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5 Pre-Hire Assessment Best Practices

Finding a pre-hire assessment backed by sound research and science is a daunting task. Even then, a quality solution is only effective when utilized properly. Here are some pre-hire assessment best practices to ensure yours is used the right way. So you get the most out of your applicant pool, improve the candidate experience, and maximize the return on your spend.

1. Use Your Pre-Hire Assessment at the Top of the Funnel

Give valuable time back to recruiters by letting your pre-hire assessment do the heavy lifting. One of the top benefits of a smart pre-hire assessment is the ability to quickly identify high-potential candidates without sacrificing candidate quality. Depending on the vendor you are working with, you can also score candidates across multiple roles to see which aligns best with their particular strengths before moving them forward. And by placing your pre-hire assessment at the beginning of your application funnel—assuming that there are no biases baked into the algorithm—you remove bias from your screening process to build a diverse team.

2. Don’t Set It and Forget It

Out-of-the-box pre-hire assessments are one-size-kind-of-sort-of-fits-most. One pre-hire assessment best practice is to dedicate time to working collaboratively with your solution provider to ensure that candidates are being scored on what really determines success for your open roles. Keep in mind that adjustments will have to be made as your workforce grows and priorities shift within your company. As a general rule of thumb, you should be worried when your workforce isn’t changing and no adjustments are required.

3. Establish an SME Team

You will likely have a dedicated support person, but you should also train a group of internal experts to be familiar with all of the solution’s nuances and quickly bring others up to speed. The experts on your internal SME team play an invaluable role in ensuring that the pre-hire assessment is aligned with your strategic objectives. Change is inevitable, and this team can be the difference between a smooth or bumpy transition.

4. Take Full Advantage of Your Pre-Hire Assessment’s Results

Another pre-hire assessment best practice? Utilize all of the information that’s available to you beyond the candidate selection process. The same insights gleaned from candidate assessment results can be used to determine what management style is most effective and what developmental areas should be prioritized to enable your new hires to find success in their roles. Work with your vendor and SME team to determine what information could be valuable to managers or human resources to improve employee engagement and retention efforts.

5. Improve the Candidate Experience

Applying for jobs and completing pre-hire assessments can be painful. Some pre-hire assessments take nearly an hour to complete (shameless plug: Cangrade’s only takes 14 minutes), aren’t mobile-friendly (unlike ours), and leave the candidate with nothing to show for their time and effort (check out our newly launched Candidate Reports!). Prioritizing the candidate experience and making your application process as frictionless as possible is a great opportunity to separate yourself from others in the hiring space. Be transparent about the application process and next steps so candidates know what to expect.

The right pre-hire assessment can have a tremendous impact on your company, from improving retention to boosting overall employee performance. However, like all tools, they are only effective when used properly. Keep these best practices for pre-hire assessments in mind throughout your journey, but remember to leverage your solution’s customer success team members. Ask questions, learn as much as you can about the tools you are using, and work collaboratively to reach the results you’re aiming for.

See how Cangrade can help you find the right people for your organization bias-free. Start here.