Different assessment methods to adopt while looking for the perfect hire for your company

Hiring a new employee is one of the most important decisions any company can make. While it might be tempting to rely on gut instinct, it’s much more beneficial to have an objective system that consistently produces excellent hires. In this blog post, we’ll discuss four different assessment methods you can use to ensure your hiring process is fair and effective.

Psychometric tests

Psychometric tests measure a candidate’s personality and ability to perform a job. The tests measure a candidate’s mental abilities, such as intelligence and problem-solving skills. For example, some psychometric tests measure a person’s memory ability by having them memorize lists of words or numbers that appear on their computer screen for a short period (typically 10 minutes). The test then asks the person to recall as many items from the list as possible before moving on to another set. Other testing methods include having candidates solve problems in one sitting or completing an online assessment that measures how well they fit into certain behavioural patterns (like agreeableness and extraversion).

Psychometric tests can be either objective or subjective. Objective psychometric tests typically measure a person’s cognitive abilities, such as solving problems or completing tasks. Subjective psychometric tests measure personality traits like honesty and confidence.

When choosing which type of psychometric test to use for recruitment, it is important to consider what information you’re looking for from the test results. If you want to know whether someone is capable of handling specific responsibilities at work, an objective test would be more appropriate than if you wanted to know how well they would get along with others in the workplace.

Job simulations

Job simulations are one of the most common types of assessment methods. It is a realistic scenario requiring an employee to perform tasks and make decisions like they would in real life. It can be a great way to test potential employees’ skills, but it requires some effort. Here are some tips for making sure your job simulations are successful!

The goal of using a job simulation is twofold: 

• First, it allows you to assess how well someone would do on the job; 
• Second, it allows your team to observe how candidates interact with others while performing tasks similar to those they will need to do as part of their jobs (if hired).

To ensure that this process goes smoothly for all parties involved, here are two things to keep in mind for conducting effective job simulations:

1. Make sure the simulation accurately reflects what candidates must do on the job. For example, if hiring someone for a development role, ensure they have some experience developing products with the tech stack your company uses before asking them to write lines of code in an interview setting.
2. Ensure a consistent testing format so every candidate will have the same testing experience. This will allow you to compare each candidate’s performance against others who have already gone through the process and know what they’re doing!

Cognitive ability testing

Cognitive ability testing differs from psychometric tests in assessing the candidate’s reasoning skills through puzzles and problems. These tests are often used in entry-level positions to screen candidates’ logical reasoning skills and problem-solving abilities by putting them through a series of challenges or puzzles. The way these types of tests are conducted will vary depending on the industry you’re working in, but some standard cognitive ability tests include:

• Numerical reasoning tests – which measure an individual’s ability to solve complex arithmetic problems
• Verbal reasoning assessments – designed to test verbal intelligence by assessing vocabulary and reading comprehension
• Abstract thinking assessments – which determine whether or not someone can evaluate information quickly and accurately while making quick decisions using logic

The main benefit of using cognitive ability testing is that they help companies identify individuals with strong cognitive skills who can perform well under pressure by improving their decision-making abilities when faced with challenging situations.

Behavioural Assessments

Behavioural assessments determine how a candidate will act in a given situation. They are usually based on past experiences and can be used to determine whether a candidate is a good fit for the job. These assessments can also be part of an interview process.

Because they are often used in the early stages of an applicant’s journey, behavioural assessments are a good way to ensure that you’re getting the right people. They can also help you determine your ideal candidate’s traits and how well they fit into your company culture.

Recruiters can use behavioural assessments to: 

• Evaluate a candidate’s job ability based on their work experience.
• Determine how a candidate will act in a given situation.
• Measure how well someone fits into your company culture.

Making the most out of assessments

Assessments can vary, but you should use them to determine a candidate’s abilities and skill sets in the role being filled. For example, if you’re looking at a sales position, give candidates a personality test or aptitude test to see how they would fit into your company culture. If hiring an engineer or developer, you’d like them to take a technical test showing off their technology skills.

Here are some tips for making the most out of talent assessments during recruitment:

• Be sure that the assessment measures what you need in an employee. Don’t just assume that a particular test will give you all the information you need—it may not be relevant, or it may not be measuring what you think it does.
• Ensure that your candidates know exactly what information they’ll get from the assessment and how recruiters will use it in the hiring process. This way, they will be aware of their results and understand how to interpret them.
• If hiring for a position requiring a lot of creativity or problem-solving skills, ensure your candidates have time to complete their assessments before scheduling interviews. If they get enough time to complete all parts of an assessment, they might perform better on specific questions (or even worse: they might decide to wait to take it at all).