A common issue among both Recruiters and Hiring Managers is conducting an entire recruitment process, identifying and placing the perfect candidate, and then finding out too far down the track that they are not performing as well as expected. A costly and dangerous mistake to make for organisations, this will often occur if the screening process relies only on resume screening and first impression interviews.

Candidates’ resumes may not have the qualifications and industry experience needed for the position, and they may present well in a 1 hour interview with the hiring manager, however there are many other determinants that will contribute to their actual performance in the job. Measuring and assessing these before you’ve invested in an onboarding process will help to reduce the impact of a bad hire.

At Employment Office, we use Behavioural Testing to gain a deeper understanding of your candidates and what you can expect from them, beyond their experience and skill-set.

Behavioural testing Testing helps to identify the answers to questions such as:

• Does the candidate prefer to work collaboratively with others or independently?
• What kind of leader are they?
• Are they naturally inclined to stick to the rules, or do they prefer to think outside the square?

Of the many types of Behavioural Testing, Employment Office chooses to use The McQuaig System, as it is specifically designed for recruitment., and the reports that are generated can be used by Hiring Managers without having to attend a 3 day interpreter course.

At what point is the right time in a recruitment process to introduce Behavioural Testing, and how do we best utilise this information?

Before you Interview

We have identified that the best time to behaviourally test your candidates is directly before you bring them in for a face-to-face conversation. Most testing tools are quite streamlined and can be accessed through a link included in the confirmation email sent to candidates, alongside the details of their interview. This allows Hiring Managers to walk into their interviews with a behavioural report to utilise alongside the interviewee’s CV.

These recruitment tools also allow insight into candidates’ engagement with your organisation and recruitment process. Applicants who are serious about your position will take the time to complete this step, and you may find that those who choose not to complete the testing may not be as engaged in your job opportunity.

As you Interview

With a behavioural report in hand, you are able to ask questions that delve much deeper into their a candidate’s suitability for your role. If a key behaviour for your vacant rolevacancy is sociability and the ability to empathise with others (e.g. a Social Worker or Customer Service Officer opportunity), knowing that the candidate in front of you is naturally inclined to those behaviours is incredibly powerful and important when considering role fit.

Conversely, if they have indicated that they are not naturally inclined to those behaviours, you can delve further into their motivations for applying to your position, and how they have performed in previous roles. Ask them to give examples of times where they have had to be sociable or empathise with a client, and double check that their answer aligns with what you would expect from them in your position.

Behavioural Testing also explores candidates’ leadership ability, selling style, motivating factors, management tips, developmental considerations, and more.

With so many tools available on the market and the ease with which they can be administered, now is the time to integrate behavioural testing in to with your recruitment process. Once you have gained the capability to understand how people will behave in your role before you have hired them, you will wonder how you ever recruited without it.

Gain more insights through our webinar; Behavioural Testing and How To Use it. Don’t stay in the dark about your candidates. Bolster your recruitment process and use Behavioural Testing to shine a light on potential employees’ suitability, future performance, and motivation – things that can be otherwise hard to measure during a routine interview.