The technological progress of society and the development of digital solutions have affected society at all levels. Changes are manifested in various spheres, from some common habits and behaviors to working conditions and business. Given the changes in working conditions, more and more technological advances are also affecting the field of human resource management. In addition to the usual challenges of finding the most capable candidates and assessing their characteristics, the area of human resources has been hitherto unseen. Like all industries in the world, COVID-19 has imposed the need for a complete reorganization of work. Accordingly, the testing of potential candidates as we have known them so far has been forgotten. New technologies have introduced innovations such as computerized adaptive testing.

When it comes to abilites and assessments in an organizational context, the predictive value of cognitive abilites is also of great importance (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998). Intelligence tests are an unavoidable aspect of a quality selection process and can be a key factor for various organizational decisions. Therefore, due to the availability and ease of application, digital psychological tests have become a necessary tool for quality assessment. Also, automatic scoring and interpretation of results reduces time and necessary human resources which is why we cannot give them up. But, it was necessary to create new instruments in digital form that would slowly replace traditional paper-pencil tests.

It is not new that in line with the development of technology, digital tests are becoming more and more sophisticated. But the complete revolution in digital testing has been brought by computerized adaptive testing.  If you have not heard of this test yet, you have missed a lot. Computerized adaptive testing or abbreviated CAT is a sophisticated method of measuring a certain ability, which is based on the idea of adapting the test to each individual. Due to the optimization of the test, the time required to solve the test is also reduced. This makes the job much easier for the candidates, in terms of time and energy.

What is computerized adaptive testing and how does it work?

How is it possible that adaptive testing is individually optimized and still has all the metric characteristics of the test met? Adaptive testing involves applying only the most appropriate tasks to each individual by presenting the next one, depending on the answer a person offers on one task. The difficulty of the tasks that a person solves is constantly adjusted during the test to the development of his abilities.

The test begins with an averagely difficult task, after which the branching starts according to the results of the individual. For example, if the first task is solved incorrectly, the next offered task will be from the category of slightly easier tasks. Depending on the next answer, branching will continue. By the same logic, if a person solves another task wrong, he or she will get an even easier task. If the second task is correct, then the candidate is given a slightly more difficult task until his ability is determined. As a rule, most candidates should complete the test through about 15 tasks.

This method allows accurate computer estimation of one’s level of ability, using a significantly smaller number of tasks than is the case with classical tests. Of course, the very development of a computerized adaptive test requires a whole range of psychometric analyzes to create a smaller group of clearly defined tasks, selection and presentation algorithms. Therefore, it is not possible to create this test in paper form.

In collaboration with a professor at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb and the company Selekcija ltd started the project of developing the first Croatian computerized adaptive test. The joint work developed from a detailed analysis of tasks that have been applied for years in the selection of staff and the work of the Selekcija.hr team to the development of the final database of adaptive test tasks and the algorithm for their application.

By creating a digital testing tool, the selection process has accelerated, but it has also become more economical than it was before. Thus, adaptive testing imposed new trends in assessment, but also provided insight into the bright future of the selection process.

Advantages of adaptive testing in candidate selection

When we look back to the beginnings of computer-based testing of cognitive abilities, we can notice that in the not-so-distant past, it was tested with very simple tests. Due to the unavailability of computers, the tests had to be applied on paper. Today, almost every household owns a computer. The adaptive test on Recruiter.hr platform can even be solved on a mobile phone, so there is almost no excuse for candidates about not being able to solve the test.

Furthermore, what we often see in selection is the presence of a candidate discouragement effect when solving aptitude tests on paper. Since they are unfamiliar with standardizing test, respondents may feel discouraged and frightened by solving more difficult tasks. Then the effect of test anxiety is more pronounced. On the other hand, for some candidates, the same tests may be too easy and they may sometimes lose initial interest in solving the test. In this way, the final result of the examinee on the test depends on the level of difficulty of the question to which he answered correctly.

Thus different respondents may have the same number of correct answers, but those who answered the more difficult questions correctly ultimately have a better result. An additional advantage of adaptive testing lies in the reduced ability to rewrite or transmit test information because it generates a much larger amount of tasks that can be different each time.

The progress provided by adaptive testing benefits both, the employer and the candidate. Namely, we often encounter the problem that candidates are employed and cannot attend testing during working hours or are therefore generally unable to participate in a lengthy process. We are also sometimes inclined to test a larger number of candidates in order to select the best one. With adaptive testing, the time frame is greatly reduced and provides more time to get to know the candidate and his or her behavioral characteristics in more detail.

Conclusion

Ultimately, we can notice that the COVID-19 has shaken all the industries, but the challenges have forced us to make progress, especially in business and candidate selection. We can only imagine in which direction CAT technology will develop, but we can agree that the quality of testing has increased rapidly in the age of digitalization and adaptive testing. Given the current advances in testing, general digitization and its benefits, we’ll hardly ever go back to paper-pencil tests again.

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Very often during the selection process the best candidates are the ones who have more work experience, but is this always the case?! When they were looking for employees for their call centre, Xerox stopped assessing people based on work experience, because results showed that previous work experience was not as important for this type of position. What turned out as important is the candidate’s personality…

When selecting candidates we must ask ourselves how important is the candidate’s work experience is and what was the work culture like on his/her previous work position. When interviewing such a candidate we will often come to realize that their work task at a previous job was often repetitive, simple, that they had no autonomy or responsibility and that they were working in a work environment with flexible work morale. We can also come to the conclusion that they were mentored by expert individuals who didn’t train them how to do their job fast and efficient or who, for example, used out-dated work methods. If we reach these kinds of conclusions, this doesn’t mean we will automatically disregard this XY candidate from further selection, but this valuable information can become a basis for defining the employee XY’s prospective training.

One of the first steps in the selection of candidates is going through the CVs of the candidates who applied for the position. In the midst of the colourful CVs, it is common to “get caught” on two categories, education and previous work experience. If a candidate has ample work experience, he is usually “more interesting” to an employer than the one without work experience, regardless of the level of education acquired. But, is this really the case and what are the “traps” hidden by previous work experience?

Big employer’s experience:

“…I don’t go through the CVs anymore before deciding whether to call a candidate to an interview or not ”, says Teri Morse, who supervises the employment of more than 30,000 people in Xerox every year. Instead, they analyze data on candidates who have to pass a test with a series of different questions, which, among other things, assess types of personality and future employee’s success. They have given up on looking at CVs based on previous experience, because data showed that previous experience is not crucial for this job position!  What turned out to be crucial was the candidate’s personality…

Research:

Research somewhat confirms the employers’ experience. In this part we will reflect on more recent research conducted by authors Dokko, Wilk and Rothbard (2008) which test the influence of relevant work experience (in the same industry or profession) on job performance in a different employer’s company. The mentioned research was conducted on a sample of 771 employees and job candidates in two call centres of two major American insurance companies, during which the job performance of the employees was analysed and the development of their skills and their knowledge. The authors tested the correlation of job performance and skills with previous work experience and the work experience in the present company. As it was expected, previous work experience in other companies was connected with higher levels of knowledge and skills which resulted in better evaluations of job performance in the new companies. However, when the authors considered the employee’s initial knowledge and skills they had when entering the company, they got a slightly lower job performance, that is, they saw the „costs“ the experienced employers make for the company. Wilk et al. as expenses list old habits and ways of performing a task which are not necessarily efficient in the new companies and are conceptually called behavioural and cognitive rigidity. They state it is extremely important to make a good estimate of the previous work experience and its effect on job performance so the companies could develop a good selection process, training and socialization of the new employees. They also state that how the new employee fits the organizational structure of the new company is very important, that is, does the new company have similar work culture habits as the previous one where the employee performed the same job. If the new company’s standards are the same as the employee’s expectations which he acquired at the previous position, then we can expect the employee will soon become a part of the company and the quality of his job performance will be superb.

The study also shows that employees who spent more of their work time in insurance companies benefited less from previous work experience in other companies, while it was harder to get rid of negative effects (expenses) which shows that behavioural and cognitive rigidities are very stable (“old habits die hard”). This conclusion can be practically applied – because it points to individual differences in types of personality of the employees, that is, to the level of adaptability which can become crucial when assessing the level of employee’s success at a given workplace.

Note! Job performance can be relatively easily predicted based on the following criteria: work sample, cognitive ability test (intellectual functioning), structured interview, specific knowledge and skills test, integrity test, assessment centres and personality tests (integrity as the most important predictor and emotional stability). Methods that are somewhat less successful in predicting job performance are: recommendations, work experience, number of years spent in school and GPA. Also, in order to select the best candidate you should use as many methods possible, because that way you lower the risk of employment.

Very often during the selection process, the candidates with the most experience are the best ones, but this is not always the case! Top candidate, except work experience, has very good work ethics (high integrity; is detail-oriented and persistent), general intellectuality and good social and communication skills.

Want to know more? You can find more information on the following links

• http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/13552.pdf(Unpacking Prior Experience: How Career History Affects Job Performance; Dokko G., Wilk L.S. & Rothbard N.P., Organization Science, 2008.)
• http://www.siop.org/Workplace/employment%20testing/testtypes.aspx
• https://www.umbel.com/blog/big-data/recruiters-big-data/(Top 5 Things Recruiters Should Ask Their Big Data)
• http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e3561cd0-dd11-11e3-8546-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3CslfhAu7(Forget the CV, data decide careers)

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One of the employers, while expanding his business, decided to take over a café that was closed for months due to co-owners’ property disputes. After taking over the business, the café was losing money, but not because of the location. Of course, we asked the owner what he expected from his waiters and got the answer…

There are several factors that can hinder assessment in the selection process and lead to a wrong conclusion when selecting a candidate. Based on experience in selecting candidates we want to warn you about five crucial things that can distract you when selecting the right candidates:

1.THE HALO EFFECT

The person conducting the selection process can become so enraptured by a particular candidate (for example, by the candidate’s appearance, references, unusual hobby and so on) that the first impression of the person affects the assessment of the relevant aspects of work behaviour and the worker’s efficiency.

Example: almost a hundred years ago, renowned American psychologist Edward Thorndike (1874 -1949) noted that the correlations between the physical appearance and assessing someone’s character are „too high and happen too often“. In the very beginning of his observations Thorndike asked officers to assess their soldiers by comparing their physical traits (posture, voice, constitution and energy) with their psychological traits (are they reliable, loyal, self-aware and cooperative). The results were incredible, because often the officers connected physical appearance with intelligence, leadership skills and character. The stronger the physical appearance, the positive the assessment was, by a third approximately. And in a case of a soldier who had a trait that did not suit the officers, he would, most certainly, get bad marks.

Advice: it is best that different experts who think differently, have different assumptions and think critically conduct the selection process.

2. UNCLEAR CRITERIA 

Prevent unnecessary “wandering” and wasting time when conducting professional selection. This usually happens when you don’t have a clear vision of the job competencies your future employees has to have. That is, this happens when you don’t know all the abilities, skills or traits your candidate has to have. Planning will save your time and energy and also emphasize the seriousness and professionalism in the whole selection process.

Example: One of the employers, while expanding his business, decided to take over a café that was closed for months due to co-owners’ property disputes. After taking over the business, the café was losing money, but not because of the location. Of course, we asked the owner what he expected from his waiters and got the answer: when selecting waiters, he chose people who were reticent, shy and quiet. Of course, because these are the types of waiters he prefers in other cafés; the ones that don’t bother him while he is conducting business deals, but who notice when he needs something. That’s where he made a mistake, because he based his decision on a subjective assessment. Waiters have to be extroverts, because as such they handle different situations well, they are not afraid to be in the centre of attention, they meet clients easily and make friends, which is extremely important for business in which you rely on clients who are satisfied and who come back to your establishment, because they feel comfortable, accepted or even respected and valued there. Take for example a younger man who frequents this establishment and one day, he takes his girlfriend there for the first time. Who would suit him better, a waiter who is distant, reticent, shy and quiet or a waiter who greets him warmly with a friendly gesture and a question that shows they are acquaintances or maybe even friends? In most cafés and clubs waiters have to be extroverts, that is: cordial, friendly, have a lot of energy and they shouldn’t be afraid of taking the centre stage. They also have to be emotionally stabile, detail-oriented, persistent and motivated to get the job done. We can check all of the listed in our „Objective measures“– scientifically-based psychological tests and structured interviews in professional selection.

Advice: find or make a job analysis (or job description), make a detailed analysis of the workplace and if this sounds too complicated, talk to the managers and directors about what they prefer and record their observations, from which you can learn a lot. Also talk to the workers and find out for yourself what it takes to get the job from the job description done.

3. RUSH  

He who works, makes mistakes. When we are in a rush, we are able to make mistakes in assessing the candidates’ competencies, because we need to get the work done and make a decision quickly. Making decisions quickly usually brings more costs, and the costs of making a bad decision when selecting an employee range from 20% to 200% of an employee’s annual salary (for more details look at this article: http://selekcija.hr/2008/09/troskovi-loseg-zaposljavanja/)

Advice: Make serous plans about your personnel politics and before you need new workers or at least try to find adequate (temporary) replacement among your current employees until you find the “right” candidate. Who knows, maybe the temporary solution becomes the permanent solution!

4. INADEQATE OBJECTIVITY OF THE SOURCE

The more sources of assessment you use, the better! Sometimes the selection process is based on reading the CVs and conducting interviews. Candidates are prone to giving the desirable answers and “touching up” their CVs, but also giving false information on the duration of their employment, their position and what tasks they performed with a certain employer.

Advice: use the advantage of standardized psychological tests, because research shows that the use of psychological test enhances the successfulness of the selection interview from 30% to 80%. You can get more details on the following link: http://selekcija.hr/2008/09/cemu-selekcija-zasto-ne-samo-intervju/. In the end we should say that it is best to check the candidates’ references, because they can „tip the scale“ and provide the key information about the candidate.

5. THE ORDER OF PROCCESSING CANDIDATES– notions of primary and recent information are well-known in the educational psychology. In simple terms – we will remember the candidates who were processed early and late in professional selection, that is we will remember the best the couple of first and last candidates.

Advice: make a protocol for recording which you will later use to recall candidates later and make a final decision.

Sources (literature used):

http://humanresources.about.com/cs/recruiting/a/candidatepool.htm

http://managementhelp.org/staffing/hiring.htm

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-select-the-right-applicant-for-the-job.html

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…Contrary to this, here the young and the unemployed believe that no one will hire them and that nothing will change, so there’s no point in trying. So this is how the see job interviews, from the perspective of a desperate man or a pessimist, and no one will hire them as such!

Proactive behavior, in the broadest sense, is every behavior the aim of which is profit – personal and for the people around us in situations in which our superiors and colleagues don’t think there’s a need for this activity and there is no business pressure that this particular activity should be performed, but there are justified reasons that this kind of behavior could lead to profit in the future.

Being proactive includes a proactive analysis of the current situation, a quality prognosis of future outcomes and solving problems which might appear in the future. Being proactive demands responsibility, additional motivation, initiative, understanding the situation, clearly communicating with your superiors, subordinates and colleagues regarding future goals, communicating with clients about their needs and predicting their needs, at the same time thinking both from a bird-eye’s view and top-down perspective, and maybe the most important thing, be ready to constantly change work rhythms. The last is probably the most difficult to find, especially in work atmospheres dominated by the „golden phrase“. “Don’t go against the current”. Cynics might say that being proactive is looking for more things to do and unnecessary „ass kissing“, but in the restless business world of capitalism and especially work, there are not a lot of people who have the luxury of waiting for change to come from the inside.

In his famous book „7 Habits of Highly Effective People“Stephen Covey lists being proactive as the first one. Special emphasis is on the word habit, which means that being proactive makes sense if it is a constant unwritten value within the company.

We can paint the picture of being proactive with the situation in which one partner wants to surprise his significant other with something he knows the other person will like, but it was never specifically asked as a present.

Reactive thinking and behaving is the opposite of proactive thinking. This sort of behavior is often in hierarchically structured and defined jobs which require performing the job a certain way. Own initiative is not clearly expressed and the emphasis lies on doing a certain minimum. For example, we can hardly ask, for example, a professional soldier, delivery man or a patrolman to be proactive.
Reactive way of thinking was beautifully depicted by John Lennon with the lyrics: “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.”.

However, in the world of capitalism and work and working with people, proactive behavior is more than desirable, so we can take as an example an active approach of unemployed people to finding an employment, which leads to getting a job faster. Contrary to this, here the young and the unemployed believe that no one will hire them and that nothing will change, so there’s no point in trying. So this is how the see job interviews, from the perspective of a desperate man or a pessimist, and no one will hire them as such! In the micro-worlds of particular companies, proactive behavior leads to more clients, their satisfaction with services, better prevention of unpleasant surprises.

How to implement proactive behavior? Being proactive starts with the main people in the company, and they do, before everything else, choose their employees. Already during the selection process you can see who is a proactive person and who is not. „Proactive ones“will more or less discretely mention they make their own luck. Further on, if the head management wants, they can send their workers to take various courses or workshops which they think could increase their profit. Besides, head management can encourage workers to produce new and fresh ideas and select the ideas and proposals for improvement. Communicating about being proactive makes the workers believe the leadership of the company and reduces the fluctuation of manpower – and there are „palpable“variables. Proactive thinking can even be a certain tolerance for losers, if it a pledge for profit in the future.

As any sort of behavior can be twisted, bad and deviant, the same way when proactive behavior is concerned there are situations when it is applied the wrong way. The best example are some pharmaceutical companies which first manufacture a medicine, and then look for a disease to fit it or manufacture a medicine, and then artificially move the limits of medical parameters and so use the possibility of placing the medicine on the market.

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