If you’re the person who’s responsible for hiring at your company, you need to be obsessed with the traits of the candidates. The quality of your team is the difference between success and failure.
It’s known that remote work is no longer a pandemic trend; it’s a new way of working and growing a business with the possibility to recruit global talent. But how do you find the right fit? Hiring remotely isn’t just about filling vacancies; it’s about finding those unique individuals who will elevate your company.
The good news? You don’t have to settle. With the global talent accessible through companies like Virtustant and predictive tools like Intelliscreen, you have a wealth of resources to optimize your hiring process. But what are those key predictors of hiring success? We’ve delved into the studies, and they’ve revealed the critical factors you need to focus on. Whether you’re hiring internationally or within your own country, these factors apply to all positions.
9 Job Performance Predictors
After reviewing numerous studies, we have uncovered nine of the top predictors of job performance. Here is their ranking in predictive validity.
- Work Samples
Work samples are an excellent way to gauge a candidate’s performance in a job-specific task. They predict job performance with 32% accuracy. That means if you knew nothing else about a candidate—no résumé, education, or work history—this method would still outperform random selection by 32%. Asking candidates to complete a task directly related to the role, such as writing code for a software job or preparing a financial report for an accounting position, gives employers a clear snapshot of their abilities. - Cognitive Tests
Cognitive tests are another valuable tool with a 26% predictive accuracy. These tests assess candidates’ numerical, verbal, and spatial reasoning skills, which are essential for a wide range of roles. Surprisingly, cognitive abilities can often predict how well someone will perform, even more than their job experience or education. - Skill-Based Tests
Skill-based tests are job-specific assessments that evaluate a candidate’s expertise in the tasks they’ll handle. For example, if someone is applying for an accountant position, a test in accounting principles would be administered. With a 22.5% accuracy in predicting performance, these tests are crucial to evaluating whether candidates can hit the ground running. - Structured Interviews
Unlike unstructured interviews, structured interviews provide a systematic way of evaluating candidates. Each question is scored, and the results are compared across applicants. This method yields a 22% accuracy and, when combined with other assessment tools, strengthens the overall hiring process. - Unstructured Interviews
Unstructured interviews, where there is no planned set of questions and the conversation flows without a defined structure, have only a 7% predictive accuracy. These often result in hiring decisions based on gut feelings or personal biases rather than objective evaluation. - References
References fall significantly lower on the list, with just 13% accuracy. The issue with references is that they can be easily manipulated. Candidates may provide contact information for someone who is not a true former employer or who might inflate their performance. While references still provide some insight, they should not be relied on solely. - Personality Tests
Although personality tests have only a 12.5% predictive accuracy, they can be helpful when used carefully. These tests often fail because candidates tailor their answers to what they believe employers want to hear. However, when observed objectively, personality traits can be indicators of job performance. - Years of Experience
Surprisingly, years of experience are not a strong predictor of job success, offering just 6% accuracy. After the first three years in a role, additional experience doesn’t significantly improve job performance. The most rapid learning happens in the early stages; after that, more years do not necessarily correlate with greater expertise. - Years of Education
Lastly, years of education come in with a mere 5% accuracy in predicting job performance. While education provides a foundation, it does not always translate to practical skills or job success, especially in fast-paced industries where adaptability is key.
So, while no single method is foolproof, leveraging these predictors can significantly increase the chances of finding the right candidate. This approach explains why some companies have much higher hiring accuracy than the industry average. By integrating these methods into your hiring process, you can enhance the accuracy of your selection and ensure the best fit for your team.
How to Find the Best Candidates: 4 Key Tips
Now that we’ve explored the nine predictors of job performance, it’s clear that the first four—work samples, cognitive tests, skill-based assessments, and structured interviews—are collectively the most critical. These are strong and relatively independent predictors of performance, each addressing different aspects of a candidate’s potential success in a role.
Focusing on these top four methods is essential because they provide the most significant impact on hiring accuracy. Here are four key tips to streamline the process and find the best fit.
Incorporate Work Samples
Work samples provide tangible evidence of a candidate’s abilities by evaluating their actual work rather than relying solely on interviews or résumés. Asking candidates to complete a real-world task or project relevant to the position can give you deeper insights into their skills and how they approach challenges. This method helps in identifying candidates who not only have the necessary skills but also produce quality work.
Utilize Cognitive Testing
One of the most effective ways to assess candidates is by using cognitive tests before proceeding with interviews. Cognitive assessments provide objective data on a candidate’s problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and learning potential. These tests help you select the top performers quickly and efficiently.
Implement Skill-Based Assessments
In addition to cognitive testing, skill-based assessments allow you to evaluate a candidate’s practical abilities relevant to the role. By testing for specific skills, you can ensure that candidates have the necessary expertise to perform the job effectively. This approach screens candidates based on actual performance rather than just résumés.
Conduct Structured Interviews
Structured interviews involve asking each candidate the same set of predetermined questions, ensuring a consistent and fair evaluation process. This approach reduces biases and allows for better comparison between candidates by focusing on questions that target the essential skills and competencies required for the role.
Unstructured interviews, on the other hand, are more common but less effective. In unstructured interviews, questions vary between candidates and are often more conversational. While this may seem like a more natural way to assess fit, research has shown that unstructured interviews are less predictive of job performance due to their inconsistency and susceptibility to interviewer biases. By adopting structured interviews, you enhance the reliability and validity of your hiring decisions.
Use Hiring to Level Up Your Business
By leveraging all nine predictors of job performance we’ve discussed, you can significantly enhance your hiring success. However, focusing on the first four—cognitive testing, skill-based assessments, work samples, and structured interviews—is critical. These methods are the most impactful and collectively provide a strong, multifaceted evaluation of potential hires.
Starting your hiring process with these assessments allows you to efficiently sift through hundreds or even thousands of applications with minimal effort. It’s also important to recognize that factors many conventionally prioritize in the hiring process—like years of education, years of experience, reference checks, and personality tests—fall lower on the list of predictors of job performance. While commonly used, they don’t offer the same predictive value as the top methods we’ve highlighted.
Studies show that high performers can produce 80–120% more output than average performers in medium to complex jobs. By mastering precise hiring practices, the additional output your organization can achieve is immeasurable. Embracing these strategies isn’t just about filling positions; it’s about building a powerhouse team that propels your business forward in unprecedented ways.
By restructuring your hiring process to focus on these top predictors, you’re not just filling vacancies—you’re strategically building a team poised for success. The potential for increased productivity and innovation is vast when you invest in finding and hiring the best talent available. With tools like Intelliscreen and access to a global talent pool through platforms like Virtustant, the resources to implement these strategies are more accessible than ever.
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