Indeed Assessments update: New skills tests expedite the hiring process

The Indeed Assessments platform from job search site Indeed announced updates to its automated candidate screening process on Thursday, according to a blog post. 

The new skills test bundling feature allows employers to add up to two skills tests to each job posting, or send multiple skills tests to applicants. This tool helps recruiters find candidates that best meet the necessary skill sets for the role, and allows applicants to show off their applicable skills. 

SEE: Recruiting and hiring top talent: A guide for business leaders (free PDF) (TechRepublic)

“For example, if an employer is adding a job posting for a Marketing Manager position on Indeed. The employer will now be able to add skill tests such as ‘Social Media Skills’ and ‘Search Engine Optimization Skills’ to the job posting,” said Raj Mukherjee, senior vice president of product at Indeed. 

“These skills tests will then be automatically sent to applicants once they have applied,” he said.

Candidates then take the tests as a part of the application process to demonstrate they have the necessary skills, according to the blog post. 

What is Indeed Assessments?

Released in 2018, Indeed Assessments is a free tool that aims to expedite the candidate screening process through automation.

Through the system, employers can screen candidates for specific skills related to the job posting, both cutting down on time and reducing bias, Mukherjee said.

“Employers can add pre-built assessments to job postings as a way to evaluate a candidate based on their skills and ability to do the job they are applying,” Mukherjee said. 

“This not only saves time for higher level human connections that can lead to stronger hires, but also helps to further democratize hiring by giving all job seekers an equal opportunity to showcase their qualifications when applying for jobs. Providing both parties with the transparency needed to find the right fit,” he added.

The initial version of Indeed Assessments allowed hiring managers to screen candidates with one assessment. The project proved to be a success: More than 70 million skills tests have been completed by job seekers globally and more than 600,000 employers are using the tool, according to the post.

The Indeed Assessments team surveyed more than 500 employers and 500 job seekers to gain insight into how the assessments have directly helped the hiring process.

More than half of respondents responsible for recruitment or hiring (55%) said they think resumes are insufficient for evaluating candidates. Some 58% said they are more likely to advance a candidate who can demonstrate necessary skills for the role.

“Traditional resumes continue to be the first thing hiring managers or recruiters use to evaluate a candidate’s experience; but resumes require lots of time to sort through, and when used alone to evaluate candidates can offer a very one dimensional picture of a job applicant’s qualifications as they do not offer the full breadth of a job seekers capabilities,” Mukherjee said. 

“This can leave out people who on paper may seem irrelevant because of their work history or education do not appear to match the job—entry level workers, career switchers, or even those who may have taken a break in their career and are returning to work,” Mukherjee added.

Of the recruiters who used skills test when hiring, the majority (78%) said the tests helped them quickly verify a candidate’s ability to do the job. Another 71% said that skills tests made it easier to find relevant candidates, according to the post.

Candidates are on board with the tests: Nearly three-quarters (72%) of job-seeking respondents said they want to prove they have the required skills for a role, and more than half (55%) said they would feel more confident applying for a job if they could prove they have the skills, as stated in the post.  

Changes in the assessment platform 

The previous version of the platform only allowed employers to add one skills test, now they can add two, as previously mentioned. 

Job seekers can also now proactively take tests and add them to their Indeed Resume for employers to see, according to the post. 

US employers can then use Indeed Resume to search for candidates with specific skills and filter for candidates who have demonstrated they have the desired skill set for a position. 

Skills test can cover technical skills such as computer skills or critical thinking, as well as personality. Popular personality assessments include “Reliability” and “Customer Service Fit,” Mukherjee said. 

Creating a general Indeed account is free, as is Indeed Assessments with skills tests bundling. The feature is currently being rolled out to US employers, as stated in the post. 

For more, check out Is AI less biased than human recruiters? 56% of job applicants think so, on TechRepublic.

This article was updated on Jan. 16, 2019 to include comments from Mukherjee.

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