Finding the right candidate for the right job is not an easy task. Often times a candidate may look perfect on paper, but there is something lacking when brought in for an interview. Or the candidate shines during the interview, but in reality, turns out to not be the right fit for the role. So, what is the secret to finding the right candidate for the right job? The right blend of knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Knowledge and education
The first things to look at is the knowledge and the level of education of the candidate. This aspect of the candidate is more theoretical than practical, as knowledge focuses on the understanding of concepts and not necessarily the application of those concepts. For example, a student graduating from finance will know the theories, but will only learn how to apply the concepts when starting a career. Naturally, higher-level jobs will likely demand a higher-level education as a base requirement. Skilled trades careers will require the candidate to have followed specific training and certification. When hiring a candidate, it is expected that they at least have knowledge of the field.
Skills and experience
What comes next is the skills and experience that the candidate has in the field. These are developed through training and actual work experience – all that has been developed after the theoretical knowledge. With each job comes an expected level of skill and experience. For example, many entry-level jobs will require 0-2 years of experience, and as the seniority of the position increases, so does the required minimum years of experience.
Abilities and traits
Knowledge and skills are easily found on paper, with the person’s CV, resume, and LinkedIn profile. The more difficult part is knowing how the candidate will actually perform at work, despite meeting the minimum educational and experience requirements. How a person will behave at work can be determined by the person’s traits and abilities. These are the innate capabilities that a person has in regard to successfully performing specific tasks.
There are many tools available to help determine an individual’s abilities and traits. The best tool for predicting a person’s performance at work is the work sample test, where the person spends an amount of time doing the tasks that he or she will be performing at work. The idea is that a candidate’s future behavior can be observed early on when put under similar situations. However, this test can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and as a result, other more convenient methods are chosen. The best and most popular method used for determining abilities tends to be the personality assessment tool. Personality tests can determine the individual’s traits in a few minutes. It is quick, easy, valid, and reliable.
This is why the OAD survey is a popular personality assessment tool used by many companies, as it helps with making sure that the right person is hired for the right job – all in less than 10 minutes. Find out more about the tool and how it can help you hire the right candidates!