Make Your Candidates Love Testing

We spend a lot of time talking to accounting firms about improving their hiring processes. They tell us about the difficulties they have had finding candidates, but then being disappointed with the quality of those they hire. They often love the idea of being able to assess skills and work habits in advance, but are concerned good candidates won’t want to continue in a hiring process if they have to complete any testing.  

Those firms who are using testing tell us a different story.  For them testing takes candidate engagement to a different level.  By finding out more about the candidate you can have a much more focused discussion, move fast and satisfy candidate concerns. 

It’s important to discuss the purpose of testing with the candidate.  How it works and how you’ll use the results.  This will put them at ease.  This is critical.  If candidates think your testing is a straight pass / fail then it’s not surprising if they are reluctant. 

With skills (technical knowledge) tests emphasize the test is not the deciding factor for an employment offer, but one of a range of factors, and is used instead of the alternative ways of assessing their technical knowledge such as interview questions or case studies.  Tell them the test may well stretch their knowledge, so not to be concerned if they find it difficult.  Make sure they know all candidates will be doing the same test.  It is not a ‘pass / fail’ exercise. 

For personality tests emphasize that they should not try to ‘game’ the profile as there are ways this is detected and adds uncertainty for the employer when assessing the results.  There are no wrong answers in a personality profile and ensure candidates understand that, if employed, you can use the results to place them with the right support and in the right team when they start with you.  Assuming you provide the profile to them after any process is complete they will also have it to consider issues for their own personal and professional development. 

Here’s some benefits testing provides the candidate 

1. They can spend more interview time finding out about the employer and the likely employment experience, without wasting time trying being asked technical questions or untargeted work habits questions; 
   
   
2. For those who are not confident interviewers testing provides an alternative way of showing their capability; 
   
   
3. You are able to discuss their training plan and on-boarding with knowledge of how they will likely work with you; 
   
   
4. They know you use thorough pre-hiring processes.  The quality of their co-workers will be higher; 
   
   
5. They are not subjected to the embarrassment of being asked questions at interview where they don’t know the answers. 
   
   
   

Here’s some benefits testing provides the prospective employer 

1. After only one interview you can make a confident employment offer.  Getting in an offer days earlier than other firms will increase your chance of success; 
   
   
2. You can eliminate really poor performers even before interview, reducing your cost of engagement.  Consider the cost of accounting professionals who could otherwise be doing client work; 
   
   
3. You don’t have to spend the interview time assessing their technical skills – you already know; 
   
   
4. Interview questions, provided to you as part of the personality profile, can then be very targeted and immediately drill into areas you want to explore further – not just generic questions the candidate may (or may not) have practiced answers for; 
   
   
5. Knowing the work style of a candidate will mean you can fit them it to the right place in your team – the right manager, the right buddy, the right coach; 
   
   
6. You have more interview time available to sell the benefits of working for your firm, and allowing time for the candidate to ask questions. In this market the candidate is assessing you just as much as you’re assessing them, so you need to leave time to demonstrate how good your work culture is, and how working for you is going to advance their long term career aspirations; 
   
   
7. If you find a real quality candidate even before interview you can then speed up the hiring process. Research also shows that if you run a slow hiring process you will definitely miss out on good candidates. 
   
   
   

Don’t be scared of testing.  But be prepared to discuss with candidates and make them feel comfortable about what you are doing and how you will use the results.  If you manage the process well testing will allow you to make faster, more informed, hiring decisions. 

Giles Pearson  |  After 18 years as a partner with a large public accounting firm, Giles founded Accountests to help those recruiting accountants make better hiring decisions

Accountests  |  Accountests deliver the world’s only online suite of annually updated and country-specific technical skills, ability and personality tests designed by and for accountants and bookkeepers.