To get the right people for your company, it takes work, good judgment and even a little luck.
To improve the process, two business researchers, Dr. Charles Handler and Dr. Steven Hunt, are touting the effectiveness of applicant evaluation tools in hiring new workers, which they say are effective in showing how well a person will do in a particular job.
But in using these tools, it is essential to keep in mind what your goals are, they say.
These evaluation tools can be anything from screening questions that probe an applicant’s salary desires to more detailed measures of a person’s skills and talents. According to the researchers, evaluation tools used effectively can predict how a person will do on a job much better than the traditional process of collecting résumés and conducting interviews. And because these tools can do a better job of selecting people, they can have a big effect on the overall performance of workers and also save money.
But for the tools to be effective, you have to use the right ones. And you choose the right ones by first establishing a clear idea of what the performance expectations are for the particular job. The tools then have to measure the traits of the person that are connected to job performance. And the tools have to be used in a consistent way for all of the applicants so that they are evaluated in the same way.
Some examples of these tools include things such as qualification screens, which are questionnaires that are designed to find out if job applicants have certain traits that are needed to do a job effectively. They are most effective as ways to find people who don’t meet the minimum standards for doing the job, such as having the right experience or education.
Another type of tool is a job simulation, where the person simulates the duties of the job. These can be done in various ways – through written exercises, role playing, or computer programs. Not only does this type of evaluation give the employer an idea of what the applicant can do, the person also gets a hands-on preview of the job.
Another type of evaluation is a talent measure, where personal traits that are connected with success in a certain job are measured. These tools would measure things like problem-solving ability, work ethic and leadership traits.
If you’d like to hear more tips about how to best evaluate employees for your Chicago, Lake Oswego, Anchorage, Portland, Seattle, or Tacoma company, contact the OptiStaffing Group. We look forward to hearing from you!