Study: due to lack of suitable employees, companies give up on eliminatory tests

Most companies are choosing to give up on eliminatory tests during the recruitment process, due to a lack of suitable employees as well as in order to shorten the procedure, a study by Smartree reveals.

Moreover, psychological tests are increasingly less used, compared to the previous years. According to the study, the reason is that the pace of the recruitment process has increased. In addition, the study authors argue, potential employees are less open to fill in this type of tests, especially when it comes to executive search and headhunting, given that recruitment for senior positions and specialists are based, most often, on direct contact with potential employees, via LinkedIn or other networks.

However, there are exceptions. For instance, multinational companies which implement their global recruitment policy at a national level. As far as the nature of the tests is concerned, although some companies do choose personality or logic tests, the most popular are those focused on the expert knowledge needed to perform on the position advertised.

“The main advantage of these tests is that they make it possible to check certain technic knowledge, skills and abilities, starting from the beginning of the recruitment process,” Raluca Penes, Smartree HR coordinator said.

Apart from the public sector, the industries where tests are most frequently used are IT and accountancy, as well as fields where foreign languages are used, and in call centres. “The share of the results in the decision to hire a candidate can amount to 50 percent or more, with the rest coming down to attitude, responsibility or recommendations from the previous workplace,” Penes explains.