PRE-EMPLOYMENT SELECTION TESTING

With globalization, the market has become increasingly demanding and competitive. There is a demand for a range of goods and services, and to survive in this competitive environment, organizations need to align their strategic intent in line with the market requirements. The strategic intent thus shapes the mission statement of the organization, the structure of the organization and the values it follows. The organization then sets its performance goals according to its strategic intent. To achieve these performance goals it has become imperative for organizations to have competent people. Pre-employment selection tests help organizations identify and develop these competent people and play a major role in the today’s hiring process. These tests consist of one or multiple series of tests used to collect information from candidates for the purpose of aiding in hiring decisions and career development. They are also designed to measure how well the candidates communicate, solve problems, handle change, deal with stress, and manage subordinates, in addition to determining whether they have the specific skills and abilities required to perform the job.
Employees affect an organization’s performance and profitability, and hiring qualified people costs the company time and money. Although the process of designing and developing job specific tests can sometimes be costly, selection tests can be quite cost effective in the long run as they help organizations match candidates’ skills, personality, and behaviour to job requirements, decreasing turnover and improving employee morale. Pre-employment tests can also greatly increase hiring effectiveness as they improve the organization’s ability to make accurate and objective hiring decisions about a candidate’s compatibility with the competencies required for a specific position.