Candidate experience – it’s one of the topics of the moment. In fact it could easily form part of HR and Recruitment buzzword bingo (along with its friends ‘big data’, ‘war for talent’ and ‘integrated recruitment technology’). Candidate experience has earned its place though. It makes perfect sense to think about your candidate or customer journey. Consider… what does your service look, feel and sound like from their point of view? Breaking down the journey into different elements means you can really put yourself in the candidate’s place. Where are the highlights or sticking points? How is the registration process? What assessments have they been assigned? Were they suitably prepared for these? The assessment part of the journey can cause candidate headaches. It’s all too easy for us, as recruiters or hiring managers, sitting on the other side of the desk, to forget what it’s like to be measured and, possibly, judged. Giving some structure, guidance and tips to candidates to outline what they can expect of an assessment process gives them a better chance of performing well. Here are ISV.Online’s top tips to give your candidates the best chance of success. Feel free to share and pass on to your candidate base. Allow plenty of time for your test/s, if you are heading into a branch or office – allow plenty of travelling time Remain calm and relaxed so you are clear headed and can focus Read the introductory instructions at the beginning of the test thoroughly Ensure you are in a quiet place, free from distractions before you commence any assessments Read each question carefully before answering Assessments are usually timed, keep an eye on the counter and do not dwell on one question for too long. If you can’t complete it, skip on to the next one Keep in mind the assessments aren’t out to get you, they are just a snapshot of your skill level If you want to brush up on core literacy and numeracy skills, try out some word or number based puzzles If you are going for a particular job like accountancy or a clerical role, remind yourself of the software that might be used for example; Sage or Word. Be prepared – you might be invited to retake tests or complete different ones in branch or if you are lucky enough to be asked for interview. Feel free to copy or share these suggestions with your candidate base to get them fully prepped before their skills tests or recruitment assessments. ***** ISV.Online is the leading supplier of skills testing software and services to the UK Recruitment Industry. Used by 9 of the top 10 UK agencies, by number of offices, and 7 of the top 10, by revenue, ISV.Online offers candidate skills assessment and evaluation software and online training tools, allowing agencies and in-house HR/recruitment teams to validate the skills of potential candidates and existing employees across a wide range of areas.
