This document discusses important considerations for designing effective tests for assessing job candidates. It notes that a good test is defined by what skills it measures and at what level of expertise, while also considering the experience of the test taker. It recommends keeping tests brief, under an hour, and focusing on what is most important. The document also advises using expert guidance to avoid bias and ensure a test effectively measures the intended skills. It identifies red flags like candidates passing the test but not otherwise fitting the role well.

1. Why Test Design Matters
This blog post is based on the fourth episode of the data-driven recruiting
podcast hosted by CodeSignal co-founders Sophia Baik and Tigran Sloyan.

2. #1
A good assessment is
defined by its
characteristics.
What skills does it need to test for
and what level of expertise does it
need to measure? It should also
consider the experience of the test
taker.
Designing what you consider to be a
perfect test doesn’t really matter if
you’re torturing the subject that’s
taking it.

3. #2
Anything over an hour
and people will be
turned off.
What’s the best advice to keep it
brief?
Step back and determine what really
matters.
There may be questions you need
answered or skills you want to
measure but take the time to
evaluate if you have to get those
answers at THIS stage of the game.

4. #3
Use experts to ensure
you’re implementing
something that will be
effective.
Creating an effective assessment
often requires outside expertise.
Your in-house team can come up
with a series of problems or
questions, but will those measure
skills fairly or be free of bias?

5. #4
Pay attention to these
red flags:
● Candidates that are passing
your assessment but not doing
well in the rest of the process.
● Candidates that upon further
review would have made a
great fit but didn't pass the
test.
● Candidates that are unhappy
about the proces

6. Learn more at CodeSignal.com