* Spherion Emerging Workforce Study indicates companies are increasingly using prescreening tools to avoid costly bad hires
According to a study by staffing firm Spherion, the typical hiring manager interviews eight people on average for an open position. Perhaps not surprisingly, many employers think that is too many.
Conducted by Harris Interactive, the Spherion Emerging Workforce Study finds that companies are increasingly using prescreening tools to help streamline the process of procuring qualified workers who will mesh well with the organization. As the labor market tightens, companies can’t afford to waste time and money interviewing unqualified candidates or those who will split soon after taking the position.
A full 93% of organizations use some type of screening and assessment method. Here are the types used to screen candidates for some or all jobs:
* Background checks: 79%
* Prescreening programs: 57%
* Skills testing: 56%
* Behavioral interviewing: 54%
* Drug tests: 50%
* Behavioral assessments: 34%
* Credit checks: 33%
The survey shows larger organizations are more likely to use screening and assessment tools and benefit from a more streamlined interviewing process, while smaller organizations tend to bog down the hiring process by interviewing a lot of people. Screening and assessment methods are most often used by emergent employers that lead the way in HR best practices. (To find out if your organization is emergent, migrating or traditional, take the survey.).
“Utilizing screening and assessment programs appears to be a growing trend among organizations seeking to efficiently capture an increasingly scarce commodity and avoid costly bad hires,” Spherion President and CEO Roy Krause says.
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How is hiring going at your company? If you’re having trouble filling certain IT positions because of a lack of qualified candidates, I’d like to hear about your experiences for an upcoming article. Please contact me.
