitment teams can instruct the applicants to download a particular software and conduct the interview as per their schedule without juggling their routine.

While conducting the interviews, one can use proctoring software to check the quality of the webcam and gauge the functioning of the video, audio and microphones. A seamless audio-visual experience makes sessions interactive and engaging.

When hiring fresh candidates, ensure that he/she does not make use of unscrupulous methods to pass the interview. The HRs can keep an eye on the person through reliable monitoring tools and fraud-proof assessment software.

To avoid hitches in identification, the TA teams should request the candidate to upload his/her photograph. This assures the authenticity of the prospective employees.

By using credible online assessment providers, companies ensure that the recruitment process is neutral and adds value to the recruiting experience.

While preparing the questionnaire, the recruitment teams must keep in mind the candidates’ competencies. Having variety in the assessment structure provides room for fewer errors and often provides a level playing field for everyone. Attempting exercises, passing the screening tests and answering personality questionnaires help get an idea about the candidates’ repertoire of skills.

The HR panel must set questions that help them assess the experience and background of the candidates. Industry-specific questions help the assessors to know whether the prospective employees possess appropriate knowledge about the company.

Using standardised procedures elevates the hiring process by delivering fair results. Besides, it is a smart strategy to avoid last-minute confusion and delays.

Maintain a record of the candidates

The company’s database can safely store the candidates’ applications. With AI assistance and an Applicant Tracking System (ATS),  HRs have a headcount of the interview responses, resumes and cover letters submitted by the candidates.

An accurate assessment process ensures that skilled candidates are recruited into the organisation. Using AI-powered tools and proctoring methods and adopting an unbiased approach towards candidates brings laurels to the organisation.

References:-

• https://www.wiley.com
• https://www.turnitin.com
• https://harperjames.co.uk

Today’s educational institutions are home to tech-savvy Gen Zers and millennials. It is clear the effect the digital world has on them.

For one, their information sources are more in number than those of prior generations. Social networking sites, job boards, and digital media marketing have surpassed the effect of billboards, in-person recommendations, and word-of-mouth information spread.

For another, today’s students want a college recruitment experience that is akin to their digital experiences in their personal lives.

Companies must rethink their campus recruitment practices to appeal to the sensibilities of the current generation. Here are five steps you can take to be a digital-first campus recruitment team:

1. Announce openings on job portals

For job openings, previous generations relied on recommendations and newspaper ads. This generation, on the other hand, just searches for work online. You may attract thousands of freshers by listing fresher openings on prominent job portals such as Monster, Glassdoor, Upwork, Careerbuilder etc.. You are certain to catch the interest of talented prospects with carefully crafted wording.

2. Make your career page mobile-friendly

A smartphone is everyone’s necessity but a Gen Zer’s best friend. It serves as a one-stop shop for calling, texting, playing, shopping, searching and a host of other activities.

With 90% of job seekers searching for work on smartphones, it makes sense to build or redesign company websites to be mobile-friendly. A career site that is not mobile-friendly means that prospective talent will be lost.

3. Take advantage of social media

Millennials and Gen Zers frequent social media websites, most of them to share their ideas. However, a sizable proportion — approximately 32% — looks to social media for work too. It is therefore critical to incorporate these platforms into your digital recruitment strategy.

Aside from advertising employment, they are valuable for showcasing your company’s culture, making your presence known, and promoting your brand.

LinkedIn is the most popular platform as it is business and recruitment-focused; however Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are also excellent platforms for building your brand.

4. Leverage technology

Thanks to chatbots and Artificial Intelligence (AI), technology is making inroads into the campus recruitment process in numerous ways. They can be used to:

• Automate candidate sourcing and engagement. To boost engagement, recruitment technologies, also automate candidate outreach and follow-up.
• Automate candidate screening, applicant status updates and other components of the candidate experience. This way, businesses can present a streamlined and uniform interface to candidates.
• Automate the most tedious part of the hiring workflow, namely scheduling candidates for interviews.
• Administer technical and non-technical tests through online assessment tools, provide a platform for virtual interviewing, assist with background checks, and digitise onboarding.
• Automate workflows and bring together hiring managers, candidates and colleges on one platform.

5. Be transparent, build trust

Prior to the digital age, the recruitment process was opaque. Candidates were unaware of the reason for their rejection. Not anymore. Transparent recruiting workflows have been made possible thanks to digitisation. This not only helps moderate applicant expectations, but it also creates trust and reflects positively on the company’s work ethics in the long run.

Conclusion

shift in job seekers’ behaviour is visible in how students consume information online.

For companies, digitisation has become a top goal, not just for communicating with students, but also for understanding their decision-making patterns.

Because of technology’s ability to collect and analyse behavioural data, there is now a chance to design marketing campaigns that meet the needs of today’s students.

To make campus talent acquisition smarter and more efficient, recruiters must turn to digital technologies.

Reference:

• https://universumglobal.com
• https://uprighthc.com
• https://swagdrop.com
• https://studyportals.com
• https://startup.info
• https://www.aihr.com
• https://in.gigroup.com

In recent times, a greater emphasis is being placed on personality assessments while hiring new employees. Apart from evaluating skill sets, recruiters are now also conducting detailed personality tests as part of the hiring process. These personality assessments help recruiters understand character traits that would determine how the person would perform on the job.

According to various studies, cognitive abilities predict job performance across tasks, while personality characteristics predict performance in specific tasks. Personality influences how you think, feel and behave in both personal and professional situations. In the hiring process, personality assessments evaluate professional characteristics which would influence job performance. Hiring decisions are never easy to make. By conducting a holistic assessment of the candidate for technical skills, knowledge and personality, and considering prior experience, recruiters can come to a data-driven decision for hiring. 

The importance of hiring for personality

Rather than recruiting for specific competencies, companies are now keen to hire people who are highly skilled, exhibit characteristics that are suitable for the role at hand, and are adaptable to multiple roles in the organisation. People form the core of the organisation, and hiring competent people with the right personality traits is paramount for sustained success.

Personality assessments help with finding candidates who fit into the company culture and have the same values as the brand. They help assess the candidate’s problem-solving abilities in real-life or near real-life situations, and identify the working style, thought process, conflict management abilities, strengths and weaknesses, to name a few. They can help determine the true nature of a person. Hiring is an expensive proposition, and the cost of bad hires can be huge. A study conducted by the US Department of Labour shows that the cost of bad hires can be up to 30 per cent of the employee’s wages for the first year of employment. Not just that, bad hiring decisions can lead to lost productivity, disgruntled co-workers and clients, and decreased efficiency. 

By using personality assessments, companies are more likely to find competent people who also fit well into the company culture. This in turn boosts employee engagement and co-worker morale, as such people are more likely to be satisfied with their job, happy to share ideas and knowledge, and have a good attitude towards work. Personality assessments are objective, and hence minimise bias during recruitment and selection, leading to a diverse and inclusive workforce. They help arrive at more accurate decisions. 

Prioritising personality in hiring

Besides technical skills and prior experience, the Big Five personality traits – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism are important from the perspective of performance on the job. Personality assessments can evaluate candidates for these traits. 

There are several popular standardised personality tests that can help you find the best candidates. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MTBI) indicates a person’s psychological profile based on four categories: introversion or extraversion, thinking or feeling, judging or perceiving, and sensing or intuition. These 16 combinations of various personality types show how people respond to situations. There are several other personality tests such as DiSC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance) for teams, Hogan Personality Inventory and Keirsey Temperament Sorter, to name a few. HR and Recruitment Managers must identify the tests that are right for the company, as also the job role. To do so, it is important to identify and list the traits that you are looking for in the candidate, and also identify the characteristics that every team member should definitely possess. 

Personality assessments can be administered any time – during screening, just before the interview, or in the final round for shortlisted candidates. They can be used for elimination, understanding the candidate better before the interview, or taking a data-driven approach for the final selection of candidates. While personality tests are useful, it’s also important to use the results in context. Personality tests are just indicators of possible job performance. 

In this regard, customised personality tests are the most useful and relevant. HirePro’s AI-powered end-to-end platform for precise functional assessments enables customised personality testing. Automated proctoring and diverse assessment formats, automated notifications and alerts enable a superior candidate experience and improved candidate engagement. 

It’s important to use a platform that is secure and compliant with the law. With online testing, the integrity of the test and test results need to be maintained, which can be managed with live or automated proctoring. The testing platform should also integrate with the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to offer a seamless experience. The results of the personality tests should be corroborated during live or video interviews. The data gathered from hiring assessments is precious. It can be used to identify areas that the employee needs to improve and plan the onboarding process and new entrant training accordingly. 

Personality assessments can be used for recruitment of all levels of employees – right from interns to the CEO. A holistic recruitment strategy will have a mix of cognitive and personality assessments, while taking into account prior experience, to produce a dynamic and healthy workforce. 

Links:

• https://sprockets.ai
• https://blog.videocv.io
• https://www.skeeled.com
• https://articles.bplans.com
• https://cammio.com
• https://www.linkedin.com
• https://www.forbes.com
• https://www.mckinsey.com
•  https://www.sciencedirect.com
•  https://insiders.fortune.com

Bias, according to science, stems from the human brain’s effort to process the enormous amounts of data it encounters in any given situation. Take, for example, HR teams who handle multiple tasks daily and are hard-pressed for time and mindspace. The pressure of having to sift rapidly through hundreds of applications – or interview large numbers of candidates per day as in campus hiring – can be enormously taxing. Under such circumstances, the human brain uses generalisations or “shortcuts” –  i.e. biases, conscious or unconscious, that filter data and enable it to work faster without being overwhelmed. In recruitment, this means that better qualified candidates who do not align with the recruiter’s frame of reference can fall through the cracks.

Bias in hiring can impact a business in multiple ways – it inhibits diversity, affects promotions and retention rates and leads to poor decision-making. To tackle bias, recruiters have developed several tools – blind resumes, video-based interviews, skill-based assessments, etc. These measures, however, still fall short of desired outcomes; even with the best of intentions, unconscious bias can seep in and influence human interviewers in ways that are hard to recognise.

Clearly, relying solely on human intelligence to develop solutions for bias-free recruitment is unlikely to fully succeed, for the simple reason that much of the bias that seeps into recruitment processes is unconscious. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) may just have the answers. The recruitment industry believes so.

How does AI combat bias? For one, superior processing power enables AI to crunch through masses of data, using algorithms and machine learning at speeds beyond the scope of the human brain. No job application is overlooked. It analyses such data clinically without the baggage of irrational assumptions and selects the best suited candidates. What is more, as new data points are fed in, AI improves its capabilities to recognise high-quality talent.

 Using AI to boost diversity and inclusion

In the business world, it is now accepted wisdom that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce benefits companies and society at large. For organisations seeking to promote diversity, AI is invaluable in eliminating bias at every stage. Some ways in which this is accomplished are:

• An appropriately designed AI system gives every candidate an equal opportunity to qualify for an opening.
• At an even earlier stage, organisations can use AI to identify flaws in job descriptions and recognise discriminatory patterns in hiring and performance reviews. This is known as generative AI. By correcting flaws in their processes, HR professionals can promote better inclusivity.

When AI is employed to reduce bias at every stage of hiring, underrepresented candidates get the opportunity to showcase their capabilities. For instance, women, differently-abled individuals and those from socially disadvantaged communities are typically considered less employable than upper-class, socially privileged men though they may be equally or more talented. AI offers the best way to overcome the centuries-old bias against these groups, analysing candidates solely on the basis of skills.

Depending on a company’s recruitment objectives, AI can be programmed to disregard certain demographics and prioritise others. For instance, a company whose senior management is male-dominated may want to diversify its composition to include more women. Artificial intelligence can be used to critically examine and suggest the best qualified women candidates for the job.

 AI can show bias too, but is open to correction

Artificial intelligence, despite its spectacular processing power, is only as effective as the information it receives. If, for instance, AI is not “taught” to ignore demographic data, it will pick up the biased data fed to it by humans and generate undesirable results.

Developing AI for recruitment therefore requires ethical commitment, careful planning and regular monitoring. Some steps that companies should adopt to get past flaws in their AI are:

•   Conduct frequent audits of demographics to identify patterns of discrimination.
•   Tweak algorithms to correct the identified flaws.
•   Update data sets regularly based on the audit results.

Sources:

• www.recruitingnewsnetwork.com
•  www.linkedin.com
• hbr.org

Assessments have a rich history. Since the Chinese Imperial Examination in 605 AD, through the aptitude tests during World War II and the standardised and norm-referenced comparisons of the 20th century, there has been significant evolution.

In addition to this, assessment methods have also transformed, shifting from traditional pen-and-paper tests to contemporary digital evaluations.

So, what’s the latest development in this era?

Adaptive assessments

Without a doubt, assessments are universally recognised in education, career development, and talent acquisition. They are a window into a person’s skills and capabilities. They come in several forms, each offering unique insights.

Skills tests determine whether a candidate has the technical skills required for a specific job or task.

Functional assessments evaluate how well an individual can apply his or her knowledge and skills to real-world situations.

Psychometric tests measure psychological attributes such as personality, cognitive abilities, emotional intelligence, etc. They provide insights into behavioural traits.

As time passed and technology evolved, a new evaluation method emerged—adaptive assessments. These assessments are a game changer. They offer a level of personalisation and effectiveness unmatched by previous evaluation methods.

So, what is adaptive assessment? Adaptive assessment, also called Computerised Adaptive Testing (CAT), is an evaluation system that tailors itself to the individual taking the test. This is one of the key features of adaptive assessments. It is called personalisation and it adjusts the difficulty of questions based on the test taker’s responses. Other key features include immediate feedback and computer-based testing. Immediate feedback offers insights right after the assessment while computer-based testing makes the process digital. These features provide adaptive assessments a distinct advantage over other evaluation methods.

Adaptive assessments in talent acquisition

Adaptive assessments are transforming candidate evaluation. Here is how:

Personalisation: Unlike traditional assessments, which employ a one-size-fits-all approach, adaptive assessments tailor their questions to every candidate’s unique skills and qualifications. 

As a candidate progresses through the assessment, the system tweaks the difficulty level and content. If a person answers a question correctly, the system presents more challenging questions. If they answer incorrectly, the system lowers the difficulty level. This guarantees that the assessment genuinely mirrors an individual’s capabilities and offers a more subtle approach to appraising the intricate skills required for a particular position.

Skill measurement: Adaptive assessments have a remarkable capability to measure specific competencies essential for a particular role. Traditionally, assessing skills such as problem-solving abilities, communication skills or cultural fit happened through technical or cognitive assessments. Adaptive assessments, however, provide a more comprehensive view, allowing hiring managers to gauge a candidate’s potential in areas that extend beyond mere technical knowledge.

Efficiency: With adaptive assessments, the questionnaire length is significantly reduced. The system can accurately evaluate a candidate’s capabilities with fewer questions, making the hiring process quicker and more precise.

Immediate feedback: This feature offers candidates insights into their performance right after the assessment, enabling them to better understand their strengths and areas that need improvement.

Enhanced objectivity: Traditional methods often leave room for subjective judgements; with adaptive assessments, the evaluation process is more impartial and data-driven. It removes human bias and provides a clearer picture of a candidate’s true potential.

Beyond hiring: Adaptive assessments are instrumental in training and development as they pinpoint areas where candidates may require further training or enhancement. This serves as a guiding mechanism for individuals on their journey towards personal and professional advancement.

Conclusion 

Adaptive assessments offer a more personalised, efficient, and objective approach to evaluating candidates, ensuring a better match between skills and job requirements. With the advancement of technology and a deeper understanding of human potential, adaptive assessments are becoming more important for talent acquisition. They provide a pathway for organisations to identify the right talent while offering candidates a fairer and more tailored experience. The future of hiring is adaptive — adaptive to the ever-changing dynamics of the workforce and the aspirations of those seeking meaningful and fulfilling careers.

Reference: peoplemanagingpeople.com,adaptivex.io,linkedin.com,magicedtech.com,merreo.com,criteriacorp.com

Success in any career depends heavily on soft and interpersonal skills. This fact has been known since the early 1900s. As per research published in 1918 by the Carnegie Foundation, 85 per cent of job success comes from having mature soft and people skills. The pandemic and the consequent major shift to hybrid working modes have further heightened the need for a range of interpersonal skills. Organisations now prioritise a thorough evaluation of soft skills to try and predict candidates’ future job performance.

Soft skills are interpersonal and behavioural competencies that determine how individuals manage work, navigate their work environment and engage with colleagues. These skills extend beyond specific tasks, roles and industries. Soft skills include empathy, communication, leadership, conflict resolution, adaptability and teamwork. Soft skills empower employees to express, develop, perform, lead and be inclusive and included. Let’s have a look at some essential skills and their relevance.

Leadership: Good leaders provide inspiration, motivation and guidance. Exemplary leaders ensure a positive and inclusive work environment. They lead by example and set clear expectations for their team. Advancement to higher roles is heavily dependent on leadership skills.

Teamwork: Teamwork is the ability to communicate and work collaboratively within a group towards a common goal. Teamwork is essential at all levels of an organisation. Great teamwork can create a synergy that results in outcomes that are more than the sum of the individual contributions.

Adaptability: That change is the only constant is a universal truth. Employees who adapt to changes, adopt newer technologies and ways of working and move with the times thrive; others get left behind. Adaptability helps employees stay relevant and meet evolving requirements.

Conflict resolution: Conflict is intrinsic to being human and working in a team. Therefore, avoiding conflict at all costs is akin to sweeping things under the carpet. Productive conflict resolution is about easing the stress in the moment and having constructive reactions. Conflict resolution skills allow teams to have open discussions and ensure that all sides are heard.

How do employees’ soft skills benefit organisations? The development of soft skills results in increased productivity by improving task prioritisation, time management and teamwork. With enhanced collaboration and conflict resolution, the team works together effectively, leading to better outcomes. Better communication leads to a clearer understanding of requirements and fewer errors. High-EQ employees are adept at managing their emotions and establishing an environment that helps others do so. Empathising, building a rapport across teams and motivating oneself and others are skills that create an engaged and enthused workforce.

Fostering creative, lateral and critical thinking induces innovation in products and solutions. With innovation as the cornerstone, organisations can adapt to market and economic volatility and stay competitive. Growth and profitability are a given when an organisation has a highly engaged, motivated and innovative workforce. Studies have revealed a 23 per cent increase in profitability when organisations have highly engaged employees. Employee retention improves with increased employee engagement, reducing turnover by 18 per cent.

With employee soft skills having a significant impact on growth, it is imperative for organisations to put in place sound soft skill evaluation methods as part of their recruitment process. Soft skills are difficult to quantify. So, traditionally, how have soft skills been evaluated?

Traditional psychometric tests: Psychometric tests measure cognitive abilities and personality traits to determine the best candidate for a role. The candidate uses a questionnaire attached with an answer booklet to select their responses. The tests were long with complex and elaborated scoring mechanisms to generate one report. A trained Psychologist or Psychiatrist evaluated the traditionally administered psychometric tests. This method incurred high costs and took extensive time due to expert appraisals.

Rubrics: A rubric is a performance assessment scoring guide detailing the evaluation criteria, a rating scale and indicators. By creating rubrics, organisations can select the necessary soft skills for a role, provide descriptions and examples of the soft skills in practice and list a points-based system for evaluation. For instance, if listening is the skill being evaluated, the rubric will have descriptions that distinguish between poor, good and exceptional listening. The rubric helps the appraiser determine the closest match to the candidate’s behaviour or response. Rubrics help in the consistent and fair measurement of soft skills.

Behavioural interview: Behaviour-based interviewing focuses on past experiences that provide examples of candidates displaying specific behaviours, skills and knowledge. This interview technique assumes that actual experiences give a better idea of future potential than hypothetical scenarios. The employer generally bases the interview on a set of situational, behavioural and result-oriented questions. The interviewer asks about a past situation relevant to the role for which the candidate has applied, followed by questions about the specific actions taken by the candidate. The interviewers will consider generic answers or ideal scenario responses as evasive.

Situational interview: In situational interviews, candidates are presented with hypothetical situations and must outline their responses. Situational interviews are an opportunity for interviewers to gauge the candidate’s ability to think quickly, resolve a problem and put forward a structured synopsis. All candidates can be asked to solve the same hypothetical scenario and a comparison would help determine the best fit.

Adaptability interview: Volatile economic and market conditions are a source of constant change for businesses. Adaptability skills are invaluable in every role and an absolute must in some. Adaptability interview questions are a mix of hypothetical scenarios and on-the-job experiences dealing with sudden, unexpected changes. The aim is to measure candidates’ flexibility, presence of mind and fitness for the role.

Digital technologies like AI, big data, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) can transform soft skill assessment with improved precision and fairness. These cutting-edge technologies do a more immersive evaluation of traits essential for excellence in a role, providing better outcomes and cost and time reduction.

AI-based psychometric testing:AI-based psychometric testing: Organisations must select the correct test profile to measure the soft skills for a role accurately. AI-based analytic tools can list a role’s required knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics (KSAOs) and use the KSAOs to suggest applicable psychometric test profiles. AI-based tests provide more accurate evaluations, are efficient in cost and time and are bias-free assessments. Open-ended response tests can be rated automatically using ML tools by assessing and categorising responses. Automated and intelligent proctoring can catch impersonation, candidate change, unauthorised assistance and blocked cameras. The solutions use image verification and continuous audio, video and image monitoring for supervision. Additional Checks are for tab switching, inactive test windows and screen sharing or mirroring through browser monitoring.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) assessments: AR and VR assessments utilise an immersive, gamified format. Though conventional paper and pencil exercises are considered reasonably objective and reliable, they are still prone to biases, making it hard to get a definite picture of the candidate’s personality. In VR or AR simulations, participants have been found to respond just as they would in real-life scenarios. This ability to elicit genuine responses makes AR and VR assessments highly suited to measuring soft skills like risk-taking, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution. Stressful and confrontational scenario simulations are instrumental in bringing out people’s ability to handle pressure.

Video interviews: Video interview tools provide time and location flexibility and those that are AI-enabled can rate body language, candidate engagement, language proficiency, communication skills and other soft skills without bias. AI solutions analyse voice tone, eye contact and body language to evaluate the interview. Sentence structure and word choice are appraised and scored. Video interviews conducted in an enhanced VR office environment extend beyond a conversation by allowing the recruiter to check the candidate’s performance within a close replica of the actual setting and context. AI models can predict future performance using data from the candidate’s interactions in the virtual office.

Predictive Analytics: There are vast volumes of hiring, testing, appraisal, training and profile data for employees. Applying AI predictive analytic algorithms to this data will provide patterns, trends and insights regarding hiring and future performance. AI solutions can apply the learning and insights to analyse the evaluation data of potential hires to predict performance in the future, ensuring the hiring of the best candidate for the role.

AI-based evaluation and analytic tools are free from human bias and limits to the algorithm that they are built upon; the models are trained on large, diverse and bias-free datasets. Therefore, hiring appraisals done using these tools will ensure objectivity, diversity and inclusion. AI tools can be adaptive and generate questions based on the candidate’s response, providing a better picture of abilities by raising or lowering the bar according to the answers. Answer-based customisation is more granular and rates at an individual level instead of a fixed one.

Soft skills are the linchpin to employee performance and, consequently, have a far-reaching impact on organisational growth. Technology experts are working strenuously to improve the AI tools for much more complex human behaviour evaluations using facial expressions, body language on a video, voice tone and words used in the audio of a recording or live candidates. A technology-powered, comprehensive and conclusive soft skills evaluation procedure is a must-have in the recruitment process in future.

References: carnegiefoundation.org, mckinsey.com, gallup.com, pwc.at, blog.peoplefirstps.com

Building high-performing teams is a cornerstone of success for all organisations. However, the shortage of tech talent today is an undeniable reality. To overcome this handicap, organisations must build robust processes to find, assess and retain the best talent. Similarly, to assemble a group of individuals who complement each other’s strengths and compensate for weaknesses, it is crucial to develop a strategic approach to talent assessment.

What is a talent assessment strategy?

A talent assessment strategy refers to the approach or plan used by organisations to evaluate the knowledge, skills, personality traits and cognitive abilities of candidates and employees. The approach also checks for alignment between the candidates and employees with the business goals of the organisation.

Talent assessment is more than a set of tests. It involves designing and using the right assessment tools and techniques to not only hire the best talent but also retain them. It is also important to remember that high-potential candidates needed to build a strong team may be hired from both internal and external sources.

What is talent assessment used for?

Talent assessment is usually conducted for one or more of five reasons.

They include:

• Pre-employment assessment to check the suitability of candidates for an opening
• Alignment of new talent to roles that best suit them
• Succession planning for various roles
• Evaluation of performance
• Training and development of employees

Benefits of a sound talent assessment strategy

Talent assessments have a positive impact regardless of the industry. The benefits include:

1. Get the best talent onboard

Talent assessments enable organisations to hire people with the right skills and talents that fit the job descriptions. They make the hiring process streamlined and data-driven. Such a system of assessment inspires trust among candidates. Also, the belief that the hiring process is based on the candidates’ attitudes and abilities boosts the quality of candidates competing for the open positions.

2. Reduce costs and streamline processes

Using online assessment tools helps organisations reduce hiring and training expenditures. Further, online tools enable simultaneous assessment of large numbers of candidates in a streamlined way making the whole process cost-effective and efficient. A streamlined assessment process is especially important during employee training since it allows the identification of learning challenges and gaps. The ensuing training sessions can then be delivered in a highly targeted manner.

3. Avoid costly hiring mistakes

Unsound hiring decisions can get very expensive in the long run. Yet they continue to happen. The reasons are manifold:

• Lack of qualified candidates
• Candidates being untruthful about their qualifications and experience
• Pressure to fill vacant positions quickly
• Errors made by recruiters.

By conducting online assessments to evaluate skills and personality traits, candidate claims about experience and abilities can be convincingly validated in a structured way. The hiring pitfalls listed earlier can be effectively avoided.

4. Hire at scale

Although low-volume hiring may be smooth even without talent assessments,  organisations that hire frequently or at high volumes must implement systematic talent assessments to avoid any hiring compromises. Online assessments are especially useful as a first level of screening.

5. Ensure culture fit

A well-designed talent assessment strategy considers all aspects of a candidate’s suitability, not just skills and work experiences. Such an assessment can skillfully assess if a candidate possesses all the behavioural traits required to thrive in the organisation’s existing work culture. A culturally bad-fit employee can quickly lose interest and become disengaged leading to a loss in productivity.

6. Reduce bias and boost diversity

Talent assessments ensure that recruitment processes are bias-free. Since the assessments are based on skills and are data-driven, human biases are reduced. Biases may be conscious or unconscious in which case, the biases are often part of an individual’s conditioning.

Unbiased hiring leads to greater workplace diversity and that offers many advantages, such as:

• A team with diverse members are more likely to make fast and better decisions
• Highly diverse organisations have been found to be more profitable
• A diverse workforce is more appealing to candidates
• Organisations that embrace diversity are known to be innovative and progressive.

7. Improve onboarding process

The primary goal of an onboarding process is to align new employees with the best role they are suited for. New employees selected after going through the organisation’s talent assessment process usually have a smooth onboarding process since the organisation is already aware of most of the employee’s skills and personality traits.

Other than role alignment, talent assessments can help make onboarding more personalised and smooth. A new employee’s training requirements can be estimated before assigning responsibilities. Talent assessments can also help organisations identify and plan future training needs for both new and existing teams.

8. Empower succession planning

Succession is a critical part of an organisation’s continuity planning. Talent assessments can be utilised to identify employees who have the right leadership traits and skills to take the organisation forward. Employees identified as having the potential to be future leaders can be trained as required.

9. Boost customer satisfaction

Talent assessments across organisations help in building strong and effective teams and that contributes towards higher customer satisfaction. Customer service assessments can help in creating effective customer support teams to resolve customer grievances, queries and conflicts quickly and skillfully. Talent assessments can help during recruitment and training of product and sales professionals too, all of which translates to higher customer satisfaction.

Best talent assessment methods

Some of the most effective and widely used talent assessment techniques are:

• Online skill tests: Both hard skills and soft skills can be assessed through online skill tests. Automated scoring and reporting make these tests popular and easy to use.
• Personality tests: They can help analyse the big five personality traits, namely agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, openness and neuroticism. Implementing these tests at various stages of selection can improve the interview planning and communication processes too.
• Cognitive ability tests: They assess mental abilities such as critical and abstract reasoning, logical reasoning, spatial ability and verbal aptitude. Cognitive ability test results are perhaps one of the most indicative of future performance and should be included in every talent assessment.
• Interview process: Structured interviews are those that ask all candidates the same questions so that it becomes easier to compare candidate responses. The interviews could be face-to-face, over the telephone or on video conferencing platforms.
• Check work samples or create simulated work environments: Candidates could be asked to provide samples of their work so that organisations can estimate their skill and efficiency levels. Candidate performance during a simulated work environment can also give the organisation a clear idea about the candidate’s skills, knowledge, risk-taking attitude and ability to work in teams.
• Trial day: Candidates who have cleared all the rounds of the hiring process can be asked to go through a job trial for half a day or a full day to validate the assessment process.

Key steps in conducting talent assessments for building a team

Talent assessment processes can be implemented at individual and group levels, depending on organisational requirements. Here are some important steps to ensure the process is smooth and effective, whatever the size of the team.

1. Define clear objectives, time, and budget

Before embarking on a talent assessment process, it is essential to establish clear objectives. The organisation must lay out the specific talents in terms of skills, competencies and attributes it is looking for in the team members. Understanding the organisation’s goals and the requirements of each role helps in tailoring the assessment process.

The assessing team must also be clear about the time frame and the budget available for the talent assessment process. Knowing both can help in planning an efficient assessment strategy.

2. Select the most appropriate assessment tools

There are numerous talent assessment tools available in the market, ranging from personality tests to skills assessments and situational judgement tests. The organisation’s selection team must take care to choose tools that align with the organisation’s objectives and provide valuable insights into both hard and soft skills. The best way is to use a combination of tools for a comprehensive and sound evaluation.

Some of the features desirable in a talent assessment tool include:

• Cost-effectiveness and ease of use
• Compatibility with popular mobile devices
• Automated scoring and grading
• Security and anti-cheating settings
• Ability to create insightful and complex personality tests in addition to skill and knowledge tests
• Advanced analysing and reporting capabilities
• Ready-to-use tests

3. Involve key stakeholders

Since team dynamics involve more than just individual skills, it is prudent to involve all key stakeholders in the talent assessment process. Inputs from managers, team leaders and even potential future team members can provide a well-rounded perspective on what attributes are crucial for success in a particular role or team.

4. Do not neglect internal candidates 

Considering internal candidates for different roles has certain advantages that should not be ignored. Some of them include:

• Save on recruitment costs
• Save on time-to-search since the talent pool is easily available
• The candidates are already a good fit culturally and are familiar with how the organisation functions
• Internal hiring boosts employee loyalty and reduces turnover

5. Design comprehensive interviews

Interviews remain a vital component of talent assessment. Interviews must be structured to evaluate not only technical proficiency but also interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities and cultural fit. Behavioural questions that explore past experiences can reveal a candidate’s approach to challenges and teamwork.

6. Assess cultural fit

A team’s success is often tied to its cohesion and shared values. Assessing cultural fit involves evaluating whether a candidate aligns with the organisation’s values and can seamlessly integrate into the existing team culture. This step is vital for minimising potential conflicts and ensuring long-term team harmony.

7. Consider diversity and inclusion

A diverse team brings a wealth of perspectives and ideas, fostering innovation and creativity. While assessing talent, it is important to ensure that the talent assessment process considers diversity and inclusion. The organisation must implement strategies to attract a diverse pool of candidates and create an inclusive environment that values and leverages differences.

8. Communicate with candidates regularly

In the recruitment market today, a positive candidate experience is very important. Regular communication plays a large role in keeping candidates feeling engaged and still part of the process. A very long period of silence after the assessment process can drive away candidates and even resort to posting negative feedback on popular social media platforms.

9. Continuous feedback and improvement

Talent assessment is an ongoing process that continues after recruitment. It is important to encourage a culture of continuous feedback and improvement. Regular evaluation of team performances can help in identifying areas for enhancement. This iterative approach ensures that the talent assessment strategies implemented evolve with the changing needs of the organisation.

10. Invest in professional development

Similarly, building better teams is a continuous process. Investing in the professional development of team members is a critical step. They must be provided with opportunities for skill enhancement, leadership training and ongoing learning. A commitment to continuous improvement will contribute to the long-term success of any team and consequently, the organisation.

Final word

Clearly, conducting a talent assessment to build better teams is a multifaceted process that requires careful planning and consideration. An effective process can help organisations assemble teams that not only meet their current needs but also adapt and thrive in changing business landscapes. Building better teams is not a one-time task – it is an ongoing journey of assessment, development and refinement.

HirePro offers customised assessments to organisations to test candidates on aptitude, personality, behavioural competencies and domain and technical skills. Candidates can be assessed by using HirePro’s pool of standardised tests that can be tailored as required to suit every organisation’s unique needs. All the tests have been reviewed and quality checked.

Write to us at sales@hirepro.in for a demo.

Sources: proprofs.com,toggl.com