One of the most common questions I get is: Where do assessments fit into the hiring process? To answer that, let’s break down the hiring process into five key stages:
- Pre-screening
- Initial interview
- Assessment (behaviors and skills) and review of results
- Second interview: to clarify any concerns and verify strengths
- Reference and background checks
Throughout this process, interviews and assessments should work together seamlessly. Both are tools to help you understand a candidate’s decision-making, work approach, and overall fit for the role.
Pro Tip: Don’t skip skills tests or simulations when necessary. I recently had a client hire someone with excellent Winslow scores, but their administrative skills — despite their claims — were lacking. The result? A frustrating and costly mistake.
Key Questions to Ask Yourself During the Interview Process
When conducting interviews and analyzing assessment results, keep these three critical questions in mind:
- Am I measuring interview skills or job performance? Interviews alone often reveal how well someone can talk about their abilities, not necessarily how well they can perform. By combining performance-based assessments and skills tests with interviews, you can dig deeper into a candidate’s strengths and areas of concern. Since candidates won’t know their assessment results, they can’t fully prepare their responses, allowing for a more authentic evaluation.
- Are interviews and assessment tools for decision-making or just information gathering? The goal of both interviews and assessments is to collect actionable insights. Use this information to make educated hiring decisions that align with your company’s needs and the candidate’s strengths and potential.
- Am I hiring someone like me, or looking for the best person for the job? It’s easy to gravitate toward candidates who remind us of ourselves, but this can lead to missed opportunities. Remember, each candidate’s responses and scores are uniquely their own. Strive to hire the person who is the best fit for the role — even if they outperform you in certain areas. Their success is an asset to your team, not a threat to your position.
The Bottom Line
Making objective, informed, hiring decisions is a skill worth mastering. By integrating interviews, assessments, and skills tests into your process, you will build a stronger, more capable team, and set your organization up for long-term success.
Always feel free to reach out with questions!
