Posted by EmployTest - on Fri, May 14, 2010 @ 03:20 PM
"The closest a person ever comes to perfection is when he fills out a job application form."
-Stanley Randall
A common question our clients and potential clients ask is this:
"How can I tell if my applicants are being honest with their responses?"
And that's a challenging question. The core problem is that applicants have an incentive to misrepresent their personality traits, skills and knowledge levels in order to get the job. That's why pre-employment testing companies like ours exist--to help the hiring manager determine what the actual truth is.
With skills and knowledge testing, it's much easier to manage the honesty question because, if you can control the testing environment, you've covered most of your bases. Test them in a proctored environment. Provide a consistent level of coaching, if any at all. If you've taken those steps, then the applicant won't be able to search for the solutions to the questions and honesty won't be an issue.
But what about behavioral trait testing (or personality testing)? Admittedly it's slightly more challenging to control dishonesty with these types of tests. Because the answers, right or wrong, are wholly located in the person's head, the location of the tests matters less. Your applicant can test in your office or from a remote location (unlike with skills or knowledge testing) with similar results.
Fortunately, a Candidness score appears in every EmployTest report that includes behavioral test content. This Candidness score helps to tell hiring managers whether the candidate provided honest answers to behavioral test questions.
A High or Moderate Candidness score indicates that questions were answered honestly and that other scores in the test can be trusted. A Low Candidness score indicates that the hiring manager may want to use other screening tools (ie interviews or reference checks) to supplement their analysis of behavioral traits covered in the test.
By using these tools, you can develop a feeling of confidence that your applicants are being honest and, if they are not, then you have the tools to spot the dishonesty.
Posted by EmployTest - on Thu, Oct 15, 2009 @ 10:49 AM
Will your next new hire be a diamond or a dud? Organizational psychologist Nick Tasler (formerly of Andersen Consulting and TalentSmart) writes in this Business Week article that there is a litmus test to give to all potential hires:
Does the applicant believe that they can make things happen, or do they believe that things happen to them?
If they believe they can make things happen, then this person might be you next superstar, because these people have a "fundamental bottom line evaluation of their abilities". The people who feel like they are in control of their own destiny outperform by any measure those that feel the outside events control their lives. They are "more motivated" and bring in "50% to 150% more annual income than people who feel like they have less control over their careers."
The more a person feels that they can postively control their lives, the more successful they are. This holds true for all levels of jobs (from the executive suite to the assembly line), and without regard to poor grades in school and the affluence of their parents (or lack thereof). These postive confident workers also seem to thrive in turbulent times and "respond better to corrective feedback".
How can you judge if your applicants have the confidence and assertiveness that will make them your next superstar? EmployTest offers Personality tests that measure those traits and others (Flexibility, Reliability, and more), as well as Microsoft Office skills tests to assess computer skills.
Posted by EmployTest - on Thu, Aug 20, 2009 @ 11:05 AM
Entrepreneurs aren't very adept at evaluating job candidates. They are too busy and too optimistic, says Jay Goltz in yesterday's NYTimes article "Updating the Peter Principle: How to Hire After the Recession." "They hear what they want to hear, don't ask the tough questions," and don't understand the job applicants "lie and are delusional". A bit harsh perhaps, but the essence of what he says is true.
In his quest to improve your hiring processes, Goltz also references the "Peter Principle", the theory that people are continually promoted until they reach their level of incompetence, which he modifies only half-jokingly, to say that, instead of being denied further promotions, these people are instead laid-off or downsized. And then suggests that those are the people that you are sorting through during your selection process--the incompetent ones.
Well, not exactly true. There are plenty of rock stars out there, ready to come aboard and land your next big client or provide excellent service so you can keep the clients you have.
Goltz's final point was this:
"Establishing a better hiring process will have a profound impact on your business. When you hire better people, not only does your business get better, but your life also gets easier. It's the ultimate win-win."
Couldn't agree more. But how should you do this? One piece of the puzzle is by using pre-employment tests (in our own humble opinion). Personality tests. Microsoft Office tests. Clerical tests. Customer Service tests. These skills assessments will give an accurate and objective snapshot of what the person knows, and more importantly, what they don't know. Remember that if you are not testing your applicants, you could be hiring the rejects that your competitors refused to hire.