Four Emerging Trends in Testing & Assessments that is Changing the Game

MeritTrac has been in the testing and assessment space in India from the beginning of this century. We have witnessed numerous transformations the HR space during the various phases through which the economy has traversed – the dot com revolution, its burst, the global recession, the sub-prime crisis, the evolution of new business models led by the start-up economy and the ‘new normal’. Organizations have learned, unlearned and relearned to meet the fast pace of change. Expanse of mobile technology and its sudden ‘APP’-lication it has brought about in lifestyle has had tremendous impact on the way the economy has evolved. During all this, the millennials have started getting into the organizations and forcing HR departments to relook at their age-old HR handbooks.

It is proven beyond doubt that organizations will have to reinvent their strategies to address these changes. HR departments have been, and will have to further relook at their hiring & employee development approaches. Sourcing of talent pool, their screening, testing & assessments, and their on boarding will undergo massive process shifts.

As an important stakeholder in the testing & assessment space, MeritTrac has been observing a few radical changes in the candidate selection methods that is currently evolving and will play a major role in the next few years.

Before highlighting some of them, here are a few facts that has acted as a catalyst for these changes:

• There has been a shift in the demand and supply equation of talent – particularly in ‘fresh’ talent. India produces around a million engineering graduates every year with only 40 % – 45 % of them getting jobs. Only 25% of these graduates are employable. Numbers for other graduation programs are even more concerning
• India has one of the largest education systems in the country spread across its length and breadth. This has enabled high quality talent to be available across the country
• Organizations are looking to optimize their manpower. In this context, they would want to hire the best fit candidates for specific roles. The ‘goal post’ of mass hiring is shifting from numbers hired to quality of candidates hired.
• Technology in general and mobility in particular has permeated to almost all facets of human capital management

In this context, some of the changes we observe are as below:

1. Skill Rating: Rating of skills are soon becoming a norm when hiring for specific skills. MeritTrac has been witnessing interest for skills and employee Ratings solution – AceTrac -The Employability Program at graduation as it gives them an opportunity to showcase their readiness for the industry. Software developer examination for rating software developer skills and English language certifications are other trends we are witnessing. Similarly, there are various other certifications in the space of Analytics, Digital Marketing, and Finance that are added to the resume of candidates. Reputed and proven Ratings provide the necessary confidence for the organizations about the quality of resource they are hiring.
2. Personality & Behaviour Assessments for Mass Hiring : Traditionally personality & behaviour assessments are used for senior leadership hiring. This is because hiring for these roles are high stakes and could have a telling impact on the success or failure of the organization. With the changing work environment, every employee is expected to take key decisions that will have impact on organizations future, we are experiencing a inclination to administer personality and behaviour assessments at entry level / mass hiring scenarios. Leading organizations have shown interest in MeritTrac’s personality and behavioural assessments as they are tuned for Indian test takers and is designed for mass hiring.
3. Authentic Assessments : These are a form of assessment where candidates are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills. Simulations and serious games are such assessments which can immerse candidates in real world scenarios thereby generating holistic information about them almost real-time.
4. Language Free Assessments : These assessments measure a person’s capability, potential and train-ability, without the requirement of language, literacy, numeracy or any formal education. These assessments are language free & culture free and thereby remove bias. They drive information on a candidates’ spacial reasoning, Speed, Foresight, and assessment of memory. While this is applicable across the hiring landscape, its applicability in hiring for jobs demanding hard skills is unchallenged.

As a HR leader, do you witness any of these models evolving? For any queries – info@merittrac.com