Let’s be honest—a well put together resume can make any candidate look pretty impressive. It’s all too common to see resumes with long lists softwares “mastered,” claims of being an “excellent communicator”, organized, detail-oriented, fast learners, skillful leaders and more.

The problem? It’s often difficult to know which of those claims are actually true. That’s where some form of skill or aptitude testing is still one of the most valuable tools in your hiring tool kit. They’ve been around for a long time. Stood the test of govt/EEOC scrutiny, and have not only survived the test of time, but have earned a place in any hiring process that’s serious about selecting the right candidate.

The RESUME is really a marketing tool….

…and most candidates have learned how to present themselves in the best possible light. Truthfully – there’s nothing wrong with that. But a resume can’t tell you how quickly someone will master the nuances of any job, how good they are at interpreting complex data, spotting process challenges or how effective they will be solving problems. That’s where the rubber hits the road when looking at hiring outcomes.

Skill and aptitude testing fills in those gaps. Whether it’s a test to assess mastery of a specific software, an assessment of a candidate’s attention to detail, their service orientation ,a writing sample – seeing someone demonstrate a skill relevant to job performance provides much more confidence than simply reading about it.

Hiring Mistakes Can Be Expensive

Large companies may be able to absorb a hiring mistake. Its a much bigger deal for smaller companies. When you hire someone who struggles with the basic requirements of the job, or isn’t picking up the nuances of a job in the time frames needed, everyone feels it. Training takes longer, productivity slows, coworkers get diverted in order to pick up the slack, and eventually customers notice the difference.

A simple skill or aptitude assessment incorporated into your hiring process at the right time and in the right way can help avoid costly surprises.

Testing Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated

Many employers avoid skill testing because they imagine elaborate exams or lengthy assessments. In reality, the best tests are often simple.

• If the job requires scheduling appointments, have candidates schedule a few mock appointments.

• If they’ll be asked to present data in spreadsheets, give them a simple business issue requiring them to organize the relevant data.

• If they will be asked to conduct a team meeting, introduce them to the team, give the a topic to discuss, and watch how they use their leadership skills.

The goal isn’t to trick candidates—it’s to see how they perform work they’ll actually be doing. See how focused they are on producing the results you will be needing from them.

It Creates a Fairer Hiring Process

Professional assessment programs also helps reduce hiring bias. Instead of making hiring decisions based on interviews, personality, or years of experience, you’re evaluating candidates on their ability to actually do the work.

Sometimes the person with the most polished interview isn’t your strongest performer. A practical assessment gives every candidate the opportunity to demonstrate what they can actually do.

At PACE, we believe our clients deserve more than a stack of resumes—they deserve confidence that the candidates they interview can perform the work.

That’s why we include some form of skill or aptitude testing as part of our recruiting process. Depending on the role, candidates may complete assessments in specific software applications, general or detailed problem solving, their approach to teamwork oir interpersonal skills etc. The results help us better match candidates to the requirements of each position while giving our clients additional insight that go beyond the interview or resume. It also helps candidates showcase strengths that may not be obvious on paper.

Our goal isn’t simply to fill an opening. It’s to help employers make hiring decisions with as much relevant information as possible so new hires can contribute quickly and succeed in their new roles.

FINAL THOUGHTS…

Better hiring decisions start with better information – concrete evidence that you are hiring the best person for the job. While no hiring method is perfect, interviews, references, resumes, real life work samples, and professional assessments all provide different pieces of the puzzle. Adding even a brief skill test gives employers objective information that simply isn’t available anywhere else in the hiring process. The result is better hiring decisions, faster onboarding, and employees who are ready to contribute from day one.

At the end of the day, you want the person you interviewed on Friday to be the same person who shows up for work – on their first day and every day after. There are multiple benefits from using a hirng process based on the premise of trust but verify.