When Applicant Tracking Systems Fail: How A Pre-employment Assessment Selects the Ideal Hire

Today, innovations in automation take place every day. As such, many companies turn to automation to increase productivity and grow their brand.
For example, instead of having a new employee handbook created every time there is a new iteration, online platforms are being used to provide employees with accessible and efficient training for new programs. Not only does this type of training save money, but it ensures that staff have all of the most up-to-date information they need at their fingertips.

Algorithms can also be used to determine the needs of current employees, which helps reduce employee turnover down the line. HR software then allows companies to analyze these preferences and make informed decisions.
Similarly, many organizations choose automated hiring tools to save time and money. Yet, not all technology is created equal, and many of these methods of automation leave something to be desired.

The Keyword Trick

Many applicant tracking systems look for specific acronyms or keywords in order to select candidates. While this makes sense, as industries have specific requirements, a prospect could lie about their credentials.

Another individual may have actually have more potential, and not lie on their application, but simply not have checked off one of the requirements. Worse, they may have missed adding a particular qualification and be overlooked as a result.

People are also realizing that they are ways to outsmart this type of technology. They understand that it won’t matter how convincingly they sell themselves, but rather if they checking off the requirements. In turn, they may streamline their resume down to specific acronyms, and keep their resume simple.

The Assessment Value

Where it can be quite easy to outsmart the keyword scan, candidates will have an incredibly difficult time faking a psychometric assessment. In fact, since it looks at a snapshot of the whole candidate rather than just work experience, research has proven that selecting candidates this way will reduce employee turnover.
These tests measure an individual’s behavioural style and cognitive capabilities for a particular role. What’s more, an assessment benchmark allows employers to select individuals against a company standard of excellence. Not only will an employee understand how qualified they are based on workplace aptitude, but they can determine how their personality will fit into a team dynamic.

For example, an applicant tracking system that searches for keywords only identifies a candidate’s mainstream qualifications. These may include knowledge of a particular system, university degrees, or prior work experience; however, these metrics are often lacking the depth required to acknowledge someone’s unique potential.
Performing a job assessment test ensures that a company will select the candidate with the most passion and potential overall.