Many managers and consultants want to use pre-employment testing much like the prince sought to find Cinderella. They create a job profile, then search for the one candidate who fits the silver slipper. That’s a great concept – when it’s put into practice with eyes wide open. But too often, hiring managers and consultants set the range of desirable traits and aptitude so tight that they knock otherwise high-potential candidates out of the running. A tight benchmark ignores the notion that there is more than one way to be successful.
Don’t mistake me for saying pre-employment testing doesn’t work. I’m a firm believer that it does. And don’t misquote me and repeat that Ira Wolfe said, “job profiling doesn’t work.” It does. What I’m saying is that job profiles and pre-employment tests play a critical role in hiring, promotion, and succession planning when they are put into the proper context.
To get the most out of preemployment tests, avoid these three biggest mistakes I see employers make: