Assessing job candidates and applicants is a complex task that requires a balance of art and science. And, over the past few years, it has become even more complex. With the rise of the millennial and Gen-Z generations, the ease of freelancing, workforce shortages, and education's inability to keep up with technology, hiring managers and recruiters must now find reliable ways to assess and distinguish between job candidates quickly and accurately in order to make the best hiring decisions.

That’s why so many companies are turning to candidate assessment tools. These tools use a variety of methods, including technical skills assessment, psychometric testing, aptitude testing, personality profiling, and more, to measure an applicant's ability to perform well in a role. But, many companies are struggling to even find candidates with the necessary skills and experience to fill their open positions. This trend is particularly true in industries such as technology, where the demand for talent is high, but the supply is limited.

Another challenge is the increasing use of AI in the job market. For example, AI may inadvertently discriminate against certain groups of candidates if it's given the wrong data set to analyze, leading to a less diverse and inclusive workforce. We saw with happening recently with Amazon's hiring AI that was scrapped after it discriminated against female employees. But, Ai is also one of the best employee assessment tools on the market when it's given great data.

Look, for example at Pillar's interview intelligence software. Over the last 12 months it's helped lower employee turnover by more than 50% and increase DEI hiring by 30%, no small feat in the disruptive economic climate we're currently in.

Now more than ever, hiring managers and recruiters need access to assessment tools that will help them identify the best candidates to prepare companies to adapt to an ever-changing future. The good news is that there are a variety of assessment tools available to help. From online surveys and aptitude tests to AI algorithms, companies have access to the data they need to make better hiring decisions.

The future of work may be uncertain, but one thing's for sure: with the right recruitment assessment tools, companies will be able to create a workforce to thrive in the ever-evolving economy. That doesn't mean that hiring managers and recruiters will be faced with fewer challenges in the future, but it does mean they will have the tools they need to make informed decisions. So, don't be afraid to take the plunge and explore candidate assessment tools that can help your company meet its recruitment and DEI goals.

Chances are you'll find something that works for you.

Best Recruitment Assessment Tools

Before we get into the tools themselves, let's talk about a recruitment assessment template. A recruitment assessment template is a document that outlines the criteria and methods used to assess candidates and job applicants as they enter your talent pool. It's an important step in any recruitment process, as it ensures all candidates are evaluated with the same objective criteria and allows recruiters and hiring managers to have greater control over the process.

This is one of the best recruitment assessment tools you can create as it will serve as your team's benchmark for success when selecting new candidates and your guide throughout the hiring process.

Next, let's talk about the best recruitment assessment tools on the market. Here are a few to consider:

1. Technical Skills Assessment - A technical skills assessment is used to measure a candidate’s knowledge of specific technologies and software. This tool helps you quickly identify potential candidates who possess the right level of expertise for your open role. 

2. Psychometric Testing - Psychometric testing is used to measure a candidate's aptitude, skills, and personality traits. It can help you identify candidates who have the right temperament and qualifications for your open role - this will also help you understand whether a candidate is a good fit for your team or not.

3. Aptitude Testing - Aptitude tests are designed to evaluate an applicant's ability to learn, think quickly, and make decisions. This type of assessment is used to gauge a candidate's ability to absorb and apply information in the workplace. 

Personally, I like learning agility testing in high innovation requirement roles.

4. Personality Testing - Personality tests are designed to measure an individual's traits, values, and behavior. This is a great tool for assessing how well a candidate will fit in with the team and company culture. There's a free option at 16personalities.com, or you can take other options but Culture Index, Predictive Index, or Gallup/ CliftonStrengths.

5. Interview Intelligence Software - Finally, interview intelligence software uses AI algorithms to analyze an applicant’s answers to questions during their job interview. This may not seem like an assessment tool but it's one of the best ways to assess a candidate. From phone screens to offers, interview intelligence software can help you unlock candidate insights at each step.

With the right recruitment assessment tools, you can make offers to hire the best candidates for your open roles. While this is still a daunting process, it's one of the most important steps in building a successful team. So, take the time to create an assessment template and explore the tools available on the market to help you get started. 

Assessment Tools for Recruitment and Selection

If you break your hiring process down into individual categories, viewing it like a funnel, it'll be easy to see what interview assessment tools you need at each step. Pre-employment assessment tools are used to qualify potential candidates as they enter your talent pool, interview intelligence software is used to qualify candidates in the interview process, and technical assessment tools are used to verify skills.

Assessment tools for recruitment and selection will vary by role and industry- so we can't tell you what'll work best for you, but we can give you an idea of the tech stack we use in hiring and hope that helps to serve as your guide.

You can download a copy of the guide here... or continue reading for the summarized version.

As you build your recruitment tech stack, budget is going to be the biggest limiting factor. We recommend a handful of tools to automate the things that don't require direct human contact so that you can focus on the CX (candidate experience):

1. ATS System - everything is built on top of this foundation, which is why we recommend Lever.  It integrates with all of the following platforms and allows you a solid base to build your recruitment stack.

2. Sourcing - The next part, is filling your talent pool with great candidates. We recommend HireEZ as the best sourcing software.

3. Digital Assistant - Recruiting teams spend more than 80% of their time on manual tasks that can be automated. This is where Paradox comes in...

4. Video Interview Platform - Since you won't always be face-to-face with the candidates, you need ZOOM- it's the easiest to use, takes the least bandwidth and everyone seems familiar with how it works.

5. Interview Intelligence Software - obviously we're going to recommend Pillar... but you knew that.

6. Onboarding Platform - BambooHR is the platform we use because it seamlessly integrates with the other tools mentioned, reducing the admin time spent entering data.

That's your recruitment stack from beginning to end. If you chat with someone from our team, we'd be happy to show you the recruitment assessment templates and tools that we use to make sure you get the most out of each step in your recruitment process.

Best Behavioral ​Assessment Tools

Our list of interview assessment tools wouldn't be complete without the best behavioral assessment tools. Culture Index, Predictive Index, and CliftonStrengths are all great options for evaluating a candidate's behavior in a given situation - this is also where scenario-based and situational interviews can help (but that's a topic for another time).

Candidate screening tools and behavioral assessment tools like Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) are specifically designed to measure an individual’s behavior in certain situations. This data can then be used to provide deep insights into how the candidate would respond in a particular job role, under stress, and toward the team around them.

Finally, don’t forget to evaluate yourself and your hiring team so that you can continue to improve and refine your recruitment processes. There are many assessment tools available on the market, including surveys from Qualtrics, tools to identify bias like ProjectImplicit, interviewer coaching tools from Pillar, and engagement and feedback tools from TINYpulse.

The right recruiting assessment tools are essential when it comes to making sure that you pick the best candidates for the job. By taking the time to create an assessment template, understanding what interview assessment tools you need at each step, and exploring the best behavioral assessment tools on the market, you’ll be sure to find the perfect fit for your team. 

We hope you found this guide helpful in creating a seamless recruitment process with the right tech stack and interview assessment tools! Don't forget to check out our downloadable guide for the full list of tools we recommend.

And, book your demo of Pillar to see how we can help you make better hiring decisions.