Volume hiring is frequently required when a company hires a massive number of candidates in a defined time period. Hiring quality candidates at a large scale is not a cakewalk to the recruitment team. With a handful number of people and limited sources, dealing with such a number is really a challenging task. A Recruiting Daily research study shows high volume refers to filling 250 or more positions in a shorter time.
Similarly, in the case of seasonal in-house expansions, onsite team-setups, or projects-starts becomes a major hurdle. On the other hand, working with such large volumes there must be a system in place which allows fast and efficient hiring. This is where competency mapping plays a significant role.
Hiring with competency mapping helps the recruiter to screen more people in less time. With the help of these methods, one can map an individual’s strengths and shortcomings. How do you start with volume hiring, here are interesting and important ways to screen the candidates in the volume hiring game.
1. Tests and Assignments
Tests and assessments are the spines of volume hiring and provide information about the candidate’s ability in more than one way. A standard score at the end of the test using a fair point system can shortlist candidates.
The exact process can also be automated using a tool for both the tests and the results. Physical testing on paper is a dated concept and increases the workload with mass hiring. Here are a few tests to consider:
a. Cognitive Ability Test
A cognitive ability test or cognitive ability assessment is the most widely used pre-employment test to gauge candidates’ reasoning and logical abilities. This examination tests spatial reasoning, verbal skills, reading and comprehension, etc., in some domains.
Many technologies and research firms also use CATs to validate problem-solving abilities, critical thinking, and numerical reasoning. The correct test must be tailor-made for the specific job role for the best results.
b. Situational Judgment Test
A situational judgment test or SJT is becoming a prominent test in all domains of hiring. SJTs help companies gauge a person’s ability to handle real-life or at-work situations.
Most of these tests have no right or wrong answers; they’re a way to decipher candidates’ working style, shortlist Ideal Candidate Profiles (ICPs), or allot competency scores for accurate mapping.
2. Role Specific Skill Assessment
These are skill-assessment tests aimed to determine the candidate’s work-abilities to ensure their skills are suitable for the job role. Such a test is specific to the job role and tailor-made for each department.
These are taken during on-the-spot assignments and are a common practice in tech companies. For example, a software engineer is typically asked to write codes to solve a general problem statement.
Like in the case of SJTs, there are no right or wrong answers; it’s merely a scoring of their problem-solving abilities.
3. Culture Fit and Personality
A culture fit, in simple words, gauges if the candidate has a higher likelihood of meeting the core values of both the company and the existing workforce. This is important to build a solid work culture and a welcoming environment for both the candidate and the workplace.
The recruiter must understand the existing company culture and shortlist candidates based on those traits. The candidate’s past work history or their responses to the CAT also serve as valuable metrics. However, companies should remain cognizant of their biases when validating this point of view.
4. Group Discussions
One of the oldest and most trusted screening processes for mass recruitment drives is a group discussion. This technique involves placing a pool of candidates into a debate around a common subject. Each group receives five minutes to discuss or debate the matter.
This open discussion provides significant information about the candidates’ communication skills, reasoning abilities, and perspectives. GDs also allow recruiters to judge a candidate on non-academic qualities.
5. Role-Specific Assessment through POCs
A role POC or point of contact, also called SPOC (single point of contact), is an individual or head of the department who coordinates that division. All information channels from them to narrow down the communication pathway.
This dedicated POC also establishes credible sources, reduces information inaccuracy, and helps streamline a time-sensitive hiring process. The POC of each department must hold these responsibilities to help build this focal point of communication.
6. Personal Interviews
With volume hiring, a personal interview is slightly more tedious but helpful after the first round of screening using one of the above methods.
In today’s age of technology, these occur both online and in person. A dedicated time is given to each candidate, during which the interviewer asks questions to understand the candidate’s personal and professional achievements.
In Closing
When looking at volume recruitment, ensure you always keep quality in mind. With more candidates in the mix, it’s harder to balance quality and quantity. However, the above method will help eliminate redundancies and create a streamlined process.
Companies must also look into recruitment metrics to determine flaws and correct them in time.
