In a recent survey conducted by Finders, we asked the population, composed of HR Experts and Line Managers, and coming equally from large and mid-small sized companies, what were the most common techniques they used for recruiting their talent.
The results were interesting and are explored in this article:
- The face-to-face Interview came out as the strong favourite. It is probably also the most traditional evaluation technique but how well do you structure your interviews? Whilst a structured interview might be predictable and viewed as boring by some, it does allow the interviewer to ask the same question of each candidate and thereby obtain an objective analysis of the answers. You can also try the unstructured technique which has no set formal questions, a more relaxed atmosphere, and lets the candidate express him/herself as they feel best…. but then the interviewer has to have a clear chart of how to evaluate what they heard in the interview.
- Case Studies came in second with 66% of the survey population using this technique. Designing a case study for a specific position, restricting the time to prepare, and then actually seeing how the person approaches the delivery of the solution found, is often quite an eye-opener! It has definitely seriously helped in the final decision-making process for me and my clients. We usually recommend a second, unprepared case study, to assess behavioural or soft skills to be given to the applicant just prior to delivery of the prepared case study.
- A close third is the CBI technique which is still a face-to-face interview but when used correctly really allows the interviewer to assess whether the person in front of them has a certain competency or not. It requires preparation up-front: the decision on which competency a certain function requires, its definition, and a series of questions to ask to see how the candidate replies. I am always surprised by the number of even senior managers who are not familiar with this technique and find it difficult to provide concrete examples of experiences in their careers which would be an appropriate example of a given competency! In my opinion, this type of face-to-face interview gives a far deeper analysis of an individual’s skill set and behavioural preferences.
- And then we have the Personality Tests. There are many available on the market and they do indeed give generic insights into an individual’s soft skills, managerial abilities and preferences in the workplace. They are a useful tool when combined with a face-to-face interview and often the debrief with the candidate provides further insights into his or her experiences in their past career and how they might react to a given situation.
- ATS and Assessments Centres came out equally as an evaluation tool which is a surprise as I imagine that they are used by different populations. ATS seems to be mostly used by large corporations looking to select automatically up to a certain level and thereby reduce the number of face-to-face interviews HR and Hiring managers will have to do for each position. Whilst Assessment centres are largely run and organised by external suppliers and usually combine a number of evaluation techniques including role-plays and are typically used at the end of a recruitment process on finalist candidates.
So what are the evaluation techniques that you use in your recruitment process?
How effective do you think they are?
Why not share your experiences here – or contact me for an informal discussion:
Linda Jaquillard
Director Finders SA
