In a candidate-driven market, selecting the right assessment that ensures a great candidate experience; is not time-consuming; allows for effective and accurate assessment of the right skills – can be like finding a needle in a haystack. 

Sadly, traditional assessment methods often fall short of the expectations and needs of blue-collar workers:

• 79% of blue-collar candidates prefer to complete assessments on mobile devices. However, traditional assessments often lack mobile-friendliness, disregarding the preferences of the modern workforce.
• Traditional hands-on job trials, although informative, can be resource-intensive and may discourage participation, particularly among candidates who are currently employed elsewhere.
• The inherent nature of traditional assessments can induce anxiety and stress, affecting candidates’ performance and the accuracy of evaluations (McCarthy & Goffin, 2005; Jendryczko et al., 2019).
• The majority of blue-collar workers acquire their skill set by learning on the job. Traditional assessments are not designed to measure learning ability accurately.
• Exceptions exist, however, most blue-collar jobs do not require a college or university degree. It means that traditional cognitive ability and personality tests – with their intricate exercises and lengthy explanations – may present challenges for some candidates.
• Language barriers can present challenges, affecting both the assessment process and effective workplace communication. This underscores the need for more inclusive evaluation methods, addressing biases in traditional assessments, especially related to language and Eurocentric questioning.

All of the above underscores the need for assessment methods that can accurately evaluate this diverse talent, transcending linguistic and qualification barriers.  If you don’t act on it, it might mean you lose out on some excellent applicants during the initial stages of the hiring process.