Employers can significantly enhance hiring and retention by tailoring pre-employment assessments to match job realities and company culture, according to a March 20 report from global HR advisory firm McLean & Co. The report emphasizes using multiple assessments to evaluate candidates effectively.
“Well-aligned assessments not only provide candidates with a clearer and more authentic view of their future role but also help hiring teams make confident, unbiased decisions,” said Karen Mann, McLean’s senior VP of HR research, learning, and advisory services.
The report, Design Pre-Employment Assessments That Improve Hiring Success, outlines a structured approach for HR professionals to create more effective hiring tools.
Steps to Build Stronger Assessments:
● Identify Key Roles & Competencies – Focus on high-impact positions and those historically difficult to fill. Define essential skills and traits needed for success.
● Develop Targeted Assessments – Create evaluation tools that directly measure these competencies.
● Validate & Refine – Test assessments to ensure they accurately predict job performance, maintain fairness, and consistently measure key skills.
● Integrate & Monitor – Embed assessments into hiring processes and continuously evaluate their effectiveness in improving hiring decisions and business outcomes.
Real-World Application: Multi-Assessment Strategies
The report highlights how a customized, multi-assessment approach can strengthen hiring decisions. For instance, when hiring financial analysts, companies can present candidates with a business scenario and ask them to role-play presenting financial insights to senior leaders. This method allows hiring teams to assess real-world competencies like presentation skills, communication, and critical thinking.
The Shift to Skills-Based Hiring
More employers are adopting skills-based assessments to address talent shortages and evolving job demands. A November 2024 report from advocacy group OneTen details how Cisco transitioned from a traditional degree-based hiring model to a skills-first approach in 2021. By focusing on competencies, experience, and potential rather than formal education, Cisco expanded its talent pipeline and achieved a 96% retention rate among skills-first hires.
For skills-based hiring to succeed, the report stresses the importance of having a clear vision, equipping leaders with the right tools, and allocating a supportive budget.
The Role of Character Assessments
Since company culture is shaped by the people within it, evaluating character attributes can also improve hiring outcomes, according to an October 2024 MIT Sloan Management Review report. However, the author cautions against assessing isolated traits like courage or drive in isolation, as this may provide a limited view. Instead, character assessments should be conducted separately from structured interviews, allowing for more open and personalized conversations.
By strategically aligning hiring assessments with business needs, employers can make more informed decisions, enhance candidate experience, and improve long-term retention.
