“If it weren’t for assessments, I would hire the way I always do and get the same bad results!” — President, Engineering Company
As offices reopen, companies everywhere must focus on strategies to improve team performance and revive their bottom line.
It starts with hiring and selecting the right employees for the right job…aka job fit, the first time. Sadly, too many companies spend more time evaluating equipment and systems than focusing on hiring the right people to run and manage them!
“It is not experience that counts, or college degrees or other accepted factors – success hinges on fit with the job.” (Source: Harvard Business Review, Vol. 58, No. 5)
Today, more than ever, using the right assessments for hiring and selecting the right employees will determine fit with the job and impact your bottom line.
Cost of Poor Hiring Practices
As a leader, you know your turnover rate. In fact, you may be proud that it is below industry standards. Yet, the truth is, you do not know how the actual costs of your current hiring practices impact your bottom line. (Think of the client you just lost and the intangible costs!)
Now is a great opportunity to calculate the cost of a bad hire, and how much it costs to promote the wrong person, or lose a talented team member. When you do this, you will realize you’re losing money each and every quarter, even though your bottom line may be acceptable…not great…just OK!
Not All Assessments Are Created Equal
Not all assessments are designed for hiring and selection purposes. Using assessments that have not been statistically validated for pre-employment and selection purposes can get you in legal trouble. Also, the wrong assessment will cause you to hire the wrong person for the right job OR hire the right person for the wrong job.
Why?
People are like icebergs: they only let you see what they want you to see and what you don’t see under the surface is often far more significant!
Currently, most employees hate their jobs (over 71% according to a Gallup study) due to poor job fit. Many hiring managers and recruiters overlooked tell-tale indicators and used assessments that were not statistically validated for pre-employment use.
Using the wrong assessment or no assessment allows candidates to tell you what you want to hear not what you need to hear. (Note: there is only a 15% chance of discerning a lie!)
For example, candidates will…
- -Talk about the skills and talents they don’t use appropriately.
- -Share achievements they didn’t accomplish.
- -Win the job offer and not be the same person that shows up to work. (Or, ghost you!)
These avoidable hiring mistakes will hinder your ability to revive your bottom line.
Use the Right Assessment to Ensure Job Fit
You would not use a screwdriver to put a nail in the wall. The right tool is a hammer. Using the right assessment tools are no different.
There are over 3,000 assessments in the market today. Most do not meet the Department of Labor’s 13 Guidelines for Using Pre-Employment and Selection Assessments (See: Testing and Assessment: An Employer’s Guide to Good Practices, Department of Labor).
How do you choose the right assessment to determine job fit and core values?
There are two options:
- Read the DOL’s 13 Guidelines (citation noted two paragraphs above) and review the technical manual for each one. A qualified assessment will have a technical manual showing statistically that it meets the validity and reliability and all other requirements for pre-employment and selection purposes. The key is to ask for the technical manual and refuse to use an assessment for pre-employment and selection purposes without one.
- Talk with an assessment expert to guide you through the process.
When you take the time to select the right assessments and use them as directed, they work and will positively revive your bottom line.
©Jeannette Seibly, 2015-2020
Source: “Hire Amazing Employees,” Chapter 11, Assess for Job Fit—Use Qualified Assessments http://BizSavvyHire.com
Jeannette Seibly is an award-winning executive coach and keynote speaker. For more than 27 years, she has been an expert in guiding leaders to hire, coach, train, and manage for unprecedented results. The new world of work is here. Are you ready? Contact Jeannette Don’t forget to listen to her podcasts on Anchor.FM or YouTube.com.