| Companies using my pre-employment tests often | | | | decide which applicants should fill-out the |
| ask how to decide which applicants should take | | | | dependability pre-employment test. They |
| the tests. I generally respond: | | | | explained the job is (A) very physical, (B) indoors, |
| 1. Do not give pre-employment tests to every | | | | and (C) required teamwork. Also, they felt sick |
| applicant. | | | | and tired of wasteful turnover and absences. |
| 2. Most companies test the top 3 - 5 applicants | | | | I suggested they start each brief bio-data |
| for each job opening. | | | | interview with a polite warning, e.g., "If we hire |
| This article tells you about a quick, 15-minute | | | | you, but later discover you gave dishonest |
| method you can use to figure out which | | | | information in our hiring process, then your |
| applicants you should have fill-out pre-employment | | | | dishonesty may be used as a reason to fire you. |
| tests. | | | | Also, you need to tell me names of your boss |
| RESEARCH THAT HELPS YOU HIRE THE BEST | | | | and boss' boss for each question I ask about your |
| Research shows pre-employment tests are the | | | | work history. I need their names, because we |
| most accurate way to predict how a job applicant | | | | may contact them to verify what you tell us." |
| may perform on-the-job. In contrast, most | | | | Remember, as I repeatedly recommend in my |
| interviewers make incorrect and subjective | | | | "Hire the Best - & Avoid the Rest" book, |
| judgments about job applicants. And reference | | | | that past behavior is a good predictor of future |
| checks often prove unreliable and fail to help | | | | behavior. |
| much. | | | | I recommended the cleaning company ask these |
| Reasons pre-employment tests prove highly | | | | bio-data questions plus more: |
| useful are tests are research-based, objective, | | | | 1. "What were your previous jobs?" [to see if |
| and can be custom-tailored for each job in your | | | | jobs were indoors, physical, and in teams] |
| company. In sharp contrast, interviews are not | | | | 2. "How long did you stay on your previous jobs?" |
| created from research, horribly subjective and, | | | | [to look at turnover potential] |
| thus, interviewers usually inaccurate predictions. | | | | 3. "Why did you leave each job?" [to gauge |
| With this pre-employment tests able to help you, | | | | turnover reasons] |
| you benefit from including tests as a prediction | | | | 4. "How many absences did you have in your |
| method if you crave to hire the best. | | | | jobs?" [to check absence potential] |
| PROBLEM: HIRING MANAGERS OFTEN CREATE | | | | 5. "How much pay did you earn in each job?" |
| WASTEFUL MESS | | | | The pay question helped them focus on |
| Managers all-too-often waste immense time and | | | | considering only applicants who earned less that |
| energy on applicants they should not even | | | | the company pays. Why? Because employees |
| consider. | | | | who earn more than their previous job are happy |
| If pre-employment tests are not given early in | | | | with their pay, but employees earning the same |
| the selection process, managers often make this | | | | or less feel dissatisfied and may turnover. |
| time-wasting, energy-draining, stupid mistake: | | | | Pre-employment tests were given only to |
| 1. 30 - 60 minutes - reviewing and thinking about | | | | applicants who had bio-data needed to succeed at |
| applicant's resume or application | | | | that company. Then, if an applicant got wonderful |
| 2. 30 - 60 minutes - discussing applicant with other | | | | test scores, the company proceeded to do |
| managers | | | | time-consuming prediction methods, e.g., in-depth |
| 3. 1 - 2 hours - interviewing applicant | | | | interview, background checks, job observation, |
| 3. 1 hour - thinking about interview | | | | and more. |
| 4. 1 - 2 hours - talking about interview with other | | | | EXAMPLE 2: |
| managers | | | | A company wanted to hire great sales reps. I |
| Total time used or wasted on one applicant = 4 - | | | | helped managers there fill-out my detailed |
| 7 hours | | | | Bio-Data Questionnaire. I discovered the |
| After investing 4 - 7 hours of expensive | | | | company's best reps had bio-data in common, |
| management time on one applicant, then the | | | | including (1) earned B.A.'s from state universities, |
| manager might decide to give pre-employment | | | | (2) had only one or two full-time jobs before |
| tests to the applicant. | | | | applying at this company, (3) those were sales |
| If pre-employment test scores indicate it is a | | | | jobs, (4) they stayed in each job over three |
| great applicant, then the manager is happy. | | | | years, (5) earned less at previous employer, (6) |
| But if pre-employment test scores indicate the | | | | worked part-time in high school and college, and |
| applicant should not be hired, then the manager | | | | (7) other interesting bio-data. |
| suddenly realizes s/he wasted 4 - 7 hours of time | | | | From this information, I created a custom-tailored |
| on an applicant who was not worth it. | | | | brief bio-data interview. It ascertained if an |
| At that point, some managers feel foolish they | | | | applicant had bio-data similar to the company's |
| did not test the applicant earlier, rather than | | | | best sales reps. |
| wasting 4 - 7 hours considering a loser. | | | | Pre-employment tests were given only to |
| But other managers get emotionally committed to | | | | applicants whose bio-data was similar to the |
| hiring anyone they spend 4 - 7 hours on, despite | | | | company's best sales reps. |
| lousy pre-employment test scores. They fret, "I | | | | The pre-employment tests - to make hiring |
| spent 4 - 7 hours on that applicant. Plus, I don't | | | | decisions even better - were custom-tailored so |
| want to find more applicants and then spend 4 - | | | | the company easily saw which applicants got the |
| 7 hours on them. So, I think I'll 'shoot the | | | | same test scores as its best sales reps. |
| messenger' - that is, ignore test scores clearly | | | | Applicant's with pre-employment test scores |
| indicating this applicant should not be hired." | | | | similar to the company's best sales reps later |
| In either case, managers easily can avoid this | | | | went through a grilling in a two-hour interview, |
| quandary - plus avoid wasting 4 - 7 hours | | | | work observations, role-play, reference checks, |
| considering an applicant who is not worth | | | | and more. Those who did well on bio-data, |
| considering. | | | | pre-employment tests and all other prediction |
| How? By giving pre-employment tests early in the | | | | methods usually were offered jobs. The result is |
| hiring process, rather than late in the process. | | | | the company now has a highly productive sales |
| So, the question arises: How can a manager | | | | force. |
| quickly determine which applicants they should | | | | PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTING FOR APPLICANTS |
| have take pre-employment tests - before they | | | | WITH 'RIGHT' BIO-DATA |
| invest 4 - 7 more hours on them? | | | | Pre-employment tests should be given to your |
| SOLUTION: GIVE PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTS TO | | | | top 3 - 5 job applicants. |
| APPLICANTS WHO EXCELL ON BRIEF BIO-DATA | | | | Determine who takes pre-employment tests by |
| INTERVIEWS | | | | starting with a brief, 15-minute bio-data interview. |
| Pre-employment tests, at most companies, are | | | | Applicants who have bio-data similar to your best |
| given to the top 3 - 5 applicants for each opening. | | | | employees are the ones you have take |
| You can use a 15-minute brief initial job interview | | | | pre-employment tests. |
| to decide which applicant is worth testing. | | | | When pre-employment test scores of an applicant |
| What should you ask in this 15-minute job | | | | are the same as scores of your best employees, |
| interview? Ask bio-data questions. "Bio" does not | | | | then invest hours of your valuable management |
| refer to biology. Instead, bio in bio-data means | | | | time in lengthy interviews, job observations, |
| biographical information. You want to ask | | | | role-plays, reference checks, and other prediction |
| applicants if they have bio-data similar to bio-data | | | | methods. |
| of your best employees. | | | | Pre-employment tests and a 15-minute bio-data |
| EXAMPLE 1: | | | | interview saves many hours of expensive |
| A janitorial company asked me how it might | | | | management time as they help you hire the best. |