Skills assessments were used in the employment process by 76% of the firms surveyed. One of the most popular pre-employment evaluation techniques, according to the report, is job simulations-skill assessments.
What are skill assessments ?
The purpose of skill assessments, commonly referred to as aptitude tests or pre-employment evaluations, is to examine a candidate's skills in a certain field objectively. Technical exams, cognitive tests, and behavioral testing are just a few of the different ways that these evaluations can be conducted. Each kind of evaluation focuses on a different component of a candidate's skill set and offers insightful information to guide the hiring process.
It basically determines: if a candidate has the required skills and at what level, if they require training based on skill gaps.
Skills assessments also help determine if the candidate is the right fit for your team, by analyzing not only technical skills but the ability to perform thanks to soft skills.
The types of skills under evaluation
Depending on the requirements for the position and the type of assessment, a wide range of skills can be evaluated. Technical skills (such as programming, data analysis), soft skills (such as problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork), and job-specific abilities (such as customer service, project management) are some of the skills that are frequently assessed.
The thorough assessment of these skills helps HR departments in gaining an holistic understanding if the candidate is the right fit. It also enables hiring managers to unbiasedly choose the best applicant, because the grading and clear score is obtained automatically. Bottom line is, skill assessments make it easier to approach recruiting consistently.
Additionally, organizations can use skills assessments on current employees. This helps hiring managers in determining whether a skills gap exists in a particular sector of the organization. If so, a skill evaluation can identify the workers who need to upskill and what type of training they need.