Metrics based recruitment and selection is taking the business world by storm.
Companies who once relied on the traditional double whammy of CV and interview are now turning to testing when hiring new staff.
A staggering 81% of FTSE-100 companies think metrics-based hiring is the most effective way to recruit.
We look at why they’re right, and explain how you—as the owner of a small or medium business—can join them.
A better insight
Britain’s medical schools are turning to metrics in a big way.
They know that the right tests can give you a better insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate.
For anyone who wants to be a trainee doctor in the 21st century, stellar academic grades are not enough. They also need to ace the UK Clinical Aptitude Test.
This makes sure that the doctors of the future aren’t a bunch of eggheads who faint at the sight of blood and can’t talk to their patients.
The advantages of testing
We realise the notion of ‘a better insight’ into your candidates is a bit vague, so we’ll be specific.
Here’s exactly why we think metrics based recruitment and selection is the way to go:
You can look for the skills and attributes you value. Like the medical school recruiters above, you can create tests to find your ideal candidates.
This is a real bonus when you’re looking for evidence of softer skills like attention to detail.
Discriminate between well-qualified candidates. The most common reason big companies turn to testing is to overcome grade inflation.
Let’s face it – do you really know whether a first class degree from Leeds is better than a 2:1 from Warwick?
The right tests help you see beyond the shiny façade of brilliant qualifications.
Fairness and equality. Testing enables you to recruit staff based on merit.
Even better, it helps you prove that your recruitment process is fair and equal. This is important in these days of more stringent HR procedures.
Predict future performance. As an employer, you already know that performance at degree and A level doesn’t necessarily mean great job performance.
But with the right selection tool, you can gaze into the future and predict how well a particular applicant will perform.
You’ve guessed it – the right tool is a well-designed test.
Quickly build a shortlist from a very long list of candidates. You’re busy running your company.
You don’t have the time to read through hundreds of multi-page CVs.
But if you already have a database of test scores, you can build your shortlist in a few mouse clicks.
What can you test for?
Metrics based recruitment and selection is usually based on any combination of:
Aptitude tests – how well can your candidate carry out tasks essential to their future role?
Personality tests – what traits characterise the way your candidate interacts with other people and the world around them?
Interest tests – how motivated is your candidate, and what are they interested in? If a quality or skill is important to your business, you can test for it.
You can also include more traditional elements in the process, like those good old CVs and interviews.
Metrics based recruitment and selection – now available to small and medium businesses
With this flexibility and these advantages, it’s not surprising testing is on the rise.
Because of the resources involved, metrics based recruitment and selection is usually the domain of large organisations like the NHS, or FTSE-100 companies.
Even though we say it ourselves, Top Five Percent is a game-changer.
It brings the advantages the big players already enjoy within your reach as a small or medium business.
Don’t let the big boys have all the fun. You might not have their budget, but we know you still want top quality.
With TFP you’ve got it.
https://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1556982/Firms-use-personality-tests-for-best-graduates.html
