Microsoft Excel is a resourceful tool that helps companies in multiple ways. Excel is a computer software program that uses spreadsheets to organize and analyze the data stored in it. It helps sort data into meaningful categories, allowing users to effectively identify trends and make better decisions. Excel’s various use cases include business analysis, operations management, performance reporting, and managing human resources. It also helps organize strategic analysis, office administration, account management, and project management data. Thus, companies can leverage MS Excel to support tasks and operations based on business needs.
Organizations tend to demand candidates who are skilled in Excel. Various fundamental activities within the business space require candidates with varying levels of Excel skills proficiency. There is a continuous demand for excel skills across all industries, and it does not show any signs of slowing down. Excel has become an industry standard these days. When hiring candidates who possess a knowledge of Excel, employers must trace various factors. The traditional hiring methods have become obsolete as it fails to help recruiters get a 360° view of candidates. Hence, they should instead consider deploying Excel skills testing for employment to get enhanced results.
What is Excel Skills Test?
Excel skills tests are a type of pre-employment test that companies can incorporate at the start of the recruitment funnel. It acts as an effective screening method that the companies can administer to identify the right fit. It allows them to evaluate a candidate’s ability across the Excel domain. Thus, based on the test type, it can help develop an idea about candidates’ proficiency in reading and interpreting Excel spreadsheets, performing basic calculations, and manipulating tables. The questions are role-based that cater to the given organizations, thus illustrating typical situations in Excel.
Employers can prepare the pre-employment Excel skills test for various levels.
For Entry Level / Administrative Job Roles: Organizations may require candidates with basic level MS Excel expertise for entry-level hires. Some of the skills that employers may demand include data filters, data sorting, cell formatting, data validation, Excel shortcut keys, workbook, SUMIF/SUMIFS, COUNTIF / COUNTIFS, page layout management, charts, and analysis, among others. The subject matter experts (SMEs) create scientifically validated and objective questions to get a fair understanding of candidates’ knowledge. Employers can deploy the entry-level Excel skills test to hire for various job roles, including office administrator, admin assistant, secretary, and other positions that pertain to data entry, accounting, finance, and more.
For Senior Level / Excel Specialists / Excel Experts: The advanced Excel functions help to get valuable results for complex queries. Various roles demand advanced Excel expertise like data analysis, data research, and project management. These advanced skills include worksheets, advanced charting, toolbars, VLOOKUP, PIVOT Tables & Reporting, VBA & Macros, and INDEX + MATCH, among others. Mapping the advanced skills of candidates with pre-employment testing gives an idea about the strengths, weaknesses, and room for improvement.
Employers can customize the tests to incorporate the right skills-based questions that the candidate must master. Whether hiring for business analyst, data analyst, auditor, or other job roles, these valuable screening tests can help them hire Excel Experts who meet the job criteria. Hence, it becomes easy for them to source candidates who use Excel as part of the Microsoft Office suite.
What are the benefits of the Excel Skills Test?
The traditional hiring process tends to fall prey to subjective decisions, which makes it difficult to include the desired level of quality and diversity in the job position. The modern talent acquisition method is now switching to more evidence-based, data-driven hiring methods that are enabling recruiters to find quality hires. The skills-based test is administered at the start of the hiring lifecycle so that only those candidates who the desired calibre, cultures fit, and suitability will enter further into the hiring funnel.
The pre-employment Excel skills test produces real-time test results through quantifiable value, enabling only select top-level candidates to reach the next level. Before implementing the test, employers must ascertain the validity of tests to establish the accuracy of test conclusions. They must validate its content, construct, and criteria. It must be reliable to ensure consistency across different testing occasions, editions, and scoring systems. These tests must meet all Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws.
Administering pre-employment tests to map Excel skills help employers make a data-driven decision. The scientific measurements eliminate the dependence on subjective data, thus ensuring that no biases corrupt the decision-making process. The quick data-driven hiring decisions help save time, money, and resources. Moreover, it also helps improve the candidate experience. It brings down the geographic barriers, allowing candidates to undergo a holistic, engaging, and seamless test-taking experience. Companies that value candidate experience are more likely to find the right fit. It helps them reach a wider candidate pool, to improve the diversity and quality of job positions.
To Conclude:
With an Excel skills test, employers can get a comprehensive idea of candidates’ skill sets to know if they are the best fit for the job position. Administering these tests allows employers to hire an Excel expert for different job roles and experience levels.
