In the ‘Recruitment test’ category, I'll take the MBTI!... Not available? Oh?... The DISC then!... Not that either? Well, the MBTI, DISC, or any other typological test isn't on the list of tests meant to facilitate your recruitment. That said, tests evaluating personality traits, rather than types, are very appropriate since they help better differentiate individuals and measure their suitability for targeted positions.
Other tests, such as cognitive, motivational, or skill tests, are wise choices. But how do you know which of these recruitment tests to use? How can you be sure you're making the right choice? Let's revisit the basics of these recruitment tests and their advantages.
Personality Tests
Personality tests are indeed popular in recruitment, as long as you choose the right ones. As mentioned earlier, tests based on personality types are not suitable for recruitment since they only compare individuals to themselves, and their broad analysis doesn't evaluate specific skills.
On the other hand, Personality tests that measure traits enable comparison between candidates. With their numerical personality measurements, they accurately estimate a candidate's performance in a position and their mastery of specific skills.
Advantage: It's the recruitment test that lets you know who you're dealing with.
Why ? Because in recruitment interviews, candidates generally present themselves in the best possible light and minimize these small flaws that might be incompatible with the position or your company’s culture. Even for the most intuitive interviewers,a 45-minute conversation is not always enough to detect them. Moreover, under stress, many candidates struggle to effectively showcase their strengths causing you to unknowingly miss out on the talents you need.
By using a personality test, you obtain a complete description of the candidate's behavior as it will be when he or she has successfully integrated his or her duties, that is to say 3 to 6 months after being hired. Thus, to avoid disillusionment or not to miss the rare pearl, the personality assessment offers you this predictive reading to know now if your candidate will be a good choice.
Cognitive Recruitment Tests
The cognitive tests category is vast. Some assess spatial abilities, others critical thinking, memory, or reasoning. The most common reasoning tests measure IQ (intelligence quotient). But it's essential to use this score properly. If not put in context and compared to a reference job, it loses its meaning.
Advantage: It's the recruitment test that lets you peek into the candidate's "black box."
Why ? It assesses abilities that are difficult to detect in an interview.With its logical questions that require quick responses, we know how the person approaches solving new problems. Concretely, we see if it understands her environment subtly, if she easily integrates new information, if she processes it quickly and if she knows how to find appropriate solutions.
By using a cognitive recruitment test you can focus on assessing the accuracy of your candidates in making decisions, on their autonomy in evolving in a complex and changing environment or even on their agility in effectively applying what they have learned.
Motivation Tests
Though underutilized in recruitment, motivation tests are often limited to skill assessments or annual interviews. The link between these tests and their impact on the recruitment is not always clear. However, these tests all have common denominators: well-being at work, fulfillment, and motivation to give one's best.
Advantage: It's the recruitment test that helps you retain your candidates.
Why ? Because it addresses the core of commitment. Here, no comparison between individuals. Rather, we seek to know what a candidate needs to be happy and want to invest. For example, two engineers will not have the same motivations: one will prefer to conceptualize the IT workings of the next project alone while the other will be stimulated by the operational part, by being on the ground managing the team who deploys it.
By knowing what motivates a candidate and what they really want to do, we can better ensure their development and guarantee their involvement.
Skill Tests
These tests cover technical skills and general skills like languages or professional knowledge. Soft skills, increasingly in demand, also belong to this category and are becoming the skills of the future, according to HR trends.
Advantage: It's the recruitment test that lets you invest in your candidates.
Why ? Because when it comes time to recruit, even if your candidate’s scores aren’t as exceptional as you would have liked, nothing is lost. As these skills have strong evolutionary potential, they can be worked on and therefore improved over time. What’s more, these same skills are called transversal and can contribute to successful mobility when transferred to another position.
These different recruitment tests are now well-established in the recruitment landscape. Although many are available in this market, it's essential to ensure the reliability of the ones you use to appreciate all the advantages mentioned in this article. Use them wisely!
