Let us start by understanding what a pre employment test is and the need for conducting those. As the name suggests, pre employment tests assessment tests conducted for candidates who apply for a job with a business enterprise. The process is known as recruitment where a business recruits the best candidates after a lengthy screening process.
A job test is necessary because it helps in selecting the best candidates for the job. Each job has specific requirements and specifications in terms of skill, education, experience, attitude, etc. Depending on the industry, the job, and the level, the specifications would continue to change. When an enterprise advertises for a job opening along with the job description, there will be many candidates who will send in their applications along with their resumes.
Now, conducting personal interviews with hundreds or thousands of candidates is not possible. It is time-consuming and cost-intensive. This is where the tests come into the picture. There are numerous fl background check companies that conduct pre-employment tests on behalf of the enterprises. These tests are virtual and can be conducted on a large scale.
It has been seen that enterprises saved around 70% of their cost and 60% of their time by opting to use the services of a company to conduct the tests rather than conducting them on their own. Moreover, enterprises can customize and finalize the test form. It also reduces the risk of a bad hire by using standardized techniques to conduct the tests and evaluate the results.
The following process is followed in planning and conducting the employment test.
- An HR team of the enterprise gets in touch with the Test Advisor from the company.
- Once the specifications are in place, the team can pick a pre-designed test form offered by the company.
- Or, the team can make a few changes, add or delete questions, refer to more topics, subjects in the database provided by the company.
- Or, the team can also upload the questions they have created along with data that is exclusive to the enterprise.
- The test form can be in any form such as multiple choice questions, real-time scenarios, audio-visual interaction, etc.
- The data uploaded into the test form app will be kept confidential and secure by the company.
- The system will be integrated into the existing HR system of the enterprise so that employees involved can keep track of the process on a single system.
- Once the test form is finalized, the candidates are notified about the date and time of the test.
- Since the tests are conducted virtually, candidates can attempt them from their existing locations.
- Each test has a time limit after which the test form gets locked and the answers are saved. These answers are evaluated by the system based on the pre-defined parameters and the assessment results are provided to the employees.
- A shortlist of eligible is supplied by the companies based on the results. Enterprises can continue with the next step in the recruiting process based on the results.
There are various types of employment tests that are conducted to assess different attributes of the candidates. Here are some of those.
- Skill Test
- The test will measure job-related competencies on a broad scale. Literacy, math, attention to detail, language, subject-related questions, etc.
- This test measures specifically acquired competencies rather than behavioral or aptitude.
- Behavioral Test
- This is an important test that is conducted in the later stages of the recruitment process to test the behavioral pattern of a candidate.
- The test is mostly real-time scenario-based where there are no right or wrong answers. The answers given by candidates about how they would react to certain situations will help in identifying the extent to which the person can fit into the work environment of the business enterprise.
- The behavioral or personality test cannot on its own be taken as a benchmark by the enterprises. The candidates might not be truthful and give answers which they think the enterprises expect.
To conclude, pre employment tests are a good way to find quality employees for an enterprise.