The rise of the skill assessment

When you apply for a job, there are a number of ways a company will be able to tell if you’re the right fit for the role. One method they employ is what’s called a skills assessment.

‘A skills test is an assessment used to provide an unbiased, validated evaluation of a candidate’s ability to perform the duties listed in the job description.’ (X)

These tests can take many forms, so it’s a good idea to have an understanding of what you could come up against, why companies use them in the first place, and what other recruitment trends are on the rise.

The rise of the skills assessment

For employers, a skills assessment is a straightforward way to figure out whether a candidate will be a good fit. Assessments can be tailored to the role they are advertising for, and are an effective substitute for phone screening in the initial recruitment stages. Plus, they can be graded by AI which can encourage less bias and more objectivity in recruitment outcomes.

Our tip? Vervoe surveyed those using their service and found that over half of the candidates who were invited to undertake a skills assessment responded within 36 hours; so if you’re applying for a role be sure to get your response in ASAP!

Video assessments

While many skills assessments test a broad range of skills, some come in particular formats.

Video assessments in particular are on the rise. Designed to give companies the information they need on you as a candidate, they also show how you communicate, your attitude and your general demeanour, so it’s easier for recruiters to get a feel of what you’d be like to work with.

Look, we know video interviews and assessments can be daunting but you’ve just got to treat it like a regular interview – dress professionally, make sure you’re set up in a space that’s quiet, clean, and has good lighting, and be yourself. We’ve written a load of content around video interviews in the past so if you need some help preparing, we’ve got your back:

• A Novice’s Guide to Video Interviews
• I Survived a Video Interview and You Can too
• The Video Interview: Really? Do I Have to?
• Video Interview Preparation Tips

Our tip? When it comes to the video stage of recruitment, many candidates don’t actually complete the task (X) so be sure to stick it out and you’re in with a good shot!

Personality assessments

Turns out, what many companies call a personality assessment actually looks a little bit more like a soft skills assessment.

Soft skills (also known as transferable skills) are the general skills you develop through school, work, extracurricular activities, sport etc. They include things like teamwork skills, time management, communication, problem solving etc.

For employers, the ‘personality’ they’re testing in those assessments is really more along the lines of how you work with others, whether you get flustered easily in stressful situations, how you’d handle difficult problems – basically the soft skills that border the line of personality traits and learnt abilities.

If you want some help narrowing down your soft skills, we have a heap of content that can help:

• What are Soft Skills and Why do You Need Them?
• 4 Skills Most Recruiters Look For (and How You Can Build Them at Uni)
• The Top 5 Skills Employers Want in Interns
• 6 Soft Skills Brooklyn 99 Proves are Totally Important for Your Career
• Top 5 Soft Skills Needed to Help You Land Your Graduate Role
• Transferable Skills: Being a New Parent and Returning to the Workforce

So, the next time you apply for a job and get approached about undertaking a skills assessment don’t panic! As long as you’re familiar with the position description and what skills you can bring to the table in addressing the role’s criteria, you’ll be fine.

Plus, if you need some help figuring out how to best communicate these fine attributes visit UTS Careers at Drop-in and chat one-on-one with a Recruitment Advisor and they’ll put you on the right track!

(Information on skills assessments courtesy of Vervoe).

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash