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From our blog

Four Reasons to Hire an Executive Search Consultant (That Matter!)

Four Reasons to Hire an Executive Search Consultant (That Matter!)

March 13 / Renu Gundala

The CEO of an American online retailer, Zappos.com estimated that a wrong leadership hire could cost well over $100 million.  Have you ever wondered what the cost of a wrong leadership hire looks like in your business?

You've got to consider final paychecks, company time, costs of interim solutions, loss in production, negative impact on team morale, financial loss and more.

Is it something you can afford to get wrong?

If you're recruiting a senior leader, specifically one within HR, People, or Culture teams, it is a critical decision that can, and will, impact your business.

The right candidate can bring new ideas, drive innovation and lead your team to achieve strategic HR goals. However, this is not always easy. It can be time-consuming and challenging and any mistakes can be costly in terms of productivity, morale, and that bottom line.

Many organisations tackle this by seeking support from an executive search consultant and are much better off for it.

Here's why you could be too.

1.    Access to a wider talent pool

 

One of the biggest advantages of using an Executive Search Consultant when hiring senior HR leaders is reaching ideal candidates who may not have seen you're even hiring!

Consider engaging with an independent recruiter or search agency with a vast network of contacts in the HR and Recruitment industries who can tap into passive candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities. They can reach out to professionals who aren't actively looking for a new role but could be persuaded by the right opportunity.

Not to mention, ensuring that your company's diversity, equality and inclusion objectives are reflected within the hiring process– especially in HR!  They will tailor your search, to ensure the pool of candidates to select from is experienced, skilled, and diverse in their backgrounds.

With access to job boards, professional networks, and reliable assessment tools, they will be best placed to make the process smoother and relevant to the role, leading to better quality candidates coming through the door – your options won't be limited by applications and referrals.

2.   Specialised expertise

 

It's quite possible that if you're hiring an HR, People or Recruitment leader, they'd be the one to get the job done – but what do you do when you don't have them yet? Engaging with a Recruitment Consultant with experience in Senior and Executive Search, to hire for these roles is often the most sensible solution.

An experienced consultant will have in-depth knowledge of the industry, and the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities. This allows them to understand the specific skills, experience, and qualifications required for senior-level HR positions. They can help you define your requirements and create compelling and inclusive adverts that attract the right candidates.

They also have a trained eye for talent and can identify candidates who may not meet all the job requirements but have the potential to succeed in the role. An experienced consultant will work with you to design an inclusive hiring process that works for everyone by ensuring candidate experience is at the heart of it.

3.   Save time and resources

 

Recruitment is a time-consuming process that can distract you from other critical business activities and is something you can easily delegate to a consultant.

An executive consultant will dedicate their time to sourcing candidates, screening applications, conducting interviews, providing feedback, and negotiating job offers on your behalf.

They can identify the best candidates for you to select at the final interview stage, saving you hours and even days of sifting through applications and conducting interviews.

By the time you've calculated your own time or your team's time recruiting, and advertising the position – it's highly likely hiring an experienced consultant would have cost you the same or less in time and money.

4.   Reduce risk

 

The biggest risk for recruiting a new position, particularly at an executive level, and even more so within HR and People teams, is making a 'bad hire'.

When we say 'bad hire', we're talking about going through the whole process of recruitment, paying the costs associated, and onboarding a new team member – to realise they're not the right fit, or, have them decide the role isn't right for them.

What a waste!

Executive Recruitment Consultants can't ensure this does not happen, but we reduce that risk!

They will work with you to understand your requirements, your culture and values to design a robust and inclusive hiring process. Their process will provide you with valuable insights so you can make your final hiring decision with confidence. They will also ensure your candidates get a good feel for what the role will involve through their briefs and the selection process which they will co-create with you.

We recommend working with a consultant with experience in assessing people not just sourcing the candidates. This will ensure your candidates at the senior level, experience a selection process that is reflective of your values and culture.  A consultant with experience in assessments will be confident to recommend the use of legally defensible, reliable and valid assessments ensuring the hiring process works for everyone by avoiding the overreliance on interviews alone.

Finally, we know that confidentiality and discretion are important in all recruitment processes, but this can be particularly the case for executive-level positions. To protect your company's reputation and sensitive information, check that the Executive Search provider upholds the strictest processes to ensure confidentiality when working with potential candidates. Alongside this, and the ability to handle sensitive negotiations and discussions on your behalf – your company's interests are protected at all times.

In conclusion, seeking advice and consultancy from a recruitment specialist can provide numerous benefits for you, your team, and the whole organisation.

Renu Gundala, is the Director of Talent Grader, an Executive Search provider for HR. Renu has a wealth of experience in recruiting senior and C-Suite leaders by identifying, engaging and assessing talent that enhances the values and culture of your organisation. She advocates the use of inclusive recruitment and selection process that works for everyone, be it executive or entry-level recruitment.

Looking for your next HR leader? Get in touch with Renu for a chat.

What do our clients say about us? Read our testimonials.

   
5 Things to Consider When Selecting a Talent Assessment

5 Things to Consider When Selecting a Talent Assessment

May 11 / Renu Gundala
Candidate talent assessments can help you make an informed recruitment decision and hire with confidence. Pre-hire testing allows recruiters to gain an understanding of a candidate's potential, including their skills, abilities and personality traits - details that go far beyond a CV.

But with countless tests available (including psychometric tests, technical/skills tests and behavioural assessments/work sample exercises), you may be overwhelmed by the number of choices. It is not only important to select the right test so you can find the top talent with which to fill a vacancy in your organisation, but by picking the wrong test you risk creating biases in the hiring process or a negative candidate experience which can reflect poorly on your company’s brand.

Here are five things you should consider when selecting a talent assessment to help you make an informed decision about which tools you include in your recruitment process.

1. The right test for the right purpose

To effectively utilise testing, you need to look at what skills or behaviours each test assesses, how these are measured and how they match to the position you are recruiting for. Ask yourself: does the test you have selected assess the skills you’re looking for? Is it designed to be used as a standalone process to screen applications or to complement interviews? Is the test meant to be used beyond the recruitment stage of the hiring process; for example, for onboarding?

On the flip side, you need to consider what areas a tool does not test for. Not all tests provide the same data!

One way to narrow down your options is to define what attributes you are looking for in a candidate and select a testing tool that measures those skills or behaviours, or search by job function and industry sector. For example, if you are looking to hire a web designer, you may wish to use a technical and skills test to understand their knowledge of application development and coding languages.

You also need to select a test of the right duration depending on what stage of the recruitment process it will be used. A 10-minute test could be used to initially screen candidates but save an hour-long test in conjunction with interviews for the final shortlist of top talent.

2. Unintended Consequences

If you are striving for a diverse pool of candidates, you need to address adverse impact: unfair or biased procedures in the selection process. Adverse impact is often an unintended consequence of talent assessments. For each test option, you should look at whether the test creates biases or if it could lead to potentially discriminatory practices if you choose not to select it.

On Talent Grader’s website, we include a field that asks test providers to provide information on ‘Measures put in place to remove or reduce biases’. This allows you to make an informed decision and select a tool that prioritises the removal of biases and helps you deliver an objective and inclusive selection process.

3. The Candidate Experience

Look at the testing process from the point of view of the candidate. You need to consider how inclusive and accessible the test is. For example, are you removing barriers for neurodiverse candidates by offering reasonable adjustments to your test of choice where required? The test is also likely being conducted remotely on a computer. Is there an option for candidates to adjust the screen contrast or text size to make it a comfortable testing experience? These kinds of adjustments help you provide a best experience for your candidates so they can attempt the tests to the best of their ability.

To create a fair and inclusive process, you should provide all candidates the opportunity to confidentially disclose any disabilities at all stages of the recruitment process. When carrying out pre-hire testing, communicate to all candidates clearly and well in advance of the test what it will be assessing, its relevance to the vacancy in question, duration, answer format and technical requirements for using the given testing platform. This helps candidates with disability to request any adjustments to the assessment process.

4. Data Protection

Candidates’ data protection is crucial for employers. Explore with the test providers how they store and handle test taker’s data, so you can ensure compliance. On Talent Grader’s website, our test publishers or technology providers specify this information so you can easily access this to assess compliance or explore any changes you may need e.g. data retention.

Whilst I recommend you consider the above four key points for any kind of assessment, the following advice on reliability and validity applies to psychometric tests specifically.

5. Pick a Reliable and Valid Psychometric Test

There are many different types of psychometric tests available that measure different personality traits and candidate attributes. The two main types of psychometric tests are ability tests, which assess how well a candidate does something, and personality tests, which look at how an individual might respond to a situation. Click here to learn more about the types of psychometric tests.

When selecting a psychometric test, you need to make sure you are picking a reliable and valid option. When it comes to a quality assessment, the test should have a reliability coefficient of over 0.7, which is the industry benchmark set by professional bodies.

You should be able to check a test’s validity e.g., by comparing the tool with others on the market to ensure it is actually measuring what it claims. There are many types of validation studies and it is important to look at this evidence in technical manual of the test concerned. If the test provider will not give you access to the technical manual or not interested in explaining the technical information contained in their technical manual, that is a sign the tool may not be legitimate.

For the best recruitment results, Talent Grader recommends a combination of the following test types that are valid and reliable for your use: numerical reasoning tests, logical reasoning tests, situational judgement tests, verbal reasoning tests, and personality assessments. Based on the type of recruitment, you could combine a psychometric test with a behavioural assessment (also known as a work sample exercise) or a technical or skills test.

Find the Right Test with Talent Grader

We make every effort to present all the information about available test options to help you make an informed decision. Pop over to our website and take up a free trial of psychometric tests, technical and skills tests, or talent assessment technology, such as video interview platforms.

Don’t forget to share feedback on your experience! If you need help in choosing the right assessments, please contact us, we will be delighted to help.
Benefits of Online Assessment Tools For Recruitment

Benefits of Online Assessment Tools For Recruitment

April 19 / Renu Gundala
The future of pre-employment testing is evolving, as companies and hiring managers are shifting towards online assessment tools for recruitment. This shift has only been accelerated by the Covid-19 outbreak which forced us all to work from home and reassess how we conduct business

Some companies have even committed to being fully remote in a post-pandemic world, which reinforces the need for new recruitment methods which embrace this new way of working. Whether your company is back in the office or fully remote, there are a number of benefits of using online assessment tools for recruitment. Ultimately, they are an efficient and effective way to reduce a pool of candidates down to a select few, to ensure that you make the right hiring decision without having to see every applicant. We will explore all of these benefits in more detail below.

Browse the Talent Grader website to easily find and compare online assessment tools for recruitment. You’ll find a wide range of helpful tools which can be used to enhance your hiring processes. 

Why use online assessment tools for recruitment? 

Online assessment tools are the quickest and most convenient way to improve your recruitment process. They make life easier for hiring managers, interviewers, and candidates alike. Recruiters only have to send out the link to the appropriate online assessment, for the candidate to carry out in the comfort of their own home. In certain cases, these tests can still be live monitored by the interviewer/recruiter if this is required. 

In order to scale up, your company needs the best employees, but talent acquisition requires a significant amount of time and resources. This problem can be solved with having the right online assessment tools for your recruitment process. 

Here are some of the key benefits of using online assessment tools: 

Save Time: Time is money, and online assessment tools for recruitment can help you save both. You’ll get decisions made quicker, as recruiting managers will be able to select the best candidates early on. And the quicker you fill your vacancies, the more productive your company will run. All in all a quicker recruitment process is beneficial for all involved. 

Ready-to-use Assessments: With each role, there are certain skills required in order for a candidate to be able to carry it out successfully. To screen candidates for these skills/attributes, you need a fast solution rather than interviewing every single one. Irrespective of how many candidates apply, you can quickly and reliably measure a candidate's skill with online assessment tools for recruitment, before they reach the stage of an interview. 

Great Candidate Experience: Providing a positive experience for candidates is an important but often overlooked side of recruitment. In order to hire and attract the best, you need to make sure that your processes are convenient for them, as well as your own staff. With their convenience and effectiveness, online assessment tools for recruitment and selection will help to enhance the perception of your company. Subsequently more people will apply in future if word of mouth starts to spread.

Reduce Employee Turnover: High employee turnover is not something you typically want in your business. When people are always leaving, it has an impact on employee morale and productivity and eventually on the company's products and services. As we’ve discussed hiring takes time and resources, so the less you have to do it the better. By making sure you pick the right people, online assessments for recruitment can help you reduce employee turnover in the long term.

Unbiased: Online recruitment assessment tools are free from human biases, judgements and errors. By removing biases you can increase diversity in selection and ensure that you objectively get the very best candidate for the role. 

Browse Online Assessment Tools For Recruitment

On Talent Grader you can find a wealth of online assessment tools which can be used as part of your recruitment process. From talent assessments, to technical skills tests, to personality questionnaires, you can search for the right tools for your business to succeed. 

You can find and compare tools, see reviews from other users and access free trials before you buy, so you can rest assured that you are making the right choice.
Four Reasons to Hire an Executive Search Consultant (That Matter!)

Four Reasons to Hire an Executive Search Consultant (That Matter!)

March 13 / Renu Gundala

The CEO of an American online retailer, Zappos.com estimated that a wrong leadership hire could cost well over $100 million.  Have you ever wondered what the cost of a wrong leadership hire looks like in your business?

You've got to consider final paychecks, company time, costs of interim solutions, loss in production, negative impact on team morale, financial loss and more.

Is it something you can afford to get wrong?

If you're recruiting a senior leader, specifically one within HR, People, or Culture teams, it is a critical decision that can, and will, impact your business.

The right candidate can bring new ideas, drive innovation and lead your team to achieve strategic HR goals. However, this is not always easy. It can be time-consuming and challenging and any mistakes can be costly in terms of productivity, morale, and that bottom line.

Many organisations tackle this by seeking support from an executive search consultant and are much better off for it.

Here's why you could be too.

1.    Access to a wider talent pool

 

One of the biggest advantages of using an Executive Search Consultant when hiring senior HR leaders is reaching ideal candidates who may not have seen you're even hiring!

Consider engaging with an independent recruiter or search agency with a vast network of contacts in the HR and Recruitment industries who can tap into passive candidates who may not be actively seeking new opportunities. They can reach out to professionals who aren't actively looking for a new role but could be persuaded by the right opportunity.

Not to mention, ensuring that your company's diversity, equality and inclusion objectives are reflected within the hiring process– especially in HR!  They will tailor your search, to ensure the pool of candidates to select from is experienced, skilled, and diverse in their backgrounds.

With access to job boards, professional networks, and reliable assessment tools, they will be best placed to make the process smoother and relevant to the role, leading to better quality candidates coming through the door – your options won't be limited by applications and referrals.

2.   Specialised expertise

 

It's quite possible that if you're hiring an HR, People or Recruitment leader, they'd be the one to get the job done – but what do you do when you don't have them yet? Engaging with a Recruitment Consultant with experience in Senior and Executive Search, to hire for these roles is often the most sensible solution.

An experienced consultant will have in-depth knowledge of the industry, and the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities. This allows them to understand the specific skills, experience, and qualifications required for senior-level HR positions. They can help you define your requirements and create compelling and inclusive adverts that attract the right candidates.

They also have a trained eye for talent and can identify candidates who may not meet all the job requirements but have the potential to succeed in the role. An experienced consultant will work with you to design an inclusive hiring process that works for everyone by ensuring candidate experience is at the heart of it.

3.   Save time and resources

 

Recruitment is a time-consuming process that can distract you from other critical business activities and is something you can easily delegate to a consultant.

An executive consultant will dedicate their time to sourcing candidates, screening applications, conducting interviews, providing feedback, and negotiating job offers on your behalf.

They can identify the best candidates for you to select at the final interview stage, saving you hours and even days of sifting through applications and conducting interviews.

By the time you've calculated your own time or your team's time recruiting, and advertising the position – it's highly likely hiring an experienced consultant would have cost you the same or less in time and money.

4.   Reduce risk

 

The biggest risk for recruiting a new position, particularly at an executive level, and even more so within HR and People teams, is making a 'bad hire'.

When we say 'bad hire', we're talking about going through the whole process of recruitment, paying the costs associated, and onboarding a new team member – to realise they're not the right fit, or, have them decide the role isn't right for them.

What a waste!

Executive Recruitment Consultants can't ensure this does not happen, but we reduce that risk!

They will work with you to understand your requirements, your culture and values to design a robust and inclusive hiring process. Their process will provide you with valuable insights so you can make your final hiring decision with confidence. They will also ensure your candidates get a good feel for what the role will involve through their briefs and the selection process which they will co-create with you.

We recommend working with a consultant with experience in assessing people not just sourcing the candidates. This will ensure your candidates at the senior level, experience a selection process that is reflective of your values and culture.  A consultant with experience in assessments will be confident to recommend the use of legally defensible, reliable and valid assessments ensuring the hiring process works for everyone by avoiding the overreliance on interviews alone.

Finally, we know that confidentiality and discretion are important in all recruitment processes, but this can be particularly the case for executive-level positions. To protect your company's reputation and sensitive information, check that the Executive Search provider upholds the strictest processes to ensure confidentiality when working with potential candidates. Alongside this, and the ability to handle sensitive negotiations and discussions on your behalf – your company's interests are protected at all times.

In conclusion, seeking advice and consultancy from a recruitment specialist can provide numerous benefits for you, your team, and the whole organisation.

Renu Gundala, is the Director of Talent Grader, an Executive Search provider for HR. Renu has a wealth of experience in recruiting senior and C-Suite leaders by identifying, engaging and assessing talent that enhances the values and culture of your organisation. She advocates the use of inclusive recruitment and selection process that works for everyone, be it executive or entry-level recruitment.

Looking for your next HR leader? Get in touch with Renu for a chat.

What do our clients say about us? Read our testimonials.

   

Testimonials