A race to acquire the best developers has been going on for some time now, which makes finding the right developers that much more difficult. Previous methods in the hiring process have been altered to account for the shifting reliance on technology. One such method is the administration of technical assessments.
What are Technical Assessments?
Technical assessments are online tests given to candidates in the hiring process to help recruiters and hiring managers to evaluate skill levels. Various assessments can be given, both generalized tests and ones tailored to a candidate or company. Technical assessments are also known as aptitude tests. They are primarily used to decrease the pool of viable candidates and are typically given early in the hiring process. Several technical assessments may be administered throughout the process, depending on the preference of the hiring manager or recruiter.
This tool is used in addition to the other common elements of the hiring process such as interviews and light training. In fact, interviews generally are held after candidates have been eliminated from the technical assessment portion of the process.
Looking to Hire? Try Asking These Questions.
The following questions are good for determining whether a technical assessment would be beneficial. Answering yes to two of these is an indicator that at least one of the tests is needed.
- Would developers be hired on a regular basis?
While the assessments themselves are electronic, setting them up requires some effort. There are plenty of pre-made, general assessments for various areas of the tech industry. However, custom tests can be made as well. If a company only needs to hire one developer, a technical assessment could still be useful, but it may not be worth the time and effort to set it up compared to a business that intends to utilize them several times in a year, for example.
- Is the technical language difficult to keep up with?
Often, recruiters and hiring managers may not quite be suited to bringing in solid, long-term employees because they may not fully understand aspects of the industry. Technical assessments can help them bridge that gap, particularly with pre-made tests or custom ones generated by a website’s team. A warning should be issued with this point since not every technical assessment building website is a good one. Research should always be done beforehand.
- Does there never seem to be enough time?
One of the benefits of using technical assessments is that they can be scored, administered, and summarized electronically. They are specifically designed to make the hiring process easier on both ends. For recruiters and hiring managers who struggle to juggle the process with other responsibilities, giving a technical assessment to candidates will save a lot of time in the long run.
Are Technical Assessments Necessary?
These tools are by no means a requirement in the hiring process, but they can be a great asset. Additionally, they may provide a different insight into a candidate’s mentality or skillset that could have otherwise been overlooked if only a resume was used to hire employees.
