![](\"https://skillmeter.com/Content/Public/img/tour/programming-test.png\")
Hiring practices have changed dramatically in the last few years. Technology changed the rules and jobseekers need to be aware of that. If a company expects high quality candidates they need to make sure that they also portray their own company in a professional manner. A pre-employment test is one strategy that a company can use in order to brand themselves as a great, future-oriented company.
"},"body":{"body":"Hiring practices have changed dramatically in the last few years. Technology changed the rules and jobseekers need to be aware of that. If a company expects high quality candidates they need to make sure that they also portray their own company in a professional manner. A pre-employment test is one strategy that a company can use in order to brand themselves as a great, future-oriented company.
Many big companies already use pre-employment tests in order to source their talents in a quicker and better way. Many other organisations also need to think about what strategies they can apply in the near future in order to hire well qualified and motivated talents too.
The challenge for companies is to inform and prepare candidates in an effective and thorough way about their corporate hiring practices. Candidates need to know what they are expected to do, so that they will not face any unexpected surprises at any stage in the hiring/assessment process. These are the 12 points that candidates would appreciate from companies who offer online assessment tests:
1. A smooth transition from the application to the assessment.
Often the assessment is being outsourced to a third party. This should be done in a smooth way so that the candidate doesn’t get confused and knows that it is still part of the company’s application process.
2. The type of test.
Providing an example of the test would be beneficial so that candidates are made fully aware of what the test looks and feels like.
3. The length of the test.
Specifying if a test is time-limited or not is also helpful. It gives a candidate the idea under how much pressure he is under. For initial tests and screenings it would be advisable to keep strict time limitations. Research and experience has shown that offering a test of less than one hour duration looks more attractive.
4. The reason for the test.
In order to make it more meaningful it would be advisable to let the candidate know why the test is required, so that they have a full understanding of it.
5. The design and presentation.
The assessment should be: visually attractive, user-friendly, professional, easy to follow and with clear instructions.
6. The technical accessibility.
The test should be easily accessible to everyone regardless on what browser, operating system or gadget someone is working on. Everyone should have the opportunity to apply without any technical limitations.
7. The technical support.
Throughout the test a jobseeker should have someone from a Helpdesk department to contact in case technical help is required. This should be offered at any time, no matter where in the world the person is residing. Nobody should have to quit a test in the middle of the process due to technical issues.
8. The “Engagement” Factor.
Let’s be honest, how many jobseekers are looking forward to participate in online assessments before they know whether they will get a chance for an interview or not? Most of the people will perceive it as an additional effort that needs to be made, while very few people might consider it as a true challenge that they are looking forward to. Few, if at all, would describe these tests as an entertaining and engaging experience. In the future we will see that companies will invest more of their time and money to make it a more engaging and inspiring activity because jobseekers will demand it. Presenting tests in a real-life scenario, customised to the company’s situation and corporate culture, is something that would surely impress everybody.
9. The reason for certain questions.
Often candidates are wondering how certain questions relate to certain jobs. The more the content of the assessment has a feel and outlook of the job the better and the more sense it will make to any potential candidate.
10. The feedback with the result.
There are four strategies that companies can choose from when it comes to telling their candidates how they performed.
11. The result.
Often candidates are not being given the result or the interpretation of their test results. A company who would provide constructive feedback to each job applicant would surely stand out from the crowd.
12. The Thank You Note.
Thanking every candidate for their interest in the company and for having taken the test is a must. If you can add a greeting with the candidate’s personal name at the beginning of your thank you note, it will surely be noticed! Remember that personalisation makes always a difference.
These suggestions will help a company to make their online assessments a more enjoyable, positive, enriching and pleasant experience for their jobseekers.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-06-12T11:38:37.397Z"}},{"node":{"url":"pre-employment-assessments-done-right","title":"Pre-Employment Assessments Done Right! ","description":{"description":"Hiring the wrong person can become a costly and time-wasting issue for an organisation. Many companies consider therefore pre-employment testing tools which will allow them to screen and select the most suitable, qualified and reliable candidates and screen out those that don’t seem to fit for whatever reason.
"},"body":{"body":"Gone is the time when a company published a job ad, invited candidates for an interview, held interviews and selected the best one. Hiring the wrong person can become a costly and time-wasting issue for an organisation. Many companies consider therefore pre-employment testing tools which will allow them to screen and select the most suitable, qualified and reliable candidates and screen out those that don’t seem to fit for whatever reason.
Types of Tests
Assessment tests are only effective if they are objective, reliable, valid and relevant to the job and industry. A company’s challenge is therefore to create a test that will assess the jobseeker’s knowledge, abilities and/or personality traits. The more customised the test is the better. Companies can now choose from various assessment options, such as:
Many types of assessments are being presented in a multiple choice format. A particularly effective method in screening out immediately those candidates who don’t want to invest a lot of time in the employer’s interview process is the use of an “Essay style Application”. Job applicants are invited to describe in more detail what they did, the way they did something and how they overcame various obstacles in the process.
At what stage
One might wonder at what point in the interview stage companies are applying these kind of assessments. While some companies use these tests after receiving the candidates’ applications, others use them after the first phone interview, before the first face to face interview or between the first and second interview.
How to communicate to candidates about process & tests
If job candidates before applying for a job are being made fully aware of the hiring procedures it reflects positive on a company. Often candidates at different stages in the application process find themselves suddenly taking tests which are provided by third parties with external links without any form of introduction. In order to make this transition smoother it would be advisable to provide the job candidate with detailed information in advance regarding: type, structure, duration and reasons of the assessment.
Furthermore, it is highly recommended to ask only those questions and to test only those skills that are really relevant to the job. This is an issue that most companies are struggling with since the line between job-related content and finding out about a candidate’s personality is not always clear. If tests are being purchased from third parties they need to be critically analysed in terms of real job relevance. What is good for one company doesn’t necessarily have to be appropriate for another company too. A company should not hesitate to make certain amendments if there are any concerns with regard to the content of the test.
Once a candidate has submitted his/her application s/he should be informed about the next steps, such as: who and when someone from the company will contact them and what they can expect to be happening next. In order to be perceived as a professional and serious company with high standards it would be good to keep any job seeking person well informed regardless of their test result. This way a jobseeker would make a positive experience, negative word-of-mouth for the company would be avoided and the number of submitted applications would be higher.
Benefits for the company:
The benefits from which the company can benefit are the following:
And once the right candidate has been hired, the company will notice further longterm benefits, such as decreased staff turnover, increased productivity and improved morale.
Companies should bear in mind that an assessment should be an additional tool to make the right hiring decision but should not be a replacement for a face to face interview, background and reference checks. Hard and soft skills, experiences, qualifications, personality, company culture fit etc. still play an important role that also need to be taken into consideration.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-04-21T20:08:34.753Z"}},{"node":{"url":"skillmeter-introduces-programming-tests","title":"Skillmeter Introduces Programming Tests","description":{"description":"I am excited to announce the launch of a new feature of Skillmeter that allows recruiters to create programming/code tests to measure the “practical” skills of your candidates. Programming tests support a wide variety of languages like C#, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, VB.NET.
"},"body":{"body":"\r\n\tI am excited to announce the launch of a new feature of Skillmeter that allows recruiters to create programming/code tests to measure the “practical” skills of your candidates. Programming tests support a wide variety of languages like C#, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, VB.NET.
\r\n\t
\r\n\tBy offering the ability to create both Questionnaire and Programming tests, Skillmeter positions as the best platform for Skills Testing and Pre-Employment Testing on the market.
\r\n\tVisit today Skillmeter (https://skillmeter.com) or take the Tour (https://skillmeter.com/tour) to learn more about the features available.
\r\n\tFeel free to comment below or contact us should you have any question or feedback about Skillmeter. Happy testing!
"},"publishedOn":"2014-04-13T21:39:51.487Z"}},{"node":{"url":"how-to-stand-out-from-a-crowded-field-of-applicants-during-your-job-interview","title":"How to Stand Out From a Crowded Field of Applicants During Your Job Interview","description":{"description":"Times\r\nare tough out there, and it seems that there are an ever growing number of\r\npeople competing for an ever shrinking number of jobs. Many people send off\r\nCV's by the dozen, and rarely get to the interview stage...
"},"body":{"body":"Times are tough\r\nout there, and it seems that there are an ever growing number of people\r\ncompeting for an ever shrinking number of jobs. Many people send off CV's by\r\nthe dozen, and rarely get to the interview stage, but those that do need to\r\nthink long and hard about how they are going to stand out from everyone else\r\nwho will be going for the same job. The interview is the best chance that you\r\nhave to put across who you are and what you are about, and how you perform on\r\nthe day is the single largest contributing factor to winning the job, or losing\r\nout to another.
It can certainly\r\nbe a hard task, trying to stand out in a crowded field of applicants for a job,\r\nbut there are several ways that it can be done. Before describing them, though,\r\nthe most important thing to do for any job interview is to prepare. You will\r\nneed to find out as much as possible about the role on offer, as well as the\r\ncompany it is with. Who are their customers? Who are their suppliers? How are\r\nthey regarded within the industry? This type of background knowledge is crucial\r\nin not only showing that you have done your homework, but will also provide\r\nconfidence in knowledge in the interview itself.
In terms of standing\r\nout at a job interview, it is vital to remember that first impressions count.\r\nThat initial few seconds are critical, whether it be your general appearance,\r\ndemeanour or even the handshake. When in the waiting area for an interview, you\r\nshould be ready to be called in at any moment, so remain composed and prepared,\r\nas opposed to nervously flipping through the pages of a resume. Greet your\r\ninterviewer with a warm, friendly smile, and speak confidently when spoken to.
Once inside the\r\nroom where the interview is held, the interviewer will begin to ask a series of\r\nquestions. This is the time for your passion to shine through, and you will\r\nneed to make the interviewer feel this. Answer questions with a degree of\r\nenthusiasm and positivity that shows you have the dedication and focus for the\r\njob that they are looking at. Projecting a “can do” air of positivity is a\r\ngreat way to get interviewers onside, who will recognise that they will be able\r\nto use your energy for the benefits of the company.
What you say is\r\nof course as important as how you say it, and speaking in a way that will leave\r\na lasting impression is a fundamental aspect to standing out from the crowd in\r\njob interviews. Sometimes, there are dozens of people in the interview stage\r\nfor just one job, and whilst an interviewer will always make notes, anyone that\r\nis remembered for the right reasons without them stands a better chance of\r\nemployment. Rehearsing what to say may sound a little over the top, but an\r\ninterview is all about selling yourself, but a few choice sound bites that an\r\ninterviewer can hone in on will certainly make you stand out over those that\r\ndon't.
Whilst the\r\nmajority of the time spent in an interview will be the interviewer asking\r\nquestions, with the candidate answering them, it isn't necessarily all a one\r\nway street. There will be a section, where the interviewer will ask candidates\r\nif they have any questions. This is the ideal moment to again make yourself\r\nmemorable by posing some tough questions of your own. If the company has been in\r\nthe news recently, ask some questions relating to that, or if a competitor has\r\nbeen making redundancies, ask how this will have an impact on the company. The\r\nmore insightful and knowledgeable you appear, the more likely you are to stand\r\nout.
Finally, work\r\nout (preferably beforehand) what sort of a person an interviewer is looking\r\nfor, and adapt your answers so that they will meet their needs. If they are\r\nlooking for team players and you happen to play team sports regularly then\r\nmention it; or if they are looking for team leaders and you are a referee for\r\nexample, mention that also. The type of person you are in your private life can\r\nhave a degree of relevance in an interview, and using examples from it in an\r\ninterview can again help you stand out from the crowd and win that all\r\nimportant job.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-04-08T12:11:48.013Z"}},{"node":{"url":"new-question-type-picture-choice","title":"New question type: Picture Choice","description":{"description":"I'm happy to announce you that starting now Skillmeter supports a new question type: Picture Choice. Thanks to this improvement we raised at 7 the number of supported question types: Multiple choice with only one correct answer, Multiple choice with two or more correct answers, True/False, Ranking, Exact match, \"Fill in the blank\" / Essay, Picture Choice.
"},"body":{"body":"\r\n\tHello
\r\n\tI'm happy to announce you that starting now Skillmeter supports a new question type: Picture Choice. Thanks to this improvement we raised at 7 the number of supported question types: Multiple choice with only one correct answer, Multiple choice with two or more correct answers, True/False, Ranking, Exact match, \"Fill in the blank\" / Essay, Picture Choice.
\r\n\tAdding a Picture choice in your test is very easy. First you type your question and then you can upload up to 6 pictures as possible responses. Skillmeter will automatically resize the pictures to 150px X 150px. After that you upload the pictures and select the correct answers (one or many).
\r\n\t![](\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.skillmeter.com/blog/create_question_picture.png\")
\r\n\tAfter the question has be submitted & added, you can use the preview question function to see how it will look to the candidates. If you need to make changes you can always go back and edit the question or the pictures.
\r\n\t![](\"https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.skillmeter.com/blog/preview_picture.png\")
Feel free to comment or contact us should you have any question or feedback about Skillmeter. Happy testing!
"},"publishedOn":"2014-02-01T21:32:17.140Z"}},{"node":{"url":"new-question-types-ranking-and-exact-match","title":"New question types: Ranking & Exact Match","description":{"description":"We've worked hard to improve Skillmeter with new features: we've added support for two new question types: ranking & exact match and we've improved the candidates notification with html support and added test duration.
"},"body":{"body":"\r\n\tHello,
\r\n\tI'm happy to announce you that new features are available on Skillmeter as of today:
\r\n\tNew question types:
\r\n\t-We’ve added support for 2 more question types: Ranking & Exact Match.
\r\n\tThis bring us to 6 possible question types that we support and that you can mix in your tests: multiple choice with one correct answers, multiple choice with multiple correct answers, true/false, ranking, exact match and fill-in-the-blank/essay.
\r\n\tCandidate Notification:
\r\n\t-We’ve added support for HTML in the notification email that is sent to the candidates, which means you can change the format of the text, add links and/or images
\r\n\t-We’ve added test duration next to each test name to give more visibility to the candidates regarding how much of their time is needed
We are commited to make Skillmeter #1 platform for online testing for recruiters, trainers and educatord, feel free to follow the blog to stay up to date with more updates from us.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-01-20T10:26:30.473Z"}},{"node":{"url":"implementing-social-recruitment-into-your-hr-plan","title":"Implementing Social Recruitment into Your HR Plan","description":{"description":"\r\n\tIf your job is to recruit the best talent for a company, have you considered the idea of social recruitment? This is the process of using the various social media you have at your disposal to increase awareness of your job offers and incite interest in the positions.
"},"body":{"body":"\r\n\tIf your job is to recruit the best talent for a company, have you considered the idea of social recruitment? This is the process of using the various social media you have at your disposal to increase awareness of your job offers and incite interest in the positions. The problem is, you want to attract the BEST potential candidates, not just anyone. So how do you design a recruitment campaign through the use of social media to accomplish this?
\r\n\tHere are a few tips to keep in mind when using social recruitment tools:
\r\n\tThere are a number of other proactive approaches you can take when working social recruitment into your HR plan. Make occasional \"public\" posts about job openings. Connect to job seekers groups on Face Book or Twitter, or other social media. Look for talent online yourself by searching out Twitter accounts of people with specific skills. The possibilities are endless. With such a vast network of people in social media, social recruitment is a very effective approach in reaching the ones who can best serve the job you have available and help your company.
\r\n\tIf we can help you with this, contact us. We are the experts at providing appropriate skills and personality assessments for potential employees, a crucial part of the process of recruiting new talent.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-01-19T17:04:12.333Z"}},{"node":{"url":"it-recruitment-creative-ways-to-win-your-ideal-candidate","title":"IT Recruitment-Creative Ways to Win Your Ideal Candidate","description":{"description":"\r\n\tIT recruitment and hiring is one the rise and to say there is a strong demand for talent is an understatement. According to one recent survey, three quarters of CIOs plan to either fill vacant IT positions or expand their existing IT staff. It’s all about reaching candidates where they live, learning their behavior patterns, and understanding their trigger points.
"},"body":{"body":"IT recruitment and hiring is one the rise and to say there is a strong demand for talent is an understatement. According to one recent survey, three quarters of CIOs plan to either fill vacant IT positions or expand their existing IT staff. It’s all about reaching candidates where they live, learning their behavior patterns, and understanding their trigger points.
Let’s look at these 4 tips to recruit the best and beat your competition in the process:
Your existing IT staff may have a network of qualified connections in similar fields. Ask for referrals but don’t necessarily expect them to give a referral for free. Offer a reward such as a referral bonus for every qualified IT professional they refer and you hire.
On-line candidate assessment continues toward the mainstream– as online technical knowledge and skill assessment options become more effective, they will continue their growth until they become mainstream. Their impact is high because they reduce unnecessary interviews and they can dramatically improve the quality of hire.
Tap into the power of technology – like Skype – to interview candidates anytime, anywhere. This opens up a whole new pool of candidates, even those from outside your area. It also offers a cost-effective avenue for interviewing them.
Rather than putting your candidates through the wringer with multiple rounds of interviews, bring in your top picks to work at your company on a project for a temporary period. This is a good way to test out their skills and see whether their personality is a fit for your company’s culture.
When you find an ideal candidate, seal the deal by offering more than a competitive salary. Ask them what would make them want to work for you, and then deliver. Also, don’t forget to sell the perks your organization has to offer its employees, so they know what to expect once they’re on board.
The IT recruitment sector remains buoyant despite the economic climate, according to the recruitment firm Hays IT. The use of online assessments will ensure that you find the best candidates for your company and the best fit for your IT positions.
If you would like more information on how to save time finding your dream candidate, contact us and stop guessing about an applicant’s qualifications.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-01-18T14:35:37.303Z"}},{"node":{"url":"social-recruitment-3-ways-to-optimize-social-media-for-hr","title":"Social Recruitment: 3 Ways to Optimize Social Media for HR","description":{"description":"Social media is changing the whole hiring and recruiting game. No longer do the classified sections, newspaper articles, or even listings websites like Idealist, Indeed, or Monster dictate the market on job recruitment information.
"},"body":{"body":"\r\n\tSocial media is changing the whole hiring and recruiting game. No longer do the classified sections, newspaper articles, or even listings websites like Idealist, Indeed, or Monster dictate the market on job recruitment information. These days, wonderful opportunities and incredible applicants find one another by way of many different social media. Take a look at these 3 ways that hiring managers can use social recruitment to attract the best candidates.
\r\n\t1. LinkedIn - Using LinkedIn, the professional social media site, is the most obvious social media platform for attracting applicants. is a no-brainer. LinkedIn was creates specifically to foster industry networking, collaboration, and the sharing of professional information. Many use the the site to both find and promote new job opportunities for career growth. Promoting a job on LinkedIn makes it visible to people in your specific industry, and the site will go as far as to publicize your opportunity to targeted groups that are determined a good match b the site's algorithm. Social recruiters should make sure to have a current, accurate LinkedIn page, and that their employees are linking to that page as well.
\r\n\t2. Twitter - Using twitter to publicize and announce job openings gets your opportunities out there in real time. Social recruiters should tweet the job listing directly from your organization's account, and make sure to tweet it at (@) the groups and networks you're looking to tap into. Popular communities to tweet at include universities, clubs, trade groups, and even unions. Your reach will grow exponentially if you can get these Twitter accounts to re-tweet the posting within their networks. The trick to Twitter is not only to build you own following, but get those with large and relevant followings to re-tweet your posts. Sensible hashtags (#) that your target community is interested in are helpful to include as well.
\r\n\t3. Facebook - Despite the rapid growth of other social media sites, Facebook remains THE superhighway social opportunity sharing. Post the job opening from your organization's facebook account, and encourage your colleagues to post from their personal accounts about the opportunity as well. The best match for a position often operates within the same social ecosystem as a current employee, or other contact that you're already in contact with on Facebook. Inspiring your colleagues and industry professional friends to share a job opportunity on Facebook is a great endorsement, as well as a great approach to catalyzing great applications.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-01-09T22:03:45.420Z"}},{"node":{"url":"tips-for-creating-online-exams-for-job-applicants","title":"Tips for Creating Online Exams for Job Applicants","description":{"description":"\r\n\tOften what is happening in the business world is reflected in the schools and vise-versa. The idea of online exams has been around for awhile, but with more and more state departments of education turning to this effective means of assessing students, businesses seem to be turning to this method to recruit the best potential candidates to their workforce as well.
"},"body":{"body":"Often what is happening in the business world is reflected in the schools and vise-versa. The idea of online exams has been around for awhile, but with more and more state departments of education turning to this effective means of assessing students, businesses seem to be turning to this method to recruit the best potential candidates to their workforce as well.
Especially when you need to recruit outsourced or online workers who work at home, it is important that you weed out those who don't quite fit the bill by having a way to assess what their skills are.
But how can you maximize the potential of this for your business? HR recruiting specialists need to know how to channel this platform and use it to the best of their ability to maximize the results. And how do you create the best assessments to make sure you are focusing in on the most important aspects of the business? If you are a HR specialist, here are a few ways to ensure that you get the most out of the online testing platform to achieve the best results in the hiring process:
Creating online exams for your business applicants to take is one of the most important steps in ensuring you attract and get good potential candidates for the job. With a little extra time devoted to the process, you can create the best questions that will focus on the most important aspects of the business and cut your HR recruiting time in half.
If you would like more information on how to maximize your time as an HR recruiting specialist, contact us. We are the experts in online exams for human resources departments.
"},"publishedOn":"2014-01-07T19:35:26.227Z"}}]}},"pageContext":{"skip":200,"limit":10,"pageNumber":21,"hasPrevPage":true,"prevPageLink":"/blog/20","hasNextPage":true,"nextPageLink":"/blog/22"}}, "staticQueryHashes": []}