HUMAN RESOURCE – CANDIDATE SELECTION TEST

HUMAN RESOURCE – CANDIDATE SELECTION TEST

I have asked, observed and tested, many interview selection method by SMEs and MNCs and talked to employers about method in deciding who they would likely to be selecting and to my surprise many of them have given me various forms of answers.

The most frequent answer by SMEs was “My gut feeling”, “I like the candidate” and “cost”. Compared that to MNCs was “to find the right fit and skills” but decision are almost similar to the SMEs decision making in selections with a different twist.

Very rare companies have selection test. Those who use tests do not understand the use of the data information to benefit the recruitment selection process or over the years it had become a generalist routine. A few of the Human Resource leaders proudly tell me that they use test to select candidates. When I ask for more details like how they use the information(s) to select candidates, they have no idea.

Some organizations have only one test and the HR department uses that test because the organization have purchased it and simply going through the motion of the selecting process.

Types of selection test :

KSA-Based Assessments

Ø  Cognitive Ability Test

Ø  Psychometric Test / Personality Test

Ø  Physical Ability Test

Ø  Integrity Test

Ø  Performance Test

Ø  Skill Test

Ø  Structured interviews

Task-Based Assessments

Ø  Situation judgement test

Ø  Work sample test

Ø  Situation judgement test

Ø  Work sample test

Ø  Physical ability test

How does psychometric test benefit organizations.

Many a times I read articles stating that the psychometric test is not important or does not serve the purpose to show the skills of the candidates. The psychometric test is not for the purpose of skill set but that of how an individual characteristics or attributes or thought process in managing or leading issues or situations. 

First of all we must understand that one test such as the psychometric test would not be adequate to select the best candidate. Many have misunderstood that the psychometric test is a test for skills. It is only a small percentage linking to skills.

The psychometric test benefits an organization not at the time of selection but more towards working environment, in teams, organization culture fit, and developing individuals to become leaders. The test is a good tool for line leaders or project leaders or team leaders to determine the diverse characters and attributes of individuals as a team.

Why do many organizations or SMEs do not do a selection test when recruiting in Singapore.

There are many reasons for not practicing to have the Best Practice Standards for recruitment and selection. Here are a few reasons.

v  Cost / Time
One of the core reason is the cost of having it in the HR mapping or task. The time consuming of having it.

v  Lack of knowledge
For SMEs the lack of knowledgeable people who could understand the test and conduct it.

v  Culture
The environment have not move on to a knowledge base environment. The choice to have diversity in our local concept of labour is due to many reason(s) such as cheaper, needing to have workers who can work longer hours. Therefore, many principles towards knowledge base environment have been slow to change.

v  Generalist Human Resource mind set
Human Resource have not move into the perspective of Strategic Business Partner.

v  Validity
The test can be of useful of predicting the actual outcome of performance

v  Adverse impact
Could the test be marginalizing some groups such as minorities or gender

v   Candidate reaction
Will candidates perceive the test as negatively to the test.

v  Many products

Too many products in the market that makes it more confusing and may not be the right product for the company.

Evaluation / conclusion of having test
Shareholders and stakeholders or businesses including human resource managers must understand that one test will not be adequate to select the right candidate. There must be other relevant test done. Human Resource Professionals must understand the implications of the tests. There is no one size fits all test for positions in various organization culture or industries.

Overall these test are great tools in selecting the right and best fit candidates. It helps to ascertain many values of the candidates. It helps line managers and department managers better in managing and leading individual candidates in the long run and benefits the organization in planning future manpower issues.

REFERENCES

Model of combining Personality Assessment and Structured Interviewing To select and Retain Employees : Hogan

ESC REPORT – Report of the economic strategies committee

Manpower employment outlook survey Singapore

SHRM Foundation’s Effective Practice Guidelines – Selection Assessment Method

What do personality test really reveal, website : http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrmagazine/editorialcontent/2015/0615/pages/0615-personality-tests.aspx

The problem with personality test, website :
http://www.eremedia.com/ere/the-problem-with-personality-tests/

What no one tells you about psychometric test : http://www.recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blogs/what-no-one-tells-you-about-psychometric-testing

Psychometric test and personality test are they different? website:
https://www.atmanco.com/en/psychometric-test-personality-test-different/

Hogan’s assessment, website : http://www.hoganassessments.nl/uploads/file/Artikelen/A%20Model%20for%20Combining%20Personality%20Assessment%20and%20Structured%20Interviewing%20To%20Select%20and%20Retain%20Employees.pdf

7 tips using personality test to hire, website : http://www.inc.com/guides/201103/7-tips-for-using-personlity-tests-to-hire.html

The five big personality Dimension, website : http://psychology.about.com/od/personalitydevelopment/a/bigfive.htm

How have Myers-Briggs Personality test helped in the Workplace, website :
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/myersbriggs-personality-tests-helped-workplace-13205.html

Workplace Case Studies (Singapore) : https://www.tafep.sg/workplace-case-studies

Allegations of bias against Singaporeans top list of workers complaints : TAFP, website : http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/allegations-of-bias/1769608.html

Explore HR, website : http://www.explorehr.org/articles/Selection_+_Recruitment/Types_of_Selection_Methods.html

North Dakota HR, websites : https://www.nd.gov/hrms/managers/guide/emptests.html

University of Southampton : http://www.southampton.ac.uk/hr/services/step_5/index.php

Personal Selection : Methods, Personality test, website : http://www.hr-guide.com/data/G312.htm

Human Resource Management, website : http://www.hrwale.com/recruitment/selection-method/

Selection test, website : https://www.soas.ac.uk/hr/procedures/recruitment/bestpractice/selectiontests/