Intelligent SME.tech Issue 55 | Page 43

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The multi-measure aspect is very important too. You need to be measuring a range of job-relevant skills in the hiring process if you want those test results to be real indicators of potential and job success. There’ s a lot of science behind why this is the case. We always recommend, for example, combining any kind of programming test with at least one cognitive ability test. You don’ t want to hire for the coding skills alone; you need to see your candidates holistically to make the best hiring decisions.
How can a service like TG help SMEs when hiring?
SMEs often have fewer hands on deck to manage recruitment, and a tool like TestGorilla provides a serious amount of streamlining when you use it at the top of the funnel. It allows you to spend quality time with quality candidates, which is crucial when you’ re short on time and resources for hiring. Also, when you test for specific skills, you know the people you’ re hiring can do what you need them to do. There’ s less chance of a mis-hire. Mis-hires are easier for bigger companies to absorb, but for SMEs, they can really hurt. Put simply, a tool like TestGorilla can help SMEs hire the right people, with less stress and less bias too.
How important is the interview?
Interviews are so important. They help you gauge how your candidates communicate and how they think. That being said, interviewing is a skill in itself too, and not necessarily one that means you’ ll be good on the job. So, while interviews are important, I think it’ s even more important to conduct them fairly. Structured interviews are the golden standard. Ask all your candidates the same questions, standardise what a‘ good’ answer looks like and monitor your biases. Be friendly but wary – if you support the same football team, it’ s not important.
Skills testing supports the interview process because it means you enter the interview more informed. If your candidates have taken a personality test, for example, you might know a bit about their levels of extraversion. If they fell short in a certain skill category, you could ask a question related to that skill to build a better picture. Essentially, like I mentioned before, it’ s about getting a more holistic understanding of your candidate. The better the understanding, the better the interview. �

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SKILLS TESTING SUPPORTS THE INTERVIEW PROCESS BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU ENTER THE INTERVIEW MORE INFORMED.
Intelligent SME. tech
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