Communication is a basic human trait and strong communication skills are an asset. To be able to precisely articulate the information and get it across is a prized characteristic, which is valued high in the job market.
With cross-team collaboration being more of the norm at the workplace and globalisation shrinking the size of the world, communication is rated amongst the top job skills. But the irony is that it is also the skill that tops the skill gap list.
Language basically consists of four major skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Though it is good to be equally proficient in every language skill, it is not a practical thing to expect it, especially when recruiting in huge numbers. Another point to note is that language skills can be learned and improved with training and practice.
Thus, the first step is to identify the degree of proficiency required for a particular job role and then assess the candidates to judge their suitability for the same. Communication assessments can prove very useful in evaluating the language and communication skills of the candidates. Depending on the job requirement, a suitable test can be designed that will help recruiters choose candidates with the right set of communication skills.
Need for English Language Assessment in the Workplace
English being the most widely spoken and understood language in business circles, it is obviously the one language that recruiters look for proficiency in any candidate. Assessing candidates for their communication skills at the beginning gives the hiring authority a solid foundation to base their hiring decisions.
The need for communication at workplace is manifold. Strong communication skills are required for exchanging thoughts, ideas and information between peers and with leadership and/or subordinates. Since every employee’s job profile is not the same, communication skill needs vary based on the job role requirement and therefore the skill assessment should also vary accordingly.
Written communication is an important skill in job roles that require a lot of mail communication, report generation, documentation and such tasks. A strong foundation in English grammar, good vocabulary and accuracy in spelling and punctuation are some of the basic requirements for written communication to be effective. Incompetence in the written communication is as jarring as in case of verbal communication, but its permanent nature makes it even more evident. More importantly, error-ridden written communication may lead to the conveying of wrong and/or misunderstood information, which is not good for the business. An English writing test can help assess the suitability of a candidate for the role, making it easier for recruiters to choose the right candidate.
Applications of Written English Test
Assessing a candidate on the skills he/she is expected to possess for a particular job role is the norm and makes hiring an effective process. The electronic age has made written communication skills all the more important. It is a good idea to have an English writing test as a part of the recruiting process.
The assessment test can come in very handy during the recruitment process, both in the case of campus hiring as well as lateral hiring. An English writing test designed as per the job profile requirement can help recruiters gauge the level of the candidate and his/her suitability to the role. Though a perfect match is not generally possible, the English writing test can help choose candidates who are better and can be successfully trained in the language skill.
An English writing test is also useful when the management is looking at workforce development. By assessing the skill gap, an appropriate training module can be developed to address the same. This exercise can prove useful and has several positive outcomes both for employees as well as the management.
MeritTrac Platforms for English Tests
MeritTrac makes the entire assessment a seamless, quick and error-free process. In addition to designing the assessment modules, we also provide the platform for administering the tests. Following platforms are available for the English writing test:
Pariksha:
An innovative platform that allows recruiting teams to create, design and schedule the assessments, test the candidates, and deliver the results. The platform is:- Highly adaptive
- Cloud ready
- Suitable for multi-platform OS
- Mobile ready
SmartTest:
The ideal platform when you want to screen and filter candidates meeting your skill set requirement. The advantages of this platform are:- User-friendly interface
- Built-in analytics
- Versatile test catalogues
- Plug and play features
FAQ
FAQ
1. What is the use of an English writing test?
A. An English writing test allows the evaluation of a person’s written English skills. This assessment helps recruiters hire candidates with strong written communications skills.
2. Why are they used for recruitment and training?
A. With English being widely used across business circles and written communication gaining a lot of importance in this electronic and information age, employees are required to have strong written English skills. An English writing test assesses the skill levels of candidates during the recruitment and helps in making the right hiring decisions. It can also be used to evaluate the skill level of the existing workforce and design a training course to bridge the gap if any.
3. Who are suitable candidates to take up an English writing test?
A. Candidates who are being recruited for roles that require a lot of mail communication, report generation, documentation and such tasks are suitable to take up the test.
4. What are the different elements evaluated as a part of an English writing test?
English grammar, vocabulary, spelling and punctuation are some of the basic elements that are assessed in a written test. The ability of the candidates to articulate and communicate the information precisely is also assessed in this test.
5. What is the USP of MeritTrac’s written English test?
MeritTrac’s assessment tests are designed by subject-matter experts and deliver reliable results and analytics. They help the recruiters take an unbiased, informed decision for better outcomes.