Common questions about our hiring solutions are answered here. Contact us at HireSmart if you have other questions.

Most employers use a combination of a job application form, interviews, resumes, and reference checks. These are Traditional Hiring Methods, and they are best described as subjective. While they do provide useful information, these methods are highly vulnerable to data distortion and falsification. Resumes are often exaggerated or falsified, and interviews are greatly influenced by “first impressions, appearance halo effects, or chemistry.” Also, candidates often have been coached in interview responses. References are often groomed. Research shows the relative accuracy of Traditional Hiring Methods as:

Interviews (14%) + Reference Checks (12%) = only 26% accuracy

If these are the only methods you are currently using, chances are you’re making hiring mistakes on 3 out of 4 new hires because you don’t have enough accurate information! Adding online pre-qualifying applications, integrity screenings, personality job fit assessments, high performer models, and background checks can provide you with more accurate information to guide your hiring decisions. This information is objective and not as vulnerable to distortion. Validity indicators on assessments will also verify the authenticity or candour of the candidate’s responses. Research shows the relative accuracy of these strategies as:

Interviews (14%) + Reference Checks (12%) + Personality Assessment (12%) = 38% accuracy

All of the above + Ability Assessment (16%) = 54% accuracy

All of the above + Interest Assessment = 66% accuracy

All of the above + Job Matching (High Performer Models) = 75% accuracy

Adding human capital strategies like job fit assessments and high performer models will increase your selection accuracy, minimizing your hiring mistakes!

The key benefits of tailoring your recruitment and hiring strategy are spending much less time reviewing resumes and spending much less time interviewing poorly qualified applicants. Here’s how a HireSmart strategy leads to these time and money savings:

  • An online pre-qualifying questionnaire identifies unqualified applicants. No need to review unqualified resumes.
  • A brief talent screening assessment ranks all of your qualified applicants based on learning speed, learning potential, work ethic, integrity, or other critical dimensions.
  • The top ten ranked applicants are given job fit assessments and then compared to your high performer models. Then, the top five-ranked applicants are interviewed to further clarify job fit, manager fit, and team fit differences. A hiring decision is made on all of the information collected.
  • Onboarding and coaching are implemented quickly based on the fit assessments and high performer models.
  • Performance monitoring documents the quality of your new hire. High performers are later integrated into your model.
  • You repeat your hiring and recruitment process much less often due to increased retention of new hires.

The process of customizing your hiring system follows these basic steps:

  1. It begins with defining your performance levels (A, B, and C) with an observable metric (e.g., Average Sales Per Month). A = High Performance, B = Average Performance, and C = Low Performance.
  2. Your Selection Assessment is then administered to all of your High Performers to identify the skills, competencies, and talents they have in common (high performer models).
  3. These high-performing models are then used to compare and contrast your final job applicants.
  4. The overall job fit, manager fit, and team fit are all considered in your hiring decisions.
  5. Performance data is monitored on all new hires to determine the selection accuracy (quality of hire).
  6. Assessment information from new hires who become high performers is integrated into your high performer model.
  7. Cost savings in time and money are determined at 6-month intervals and compared to baselines.
  8. Increases in productivity and performance are measured.

Unlike an interviewer, an assessment is never distracted, rushed, tired, or biased. Clients usually experience the following immediate benefits from HireSmart assessments:

  • Cost per-hire decreases
  • Hiring decisions are expedited, getting you in front of the right candidates faster. Time to fill is reduced.
  • Job Fit information takes most of the guesswork out of the hiring process. Selection accuracy increases.
  • Manager Fit information helps you integrate the new hire into the organization more quickly. Coaching support is expedited.
  • Team Fit information helps you integrate the new hire into the team more quickly. Retention increases.

HireSmart assessments function as an additional data point within your current hiring process. The information from job applications, reference checks, background checks, and interview questions continues to be collected. The final hiring decision is based on all of the information that is collected.

Of the thousands of assessment tools available in the marketplace, only a few have the technical capabilities to deliver the reliable and accurate data you need when making a serious business decision. Here are some guidelines on what to consider:

Consider your hiring budget. You want to use the most valid (accurate) and reliable (consistent) selection assessment that fits your practical constraints.

Consider your hiring goals. Your investments in your new hiring assessments and methods should do more than pay for themselves. Savings in turnover, reduced hiring costs, and enhancement in performance are documented to show the ROI of your new hiring strategy.

Be sure your new hiring assessments meet the US Department of Labor’s Guidelines for Good Testing and Assessment Practices. The best way to do this is to review the tool’s technical manual. If you cannot access a technical manual for the hiring assessment, don’t use it!

Over the past 20 years, we have trialed a wide range of assessments in a wide range of industries to find the hiring tools that produce the desired results for clients. We’ve now limited our assessment portfolio to the tools we know will deliver the desired business outcomes. contact us to discuss which assessments will deliver the results you are looking for.

Yes. Job-related assessments are essentially the only way to document objective and non-discriminatory hiring practices. High-quality hiring assessments will provide fair and equal employment opportunities to all applicants. Assessments must avoid adverse impacts on any protected groups. HireSmart assessments offer a benefit in that they establish documentation of a non-discriminatory selection process. Any selection decision must incorporate information from several data points, including the candidate’s skills, competencies, talents, education, and experience.

Just give us a call at (480) 503-2945 today or schedule a call with us here to start the no-obligation conversation on how we can reduce your hiring costs. Each company is unique, so it’s important to speak with us directly so that we can understand your specific hiring goals and challenges. Your HireSmart strategy can usually be fully operational within two or three business days. Hiring managers can begin using the high-performer models, manager fit, team fit, onboarding, and coaching strategies immediately. You will observe immediate improvements in your quality of hire, and periodic quality process improvements will fine-tune your hiring system.