Do I need a prehire assessment? 

We are frequently asked why prehire assessments are needed for some roles and whether a particular role necessitates the use of this type of hiring tool. The answer is: It depends. The type of role are you filling, the availability of the type of people you need to hire, and current labor market conditions may all be important aspects of whether you need to add this to your hiring repertoire. Here are some circumstances that  you should consider in deciding whether to use this tool to help you narrow your candidate pool:  

• When performance is particularly important. When you are filling a job where it is especially important that the employee perform well, such as hiring a senior-level staff member. When consequences are high and sound judgment is needed, a resume can only tell you so much. It may be ideal to use a prehire assessment to help you judge these skills.  
• When training is cost or time prohibitive. Nothing is worse than pouring time, effort, and money into a new hire who doesn’t work out—especially when you don’t have those resources to spare. A prehire assessment can dramatically increase the likelihood that the individual you select will be successful in that role.   
• When labor market conditions or the economic environment are not in your favor. Depending on the unemployment rate and the market conditions, you may need more assistance parsing the candidates who have the highest likelihood of being successful from those who may not be. When many people are applying for few positions, an assessment can help you narrow the field, determine who may be a better selection, and quickly fill your position.  

Be sure your hiring strategy is focused on finding candidates who will fit with your team, enjoy their work, and be likely to stick around. These aren’t things you can easily gauge from a resume or even an interview. Think it’s time to add a prehire assessment? Let InVista help.