Personality test, psychotechnical test, skills test… There are many tests to assess the skills of candidates. Recruiters will seek to verify the knowledge, know-how and interpersonal skills of their future employees . It is an additional tool for selecting and evaluating profiles. These assessments take different forms : with or without preparation, exercise to be carried out during the interview or to be carried out at home, alone or with others, etc.
According to a study by Apec , 31% of recruiters use professional simulations for the employment of executives and young graduates (all sectors combined). This is the most widespread test, followed by personality tests (22%), language tests (21%) and psychotechnical tests (18%).
Thus we distinguish:
Personality tests: these tests make it possible to evaluate the soft skills of the candidate, his personality, his way of doing things. Among the most common tests, we distinguish the MBTI, PAPI or SOSIE. These make it possible to check whether the candidate’s know-how corresponds to the offer and the company.
Psychotechnical tests : these correspond to the evaluation of a candidate’s logical aptitudes. A recruiter can assess reasoning skills. For example, a logical sequence, a game of dominoes, a progressive matrix…
Skills tests : this category brings together many tests: practical cases, language tests, spelling tests, case studies or simulations. Candidates will be tested on their technical know-how. The recruiter assesses the skills of the profession (knowing how to write, being able to sell a product, knowing a programming language, etc.).
Hybrid tests : software has been developed to design tests that combine assessments of the personality and aptitudes of candidates. The AssessF irst solution makes it possible to assess the motivation, personality and skills of candidates. PerformanSe is another solution that offers personality tests, cognitive tests and collective development tools.
The methods of the assessments may differ, in particular with group sessions or tests in the form of a game. The recruitment sessions or assessment center allow several candidates to be brought together in the same session to assess them on the same criteria. We will try to assess the soft skills of the participants. They take the form of role plays and presentation exercises. These sessions make it possible to gain in efficiency and speed when you have many recruitments. They generally last ½ day, or even 1 day maximum. A new method has appeared with the gamification of recruitment with the introduction of game techniques. Escape game, serious game, hackathon are some of the examples of games offered to candidates.
Tests take time for the candidate and the recruiter, you must decide at what point in the recruitment process it is the most appropriate to integrate this stage.
A concrete skills assessment
The recruiter has a better knowledge of the candidate, he concretely evaluates the skills beyond the speech made in a cover letter or during an interview. This step allows to gain in objectivity for the recruiter: for example, he selects the candidate on the result of a practical case and this allows him to make the difference between 2 candidates.
A projection of the candidate in his future position
When the candidate performs a practical exercise related to the proposed function, he performs a mission that is part of his job. He can assess whether the mission suits him and whether he sees himself in this position in the future. There is also a form of candidate commitment. If the exercise is common in the company, this creates a common point between the employees and gives a feeling of belonging. This step will mark the employee.
The test allows the candidate to put themselves forward, to value themselves other than through the CV. If the answer is negative at the end of the evaluation, it will still have served the candidate, he will have a better knowledge of his skills
A form adapted to the needs of recruiters
Vigilance points
The length of the recruitment process
Care should be taken to ensure that the recruitment process is not too long . Indeed, you could lose candidates with too many steps. According to a study by Michael Page , 1 in 3 candidates have already left the recruitment process for a coveted position because of its length. Make sure to reduce the delays of your process by selecting the most important steps.
From a business perspective, consider test analysis time and presentation of results. You must be able to provide feedback to the candidate .
Candidate experience
You must design the candidate experience offered as a whole, it must remain positive throughout the process. The candidate will become more involved and will have high expectations. Care should be taken to inform all applicants of the results and provide an explanation. Rejected candidates may feel frustrated if they don’t understand your decision and this will impact your employer brand.
Participant consent and use of the tests
Some candidates don’t always appreciate being assessed during recruitment and may feel that you don’t trust them enough. This exercise can be a hindrance for some people. The test requested must be appropriate to the position, the level of qualification and the sector of the company . The form of the evaluation must take into account the fact that it is an exercise carried out on free time and that it is not remunerated. In practical cases, the work done by the candidate must not be used when the candidate is not selected, in which case it would be concealed work.
In summary
Recruitment tests are an evaluation and selection tool that complements the usual recruiting techniques.
Different test methods exist, which makes it possible to adapt to the position and the recruitment context.