Video-Based Employee Testing

[Cheezhead]

Trying to hire the right employees can be a difficult task for human resource mangers. Although resumes and interviews can give some information, neither of these can truly capture the type of employee an individual will be. Because of this the popularity of pre-employment testing is on the rise. Many companies that provide such services are constantly trying to come up with new ways to conduct hiring assessments.

According to a recent press release, Ergometrics has released its video-based employment testing, REACT, created for corrections and probation officers in order to give hiring supervisors and recruiters one of the most up-to-date selection methods. By nature these positions require individuals with a certain personality type. In order to work those who have broken laws the would-be employee has to be strong enough to resist manipulation, yet not given to being violent without provocation. Because of this, personality tests can be very useful for hiring mangers looking to find workers for these positions. Ergometrics has designed REACT specifically to be a video simulation test that will help these recruiters to identify the best possible candidates.

In order to create a test that would effectively find the proper employees to work with offenders, Ergometrics worked for the more than three years to create and perfect REACT. To make sure that the product would work to its future user’s satisfaction, the company partnered with 9 state and county correctional organizations located across the country. REACT was tested using more than 2000 incumbents to analyze job requirements. Another 800 participated in validating the system to make sure that REACT’s test results would match the actual job performance of these individuals.

In regards to why the system is so unique, Ergometrics’ Co-President and Co-Founder Carla Swander said, “It’s the simulation. Correctional professionals work in a unique environment. REACT simulates typical situation that officers face every day, situations that call for level headed response to all kinds of offender behavior.”
“The reason we are so excited to participate in the development of REACT is because we have to deal with every hiring mistake we make,” said Jeff Good, Ramsey County Training Coordinator in the recent press release. “We know from experience that not everyone is suited to work with offenders and, as an organization we need to know what kind of a management challenge we’re getting into before we make jobs offers. REACT finally gives us that crucial information.”