Technical assessment: Its technicalities and importance in recruitment

Technical assessment as the name suggests refers to the form of a test where the students technical k knowledge related to the job offered is tested. It may refer to presentation skills, design creation etc. There are many companies which base their selection on the technical assessment to select a said candidate. Though companies now use Technical Assessment as a means for selection they are not standardized and thus may cause biases in the selection process. Here are a few tips that may be used while using technical assessment in the selection process:

1. The test should be relevant to the role offered: The test that is to be conducted for selection should be as per the role for which the interview is to be held. For example, for the job of a manager, you can test for his presentation skills as he might need to present the growth of the company to other companies. However, the same mustn’t be repeated for another kind of jobs which doesn’t require presentation skills.

Similarly, coding is a skill required mostly in software companies. Testing for the same outside the required experience will not give you the correct assessment for selection.

1. The technical assessment is designed so that you can gather extra information regarding the candidate’s skill. The same can be utilized to judge the candidate’s ability to handle the job at hand. The test should aim to achieve the required results in due time.
2. The candidate should be informed beforehand that there is an assessment and one should be prepared for the same. If possible, the standard format needs to be submitted so that the student can go through the format and in the required time prepare for the same. This way you will also know the serious candidates for the interview and accordingly selection procedure may be designed.
3. Technical assessment can be divided into two parts. One consisting of an assignment which can be completed at home and the other which should be done in front of the investigators. This help the investigators decide if the person is really serious in regards to the job. You should also access if the work submitted was done by the candidate by cross-questioning about the data presented.
4. Technical assessment should accompany with feedback regarding the work done. This will help the students to know their shortcomings and they may work accordingly to fill up the gaps and prepare for the next interview.

These tips may help in conducting the perfect test for students. The following list gives details on the importance of skill assessment in recruitment:

1. Recruitment is a tricky process and it requires very observant people to truly decide who is the best person for the job. The same can be achieved by the addition of a technical assessment component which will help you to make the correct assessment.
2. Technical assessment will help you to know the level of knowledge of the person and also help you to know the best persons in the field. You will know the person on whom you need to work less after recruitment.
3. The introduction of online technical assessment has made the job easier as now you have specific software which does the part of designing the questions and also make it easier for you to grade. Timers are also available which let you know when the exam will end and the process is automated. Language compatibility is also available in these tests.
4. Skill tests are specifically designed to tests a person analytical knowledge. It should be based on the type of job that is expected of him. This ensures that the person is rightly tested. Care should be taken that the candidate is rightly tested and he has the satisfaction that he was adequately tested for the post.
5. Assessment should be able to solve your doubts rather than to make you more confused about your selection. The questions should be such that they help you decide. The questions should be concise and to the point. The questions should be written in simple language so that everyone can understand the contents and response accordingly.
6. The efficiency of the candidate is tested by these tests. You will know the most efficient person and also know their field knowledge of the subject. You will be able to access which are the brightest candidates and also know who has the highest problem-solving capability.
7. The recruitment process may sometimes take long hours. The same can be done efficiently by using this assessment test. They are time-saving and using online platforms also doesn’t require you to even check the answers as they are automatically tested by the software.
8. Feedback provided is important as it will help the students to brush up their knowledge in the field where improvement is required. This is helpful for both the examiner and the students.
9. A full analysis of the skills of the students is provided by these tests and thus you will be able to know the complete profile of the student’s analytics.

Though with time people are understanding the importance and relevance of technical assessment yet there is resistance among the persons in the adoption of the tests. People still think that traditional interviews were better. But one should understand that technical assessment will give you a basis on which students can be graded. This structured way of grading will make the recruitment process more efficient for the examiners and also give the students an idea of why they were not selected. The process as such is accurate and is without bias making the selection appropriate. Shortlisting of the candidates also becomes easier and automated making the process error-free. Skills assessment test will help you in conducting an assessment which is error-free, transparent and most importantly unbiased. The same can be achieved with continuous up-gradation of the recruitment process and incorporating regular and better changes in the process. This will create an environment where only honest means of selection are practiced.