Key Mistakes to Avoid in Choosing Skill Assessment Tools

Choosing the right skill assessment software is crucial for identifying top talent and ensuring a smooth recruitment process. We've highlighted seven red flags to watch out for when selecting skill assessment software.

By being aware of these pitfalls, hiring teams can avoid common mistakes and select a tool that effectively meets their needs, enhances the hiring process, and secures the best candidates for their organization.

🚩 Platform has Challenging User Interface

Choosing a skill assessment platform that is difficult for candidates to navigate, prone to glitches, or missing essential features can significantly detract from their focus on the test, fostering frustration or feelings of inequity.

This not only discourages highly qualified applicants from proceeding with the application process but can also cause skilled candidates to underperform due to the platform's limitations.

Additionally, it's crucial that the platform is equally intuitive for the hiring team to administer tests, ensuring a smooth flow and user-friendly experience for non-technical staff. A platform that complicates the test-sending process can further strain the efficiency and effectiveness of the hiring procedure.

🚩 Talent Assessment Fails to Evaluate Essential Daily Skills

A frequent oversight in the selection of technology hiring platforms is settling for one that provides multiple choice questions or a basic coding environment, without including the advanced functionalities necessary for candidates to showcase their expertise in specific technical roles, such as DevOps, security, or software development. 

The inability of candidates to demonstrate their day-to-day job skills increases the risk of hiring individuals who may not be up to the task. At Brokee, we offer broken live environments for DevOps and cloud engineers to fix, we pride ourselves on mirroring real-world challenges that engineers perform daily.

Read More: 7 Signs You Need to Hire a DevOps Engineer in 2024

🚩 Vulnerability to Cheating

A major concern with skill assessment platforms is their susceptibility to cheating, as traditional methods like multiple-choice and coding tests often can't prevent dishonesty. Tactics include online searches, AI tools, and external help. To counteract this, some opt for invasive measures like in-person testing or surveillance, which may not mimic real-world conditions.

At Brokee, we tackle cheating by using live environment tests that simulate actual work scenarios, allowing candidates to utilize resources such as Google or ChatGPT. This strategy values the skill of applying information, with tests designed to verify core knowledge and tool proficiency.

Our non-restrictive timing and playback technology ensure process authenticity, offering a practical and integrity-focused solution to the issue of cheating in assessments.

🚩 Excluding Key Stakeholders from the Selection Process

Failing to involve crucial stakeholders, such as hiring managers, recruiters, and technical team members when choosing the type of skill assessment tool can result in a poor fit between the tool's capabilities and the company’s hiring requirements. If tests don't reflect the needed skills on the job, technical teams can feel frustrated if new hires underperform.

Additionally, we recommend ensuring that test results are written in layman's terms so non-technical parties can easily understand the performance of candidates. For example, at Brokee, we utilize AI to generate simple summaries of candidates' testing performance, making the information accessible and understandable for those without a deep technological background, which bridges the communication gap between technical and non-technical hiring team members.

🚩 Incompatibility with Existing HR Tools

The inability of a skill assessment platform to integrate smoothly with a company's pre-existing applicant tracking system (ATS) or other recruitment tools can lead to inefficiencies in the tech hiring workflow, which is particularly problematic for smaller teams or those who hire at scale.

We're happy to announce that Brokee now provides API documentation to facilitate more seamless integration with your hiring stack, alleviating potential bottlenecks and enhancing the overall recruitment process.

🚩 Skill Assessment Tests Aren't Scalable

A common mistake we see hiring teams make is underestimating the importance of choosing a scalable skills assessment tool. Since a company's hiring needs fluctuate during growth or hiring freezes, it's essential to select a tool that can adjust and expand accordingly.

We recommend choosing an assessment tool that offers flexibility and scalability, with the ability to adapt to your budget during peak hiring times and provide rollover features for months when there is minimal hiring.

🚩 Lack of Transparency in Pricing and Trials

If a skill assessment platform isn't transparent in pricing or doesn't offer a free trial period, we recommend finding a different tool!  You'll likely experience challenges down the road if you opt out of a trial period and buy without trying. 

We strongly advise opting for a platform that not only clarifies pricing but also enables your team—and potentially, a select group of candidates—to test its features comprehensively. This dual-feedback approach allows both your technical team and candidates to provide valuable insights.

Also, a trial lets hiring teams have hands-on experience with the platform, granting them the opportunity to explore its functionalities and assessment library in depth. This strategy is fundamental in enabling teams to make well-informed decisions, ensuring the chosen tool aligns perfectly with your hiring process and expectations.

Read More: Introducing Pricing Plans and Free Trial for Tests

How can Skills-Based Assessment Software Impact the Hiring Process?

Streamlining the initial pre-employment screening process

Skill assessment software streamlines the initial candidate screening process by efficiently evaluating candidates' skills and competencies. This automation saves time and allows hiring teams to focus on assessing the most qualified candidates, enhancing the overall efficiency of the hiring process.

Providing valuable insights into candidates' strengths and weaknesses

By using skill assessment software, hiring teams gain valuable insights into candidates' strengths and weaknesses. This information helps recruiters and hiring managers make informed decisions about candidate suitability for specific roles, leading to more effective hiring outcomes.

Enabling hiring teams to hire the best candidates

Skill assessment software enables hiring teams to make data-driven hiring decisions based on objective assessments of candidates' skills. By leveraging data and analytics provided by the software, recruiters and hiring managers can identify the best candidates for the job, improving the quality of new hires and reducing employee turnover.

How to Pick the Best Skills Assessment Software for Your Needs?

Talent Strategy Should Test the Right Skills

When evaluating skill assessment tools, it's essential to understand the specific skills being assessed and ensure they align with your company's needs. Look for a platform that offers assessments tailored to the skill sets required for the job roles you're hiring for.

The Best Tools Should be Easy to Use and Accessible

User-friendly software that is easy to use and accessible to all stakeholders is crucial when evaluating skill assessment tools. Ensure that the platform provides a seamless user experience for both candidates and hiring teams to facilitate efficient assessment processes.

Compatibility with Your Talent Acquisition Process

When selecting skill assessment software, it's crucial to assess its compatibility with your talent acquisition process. Ensure that the platform aligns with your company's goals and objectives for hiring and employee development. Look for a tool that seamlessly integrates into your existing HR systems to streamline the assessment process and enhance efficiency.

Assess the Analytics and Evaluation Features of the Software

One of the key aspects to consider is the reporting and analytics capabilities of the skill assessment tool. Opt for software that provides detailed insights into candidate performance, helping you make informed hiring decisions. Look for platforms that offer customizable reports and analytics to analyze data effectively and track the progress of your assessment process.

Next-Level Competency Assessments

As you navigate the complex landscape of skill assessment software, remember that the right tool can significantly impact your hiring success. Choose a platform that values transparency, scalability, and real-world applicability. We've developed Brokee's innovative solutions to address these challenges head-on. 

Don't settle for less—opt for a tool that aligns with your hiring goals and elevates your talent acquisition strategy. We invite you to a free trial to test our live environment assessments and experience the difference firsthand. Take the first step towards transforming your hiring process today.