Introducing or improving competency-based interviews and online psychometric tests have been the most effective changes employers have made to their candidate selection processes, according to a study by Personnel Today’s sister publication Employment Review.
The survey, which questioned 133 employers with a combined workforce of just over 1 million employees, shows that the most widespread alterations to interviewing practices involved the use of competency-based interviews.
Half of the employers polled had started using them, while 65% have improved their use of them. Four in 10 respondents increased their use of this approach, while 15% devolved responsibility for their use to line managers, and 10% changed their use of competency-based interviews to comply with employment legislation.
Between 2006 and 2007, there was also greater take-up of online selection testing. Just over two-thirds (68%) of the employers polled began using this technique as part of their selection process, while 32% increased their use of it. Twenty-six per cent improved their use of online testing to increase its effectiveness, and employment laws forced one in 10 to change their use of online testing.
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Employers said changes to the use of online pyschometric tests had the biggest impact on improving the cost-effectiveness of recruitment, while changes to the use of competency-based interviews were regarded as the most effective way of improving the suitability of candidates.
The findings also show that face-to-face psychometric tests – where the candidate completing the test and the test administrator are both present – are also gaining in popularity. More than one in four (27%) have reconsidered their use of such tests in their selection procedures. Just under half (47%) have started using these tests, while the same number have improved their use of such tests to make them more effective, and 20% made changes to ensure their tests complied with employment legislation.
