CANDIDATE AUTHENTICATION AND SCORE VERIFICATION IN ONLINE TESTING
30 May 2006
Assessment specialist PSL is proud to announce a significant security enhancement in online testing. By implementing sophisticated IRT - item response theory - scoring methodology they are now able to identify candidates who may have had assistance whilst completing online reasoning tests.
Drawing from their extensive data bank of scores - collected from candidates completing online tests - PSL are able to assign marginal probabilities to candidate’s responses and indicate whether an applicant’s pattern of responses is likely to be unusual.
PSL are able to achieve this by using Bayesian scoring techniques. This technique will allow test administrators to see if applicants’ response patterns are typical of those completing an online test.
PSL is at the forefront of research in this area and this latest development is an extension of a study first presented by PSL at the British Psychological Society DOP conference.
“Using a range of sophisticated algorithms we can spot unexpected responses and scores,” says Richard Alberg, Chief Executive of PSL. “We can then recommend to clients for which candidates supervised retesting would be useful. In this way clients receive all the efficiency and cost benefits of unsupervised online assessment whilst dramatically reducing the risks of cheating. This is an example of PSL’s cutting-edge R&D delivering practical benefits to our clients and is just one of the reasons why so many employers are switching to PSL.”
PSL is one of the UK’s leading suppliers of online tests and their clients include Cadbury Schweppes, Deloitte, the European Personnel Selection Office, HMV, Lloyds TSB, Siemens Business Services, Superdrug and Toyota.
For more information about PSL’s online tests, please call 020-8585 2345 e-mail info@psl.com
Weblink: www.psl.com Background notes: Founded in 1989, PSL develops ability tests and personality questionnaires, for selection and development, and it provides consultancy and training. For further information about PSL - or if you’d like to speak to Richard Alberg, Chief Executive of PSL, about online psychometric testing - please call Michael Gegg on 020 8585 2334 or e-mail him at michaelg@psl.com
Tags: personality tests, psychometric testing>
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Recruitment Consultant Forum!
On Friday I was pointed towards an interesting website Erexchange which I had not heard of before, it is obviously American and appears to be a culmination of various experts in the field of HR and recruitment and their Blogs. I thought I would join to see what happens.
I took a look at one of the recent article in regards to “Recruiting is Sales: How to Become a Better Salesperson Today”, which I must admit I enjoyed and certainly is something I am in agreement to.
In regards to the way the site works I am not completely sure, although it appears to be an excellent source of information from various experts in the recruitment field and for consultants chat on a topic, in the meantime I will keep an eye on it.
What it has done is open an opportunity to discuss the comparisons between the UK and The American system, as I am told the American system operates to a far higher standard!
Use recruitment software but do not spend a fortune!
I was going to go into more depth about Recruitment Software although I would be biased. The reason is that after 20 years in Recruitment I have finally stepped sideways to join Arithon as their UK Sales Manager. I was so impressed with their software after using it for the last 2 years; I knew I felt comfortable in promoting it. If you remember Victor Kiam, “I loved the product so much so I bought the company”, that seems to be a relevant quote here.
I have gone into more detail in regards to their software prior to joining Arithon, which you can find on this website. What I will say is that the reason I joined Arithon, is because as an ex user, this software is ideal for small to medium sized Recruitment Consultancies. When you consider bespoke software for recruitment consultancies can be so expensive and it is often developed in house for the larger consultancies, you will find that Arithon will enable you to compete at a fraction of the cost. More importantly it isn’t going to eat up your funds, at £50 a month per user; it makes it the most competitive on the market, with all the functions you could want.
The key in this business is not to waste money but use it where it is going to bring revenue, so it was such an easy decision for me not to spend a few thousand pounds on a Recruitment Software package, but instead spend it on advertising and marketing, where I knew it would bring in revenue. In addition as it is a database, I also I knew I could upgrade it later. Fortunately Arithon is always trying to be one step ahead of the competition, so I never needed too.
As this section is about starting out, I felt it is important to give an alternative, but if you are on a very tight budget then it would be worth considering an off the shelf database package, such as Maximiser. I used this 10 years ago and it was fine; although it isn’t for recruitment it will be cheaper and will get you up and running if cost is an issue.
I could go on forever about the attributes of Arithon but I suppose that’s why I joined them.
Tags: recruitment software
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How to get the most out of Banks
I have to admit I have generally been very disappointed with banks; they are never there when you need them, but what I have learnt is how to deal with them to get the best out of the relationship.
The problem with banks they are only supportive of cast iron companies, when it comes to trying to get a loan to start your business. The problem is that the relationship is based on a points system the computer gives you. If you learn how to play the system you can get the best out of it.
The most important thing to remember is to go with a bank that has a face to the business, someone who is allocated to help and give support but remember some of these people are not that qualified so ask plenty of questions and see more than one bank.
At this point I have an opportunity to get my own back with Barclays Bank, because my experience with them apart from the fact they were unprofessional i.e. they didn’t even know who was my local chamber of commerce was, but they actually managed to steal £5000 from me, I know this is a strong statement but the only correct one, unfortunately I didn’t have the money to take them to court even though I had all the documented evidence, I just didn’t have the time the resources or the money and it was more important to focus on the more immediate issues at the time. If Barclays take offence to this entry I look very much to meeting them in court.
Now I have got that off my chest I will give you a few pointers
• Always keep the banks full informed
• Keep them up-to-date with changes in the company
• Never go overdrawn unless it is to an agreed amount and never go beyond this
• Ensure good regular turnover
• Never give personal guarantees for overdrafts
If you do all this when the time comes and you need a loan etc you will find it much easier and even though you where refused at the beginning, it may only take 6 months to get the green light next time.
My final advice is never go into the red, look at your business and adjust the way you operate, fire those that are not productive, be smart with your advertising and stick to the basics, because banks can pull the plug at a whim. This is a true test of ones ability to manage a company, asking for more money isn’t dealing with the true issues it just delays the inevitable.
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Some Last Tips for Your Interview
I have seen quite a few interview books that claim they have every possible interview question and although they can help, fundamentally it really is down to whether the company likes you or not, because at the end of the day no matter how well qualified you are, if they do not like you you will not get the job, it maybe just B.O. or dirty shoes but it can be enough to put the interviewer off.
Also there is something that will always make the difference is personality, in fact you can go a long way on this alone, even when you may not be suitable! There is this gut feeling you get when you interview a candidate when you know they arejust right.
I suppose the question is why? Not an easy answer but there is this quality that stands out when the interviewer just knows that this candidate is the idea fit. It is when all the other points come together, the way you dress, the research you have done and then the way you present yourself. The final key is to be confident, smile and you get on with the interviewer
As I said "if you have enjoyed the interview then so have they". You also need to remember this point, you wouldn’t have the interview if the company didn’t think you were suitable in the first place, so don’t disappoint them by turning up late, not doing your research, and make sure you are dressed smartly and finally you believe in yourself!
Tags: interview tips
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Do You Need Unbiased Help for your Interview?
When it comes to these Job Interview Tips, I was thinking that not everyone has the benefit or help of a Recruitment Consultant or mentor, so as to help why not post your questions to me, that is of course if you do not find anything in my previous posts.
You can email me at stephen@recruitment-views.com or post your question in the comments section of this post and I will pick it up. Having helped thousands of job hunters over the last 20 years I would like to think I can give some advice.
Interviews for a new job can be daunting affair and therefore a little help and support can go a long way, in fact helping people to succeed in getting their ideal job is something I have always enjoyed.
Also don’t forget it is the job of the recruitment consultant to help you so make sure you quiz them, because they often have some insider knowledge that can make all the difference.
Tags: job interview tips
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Do You Need A Partner to Start a Recruitment Consultancy?
When starting your own recruitment consultancy I posed the question do you need a partner?
This is a question I think must go through the mind of many a recruitment consultant when he or she decides to start their own consultancy. In some instances it can work and it can work superbly well, but it is really dependant on the partnership and what it is built on. In saying that I suggest you think about the divorce rates, because a partnership is a marriage fantastic at first but when it falls apart it can be just as messy.
Over the years I have interviewed and spoken to a number of recruitment consultants and some of their stories have been horrendous, you do not need to look at recruitment either to see some of these disasters.
In my opinion the main reasons for going into partnership, is your own lack of confidence but trust me, recruitment is a business where it isn’t necessary to have a partner. I also remember my accountant advising me NOT to go into partnership, if only I had listened, hindsight is a wonderful thing!
At this point I was going to compile a list of pros and cons for going into a recruitment partnership, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it I would then be a hypocrite, so I will leave that to you so that you convince yourself that a Recruitment partnership it is a good idea.
There are many arguments for and against, so I have decided to sit on the fence and say “DON’T DO IT” because it will end in tears. My advice is believe in yourself, you can do this or you may pay dearly with a partner.
Tags: startup recruitment consultancy
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Great Free Photo Software
I know this is a little off track and nothing to do with recruitment but I have posted it none the less because I loved it. Google have launched a product called Picasa which is an excellent piece of free software for arranging your Photos.
But this isn’t quite the reason why I liked it and decided to promote it, it was the fact that when I loaded it onto my computer it was able to search all the files for my photos and found ones that I thought I lost, so for that I will be forever grateful.
In addition it has a lovely interface and is simple and easy to use so if you take digital photos it is worth having a look at.
Tags: Free Photo Software
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Recruitment and RSS Feeds
I do not know if you are like me but there is so much talk about RSS feeds I just couldn’t get to grips with it and how it could benefit me, let alone how it would work with recruitment. Today I am pleased to say I now get it and it was a eureka moment! In fact it is perfect for recruitment it is just a case of really knowing how it works and how to use it.
In essence the RSS feed is a link that is regularly updated but when you combine this with a feed reader you then get to see any automatic updates live, in other words as soon as totaljobs or the recruiting company posts a new vacancy this will automatically appears on your feed reader, how smart is that.
The benefits are obvious for one it saves you going to their website every five minutes or receiving emails that get lost in the system. But for me it has gone one step further I now get feeds for all the news I want i.e. whenever some thing new happens at my favourite club I get the news when it happens etc.
In essence what it does is brings to life those favourites you have put on your browser but rarely go back to and so we miss the new developments and updates. Microsoft has developed something similar, but I have gone with http://www.netvibes.com/ which is free and is the first one I came across. Microsoft’s version is in beta and can be found at http://www.live.com/ but for me I prefer Netvibs, I will leave it with you to decide which is best.
To finish it took me months to work out how to use an rss feed, so in case you don’t get it like me it is usually Orange icon 
you see on the page or your see some reference to it on the page in fact if you go to my home page you will see both on the right hand side. Next you click on it and a new page opens, when that page opens it will contain a lot text. Next you want the url in the address box at the top of the browser not the text. It is obvious when you know but I am not going to tell you how many months it took me to find out.
The Day of the Interview
Finally it is the Day of the Interview and it is important not to panic and not to worry, because by now you should be completely prepared and you are at your very best.
The key is to arrive early, as there is nothing worse than turning up late; apart from it looking unprofessional, it sets a negative from the beginning. I suggest you arrive 10 minutes before your allotted time. When you are introduced to the interviewer you need to be confident and go straight up to him and say "Hello Mr Smith, I am very pleased to meet you" at the same time, shake their hand firmly and ensure that you haven’t sweaty palms! (NB a firm dry hand shake is a sign of confidence).
Also while I remember the ONLY thing you should take into the interview, is a pen, a note pad and your presentation or curriculum vitae. There is nothing more embarrassing when you open your brief case and your sandwich falls out plus umpteen reams of paper.
When you are asked to be seated, positioning is important if you sit directly face to face this can be seen as aggressive, so it is better to be slightly sideways on, as this shows confidence and is unthreatening.
During the interview pay full attention and relax, enjoy the interview because if you have enjoyed the interview, then more than likely the interviewer has too. When the interviewer asks you about your background or specific roles, this is a good time to refer to your presentation and show them your certificates, wage slips or the league table position, because picture evidence confirms what you are saying and shows credibility.
It is important to bear in mind that when an interviewer asks a questions, there is generally a hidden question beneath it. To have a clue, it is important to read the vacancy advert one more time before you arrive, as it will help you understanding what they will be looking for. Some company websites can give the game away completely, if you read their career pages carefully.
To give you some idea a recruitment advert may say, “We are looking for dynamic and assertive team orientated candidates”. So when the Interviewer says “do you belong to any clubs or do any sport?” What they are really asking, is “are you a team player and competitive?”
When you are asked a difficult question or you may not know the answer, a good tip is to ask them to repeat the question, thereby giving you more time to formulate an answer, if you still do not know, then tell them you will get back to them at a later date..
When the interview comes to a close it is always important to finish in a positive way, particularly if the role is for a sales position, as they will be expecting you to close the interview or ask them for the job. So when they ask "have you any more questions?" refer to your presentation to check all is covered and then say "no, you have covered everything I wanted to know and I would just like to say thank you for the opportunity to meet you today and is there anything else you would like to know and do you feel I am suitable for this position?" At this point he or she will either say yes or no or some other excuse, it is important here if they say no to find out what their reservation is is and then try to over come it rather than accept it.
The key is to ensure at the end of the interview you know what happens next, either a second interview, an offer or to call back, there is nothing worse than leaving the interview in limbo.
Other than that I wish you the best of luck.
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