Comments on: Pre-employment testing or homework?

By: Paul Bailey

Paul Bailey — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:18:44 +0000

I’ve used the tests for programmers. Asking all kinds of technical questions. I’ve had people test well. But just did not work out and I have had people test ok and they become pillars in the company. One interesting thing I have come across recently is a service called trialbyhire.com. They say it’s a “Pre-Employment Test Drive”. Based on the home page they say employers “try out” a Job Applicant prior to offering a permanent position with their company.

Maybe something like this is the solution.

By: Marsha Keeffer

Marsha Keeffer — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 04:34:38 +0000

The ‘what got you there’ is more effective, I think. Yes, people can be blow away that they’re being tested, but that allows you to see how flexible they are.

Knowing that the candidate actually can use a basic skill set is important to getting results.

By: Tammy Colson

Tammy Colson — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:23:54 +0000

The ex-H (IT brainiac) had to endure several coding tests when he was searching for a position. Remembering back there were various ways the companies prevented any ability to cheat.

With the orange box we administered pre-employment tests on the computer in the application process. Most times the applicants a) didn’t realize they were taking a test or b)were shocked when we told them (when they called or knocked on the door to ask) that they hadn’t passed the test. My interview process was even more rugged, having to take a HR skills test and “In-basket exercise”. Later administering these, I’m not certain how we actually got better candidates out of the process.

I’m not a huge fan of testing like that, but I do see the validity of basic coding skills for programmers and math sills for cashiers. There are ways to get the information in an interview without subjecting people to the long path that can be the testing process. (development, benchmarking, tracking, discriminatory problems…)

By: HR Minion

HR Minion — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:52:12 +0000

It’s not cynical to think they might cheat. I’ve had candidates try to cheat when they were taking pre-employment tests in the office. People do desperate and stupid things.

By: Bonita

Bonita — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:38:51 +0000

I gave candidates for a Sr. Detailer/Detailing Mgr position a real, easy example of construction drawings to complete. Our position was not the typical detailing position (we used 3-D, most people use 2-D), so we wanted the candidate to experience the problem and come back with a solution. I’d call it more job sampling than testing. But, the SME reviewed the results with the candidate, asking about process and problems. There was a real solution, which was compared to the candidate’s solution. There was a big difference between a candidate who was hired and ended up not being a high performer and a candidate who was hired after the first candidate and was a high performer.