Dive Brief:

• Most candidates (71%) don't object to pre-hire assessments, as long as these evaluations give a realistic account of the job opening, new research from ThriveMap revealed. One quarter of the candidates have neutral attitudes about pre-hire assessments, while only 4% said they object to them — but these stats apply only when the questions were directly relevant to the job opening, ThriveMap noted.
• Nearly half of respondents said they didn't like the pre-hire assessment process because the process took too long (47%), was unclear about why they were taking it (37%), and didn't relate to the job they applied for (30%). Pre-hire assessments are becoming more common, but employers aren't making the best use of them to compete successfully for the best talent, according to ThriveMap.
• "With digital native employees set to make up the majority of the employment market, it makes sense for employers to be more transparent than ever about life in their company," ThriveMap CEO Chris Platts said in a press release. He suggested that employers explain to candidates why they're taking the evaluation and how the results will be used; make sure the assessment takes less than 15 minutes; and ensure the assessment gives candidates a realistic view of the job opening and the company's culture so they know what to expect before they're hired.

Dive Insight:

Pre-hire assessments are supposed to make hiring decisions more accurate, but employers may need to remember that the assessments serve as one of the first engagements an applicant may have with the company; 48% of new hires leave a job because it wasn't what they expected, according to a survey ThriveMap released last month. Gen Z respondents were particularly likely to leave a job for not meeting expectations, the study noted — and ThriveMap noted it could be directly tied to the disconnect between what they were promised in interviews and what the job actually entailed.

Pre-hire assessments — particularly those that highlight the actual skills an applicant may bring to the table — are growing in popularity. But they are also emerging as ways for candidates from non-traditional backgrounds to showcase their skills. Indeed launched Indeed Assessments to allow candidates to take approved tests to prove their skills to hiring employers, including tests on sales, tech and administration; those that took the tests were 30% more likely to receive a positive response back. To that end, a transparent pre-hire assessment may be a key part of a positive candidate experience. Developing a good relationship with candidates helps prepare them for subsequent interviews and increases their chances of staying on the job if hired.

Employers must also remember that candidates have access to company rating sites, like Glassdoor and kununu, and the savvy ones will research targeted companies and pass over those with subpar scores. A company's culture is more important than ever to job seekers, especially in an employee-driven labor market.