Why Assessment Tests Are an Important Feature for Any Applicant Tracking System

Why Assessment Tests Are an Important Feature for Any ATS

Recruiting today is far different from how it was 10 years ago. Back in the day, I used to have to print 50 copies of my resumé and go to any tall building I’d see in the business district. I’d ask “Are you hiring?” and truth be told, regardless of the answer, I’d give it anyway. That’s just how it worked in the past. But nowadays, while doing so may be considered admirable, it’s a counter-productive endeavour. Anyone with a smartphone can now easily submit tens, if not hundreds, of applications within a few hours. Truly, the ever-changing digital landscape has made recruitment, among many other industries, so much easier than it used to be — from social media and digital templates to applicant tracking systems and artificial intelligence, recruiters now have the tools to reach maximum efficiency.

Despite this, the sole reliance on resumes and face-to-face interviews still runs deep — and while I myself believe in the power of a good resume and a strong interview, the process is a bit lacking.

As a serial entrepreneur who has put up multiple businesses, I am a strong advocate of getting the right hire the first time. After all, a bad hire is an expensive hire, as not only does it cost us money and resources, but valuable time as well. This is why it comes as no surprise that 90% of Fortune 500 companies have heavily invested in applicant tracking systems (ATS) to maximize efficiency in both recruitment and HR. However, this software focuses more on recruiting and selecting a pool of viable candidates, and it lacks a key feature that I believe every applicant tracking system needs: assessment tests.

While you can easily see someone’s experience, education, and maybe even a list of their skills on their resume, vetting is a different story. I can easily verify someone’s education or experience with a phone call, but their skills are something I’ll have to see after hiring — and that’s a little risky. Fortunately, assessment tests can be integrated into any applicant tracking system, allowing recruiters to determine a candidate’s hard skills and capability for the job.

Aside from this, I’ve outlined just how much any company can benefit from integrating assessment tests into their applicant tracking system.

Minimize employee turnover and increase retention

If you want to choose someone who is right for the company, wouldn’t it make sense to make sure they’re fit for the job too? When you test for hard skills, the results allow you to make better decisions based on objective data, along with giving you insight on job performance and company fit. This will help lower the chances of employee turnover, as you’ll get to avoid under qualified candidates and have the chance to ask the right questions prior to employment.

Save on time and resources

This is a no brainer. Anyone — entrepreneurs or HR professionals — want to avoid wasting valuable time and resources, which is why getting it right the first time is crucial. By integrating assessment tests, you can get the question of “Are you skilled?” out of the way. This makes way for other questions during the interview, like “What kind of management is ideal for you?” or even the ever-dreaded “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

Information for future reference

The great thing about applicant tracking systems is that they’re meant to store information on applicants for long periods of time, even indefinitely! If assessment test results are stored along with an applicant’s information, you can use this for future roles that need to be filled. In other words, you’ll get to find skilled workers without ever having to post an ad again!

Smoother results

Integrating assessment tests into your applicant tracking system means allowing candidates to submit their resumes and complete those tests online. Whether they’re in a café or in the comfort of their own homes, having free access to take it anytime they want will ensure total focus and yield better results. Additionally, this ease of use makes the process smoother, and is more likely to be completed by candidates — especially if it’s mobile-friendly (because who doesn’t use their phones nowadays?).

In summary

While an individual’s past experience and education is valuable, nothing beats hard evidence of their skills from an assessment test. In fact, even major recruiting software Talent Lyft recognizes this, and has integrated their applicant tracking system with Kandio to combine their talent for compiling the best candidates and our capability to assess them based on their skills.

At the end of the day, the goal for hiring managers or entrepreneurs like me is to find someone who’s skilled and capable enough for the role. By integrating a skills assessment test with the powerful data management tools of applicant tracking systems, you can be sure that you’re hiring the right person for the job.