The spring of 2021 saw a gain of over half a million jobs available to workers throughout the country. Consumer demand is picking up as the labor market indicates welcoming signs of expansion.

With such a large rebound in the number of Americans entering or returning to their job search, recruiters and hiring managers have their work cut out for them.

A competitive landscape means employers will need to be diligent in selecting the appropriate candidates. In order to narrow down a pool of applicants, baseline items such as office skills and critical thinking should be looked at as determining factors for whether or not a potential employee may be a good fit.

Curious how these specific skills may help you find the right employee for your company?  Continue reading for a few specific reasons why skills tests are beneficial in your search for the right candidate.

1. Truthfulness

An office skills test will assist employers in verifying the truthfulness of an applicant’s interview and resume claims.

It can be as simple as an employee claiming to be proficient in Microsoft Excel. An office skills test can determine whether or not the employee does indeed possess the necessary proficiency required for the job.

Regardless of the specific skill in question, a quick test can help spot the legitimacy of a claim.

2. Differentiate

If you’ve got two potential hires stating they have similar skill sets, providing a skills test can be the difference between taking on a good employee and a great employee.

Let’s say you’re interviewing for an office administrator. You’ve got two hires who look great on paper with office assistant skills and office administrator skills that fit the bill. How do you make sure you hire the best choice between the two?

A skill assessment test will be able to provide a more nuanced insight between the two candidates who have seemingly similar experiences.

5. Company Culture

When hiring a new employee, the personal fit for the company as a whole should come into play as well.

You may be hiring someone that has impeccable office manager skills, but unless they fit with the company culture or team as a whole, conflicts or poor performance will eventually manifest.

This could lead to more turnover or a generally unhappy environment. Rather than stalled projects or office tension, the right fit will aid in general business productivity.

Using a skill test can help bypass the shaky foundation that comes from hiring someone who may not fit in with a divergent personality or skill set.

A Note

It is worth a quick mention that these 6 reasons can be tested in a variety of ways. Everything from cognitive ability to aptitude can be considered as part of a testing regimen.

Depending on the job in question, a company may look at multiple tests in order to gauge a candidate’s qualifications for a role.