Traditionally, hiring assessments are given toward the end of the application process. The hiring managers look over resumes and cover letters, hold phone and in-person interviews, then give the top applicants a test of some kind. While this order may have some advantages, it can certainly be improved upon. By adding diagnostic selection earlier in the hiring process, the entire task can be streamlined, and optimized. The result is a quicker hiring process with better end results.
Discovery
The entire process begins with discovery. Typically, someone at the company will develop a written job description complete with required skills and experience and then post it to one or more job boards online. From there, the applications pour in. The process has only begun, but it’s already started to take up valuable company time. Even if resumes are scanned for keywords, someone still has to read through them, weigh options and decide which applicants to contact. This one step can take days or even weeks.
Using a firm such as Global HR Research, companies can start narrowing down their choices to the cream of the crop at this early stage. First of all, businesses won’t have to rely solely on third-party job boards, but can use their own branded board. Additionally, digital methods of screening and testing can match applicant profiles with job requirements, saving time for hiring managers. In this way, the discovery step isn’t about weeding out candidates who aren’t qualified, it’s about choosing between individuals who already meet company standards.
Diagnostic selection streamlines the hiring process. Diagnostic selection streamlines the hiring process.
Pre-screening
Screening candidates as they apply means that hiring managers can spend more time assessing applicants who actually qualify for the open position. Digital solutions augment and support the very necessary human interpretation of assessment results and the interview process. For example, targeted application tests can automatically weed out unfit applicants. Global HR Research can provide assessments that pinpoint specific industries, from customer service to law enforcement to nursing and more.
Besides assessments that target skills, background checks are another key piece of the hiring puzzle. PayChex noted that background checks can limit exposure to risk and reduce the rate of employee turnover. Many applications contain false or purposefully inflated information. A background check – paired with other forms of assessment – can help to verify that information.
In-person interviews
After the pre-screening process is completed digitally, the in-person process will continue smoothly. Hiring managers can conduct telephone interviews with potential candidates and invite the best in for face-to-face interviews. With so much information already available, there will no time wasted explaining job requirements, expected experience or anything else of that nature. Rather, the interview can focus on highly specific criteria and assess each candidate on a personal level.
“Interviews can become more informal and less robotic.”
When the interviewer meets with the candidates, the conversation can take on a more informal tone because they won’t have to ask static questions such as “Why are you applying for this position?” With the information that comes from the screening process, those types of initial questions can fade to the background, and the interviewer can instead try to get to know the candidates on a more personal level. Companies that invest in building a friendly, supportive culture shouldn’t have robotic interviews – a high level of commitment to interpersonal relationships should begin during the interview.
Results that count
At the end of this streamlined process, companies will have hires that they can trust. And while there’s no substitute for quality training programs, each hire is sure to start off on a solid foundation. In terms of skills, personality and work history, hired candidates will be absolutely the best. And that’s not something that managers should look at lightly. The cost of employee turnover is high, both in terms of actual money spent and the time and effort it takes to conduct job searches and hold training sessions.
Hiring is one of the most important aspects of running a business. The people that make up a company, are in fact the company. They define the culture, the product and the customer experience. Hiring the best candidates isn’t an option – it’s an imperative.
