Recruiting and selecting the perfect candidate for a particular position can have many stages of assessment. One of the most important is evaluating technical skills, essential for companies, and that will surely help the recruiting team make the right decision and choose the correct candidate.
There are many types of assessments that allow recruiters to choose candidates with more security and trust in a specific person and avoid high costs to the company. These technical assessments can be varied and match exactly what each company is looking for, meaning that each organization will evaluate differently depending on the data they wish to acquire from each candidate profile.
Types of assessments that can be conducted in a job interview
Some of the most commonly used assessments in job interviews are:
- Common Knowledge tests: These particular assessments will allow recruiters to test basic intellectual capabilities. Normally, you can assess someone’s problem-solving skills and abstract rationalization.
These have the objective of obtaining a general overview of the candidate and their behavior.
- Language tests: These apply to get to know the level of knowledge in one particular language needed for the job position.
- Technical tests on software management and computer knowledge: These tests assess the candidate’s level of experience regarding specific programs.
- Personality tests: These exist to identify certain skills and behaviors in the candidate that could match the company’s vision or remaining team.
- Psychotechnical or emotional intelligence tests: These tests aim to know the different intellectual capacities of the candidates, as well as different soft skills, such as linguistic and verbal aptitudes.
- Group dynamics: These tests serve to evaluate behavior when interacting with others. It’s important to work as a team and knowing the candidates’ capabilities to interact with the rest of the team, listen and solve issues.
All of these assessments are equally as important, but we will focus on the third one, the technical tests that can be applied during interviews, their objectives, and how to overcome them.
What are technical tests?
Technical tests are series of questions specific to measure the knowledge necessary for the position. Recruiters seek to test the potential collaborator’s skills and competencies on a very specific topic, program, or necessary skill for the job position.
What are the objectives and advantages of technical tests in a job interview?
Before answering this question, you need to be aware of some important stats:
- 54% of the candidates show they don’t have the required knowledge at the time of work
- 78% of the candidates mention having certain aptitudes and skills that companies seek, later showcasing a lack of them
- 60% of the candidates mention particular abilities in their CV that they never learned
With this data, we can conclude why these technical tests are so relevant, allowing recruiters to assess if the candidate matches what the position requires. These tests also discover and highlight elements that could not be assessed in a CV or an interview. Lastly, they also serve as a great way for companies to save time, resources and optimize their search processes for new talents.
How to succeed at a technical test?
There is no real list of specific steps to follow to succeed in the process of assessment. In fact, some tests can’t be practiced beforehand, and that has to do with aptitudes that one may or may not have.
However, there are a few tips we can provide you so you can pass these tests successfully and get the position you are applying for.
Firstly, always read each question carefully if the test is written, and definitely make sure to revise all your answers so you can catch any mistakes. Most importantly, maintain focus and always keep in mind how much time you have to finish the test since most of these have a determined time to the end of the test.
If you think there is a particular skill that you don’t master in its entirety, read on the subject beforehand, but always relax and trust your skills as well; it’s normal to feel nervous. Sometimes, you should trust in common sense to answer questions you may not feel adequate. If you have any doubt or issue while doing the test, however, don’t be afraid to ask
And lastly, always be honest and yourself.
No matter the type of test and its objectives, they are an excellent tool to choose the right candidate, so the process will be more efficient and agile for both the recruiter and the candidate.
