Call Center Pre Employment Assessments: How to Use them effectively

3 minute read

Posted by Chris Platts on 13 April 2023

Call centers are the backbone of customer service for many companies. These centers are responsible for answering customer queries, resolving their issues, and ensuring their satisfaction. To ensure that the right candidates are hired for these critical roles, call center pre-employment assessments are becoming increasingly popular. In this post, we’ll define what call center pre-employment assessments are, what different types there are, top tips when using them, and considerations when using one when hiring.

Young woman with microphone working in call center
Young woman with microphone working in call center

What are Call Center Pre Employment Assessments?

Call center pre-employment assessments are tools that employers use to evaluate job applicants’ aptitude for a call center role. These assessments are designed to measure the applicants’ skills, knowledge, and personality traits that are relevant to the job. They can help identify candidates who are the best fit for the job and the organisation. The assessments can also help predict job performance, reduce employee turnover, and improve customer satisfaction.

Different Types of Pre Employment Assessments

There are different types of call center pre-employment assessments, and each type is designed to evaluate different skills and traits. Here are some of the most common types of call center pre-employment assessments:

Cognitive Ability Tests: These tests evaluate an applicant’s ability to learn, reason, solve problems, and comprehend complex information.

Personality Tests: These tests evaluate an applicant’s traits and characteristics, such as communication skills, emotional intelligence, and work ethic.

Job Simulation Tests: These tests evaluate an applicant’s ability to perform job-related tasks and handle customer interactions.

Skills Assessments: These tests evaluate an applicant’s specific skills, such as typing speed, data entry accuracy, and customer service expertise.

Top Tips When Using Call Center Pre-Employment Assessments

When using pre employment assessments, here are some top tips to keep in mind:

  • Choose assessments that are reliable, valid, and job-related.
  • Ensure that assessments are designed to measure the specific skills and traits that are essential for the call center role.
  • Provide applicants with clear instructions on how to complete the assessment and the purpose of the assessment.
  • Use assessments as one part of the hiring process, along with interviews, reference checks, and other evaluation methods.

Considerations When Using Pre Employment Assessments

While pre employment assessments can be beneficial, there are also some considerations to keep in mind:

  • Avoid assessments that may be biased against certain groups of people, such as those based on race, gender, or age.
  • Consider the cost of assessments, including the time it takes to administer and score them.
  • Ensure that assessments are compliant with local laws and regulations, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

In conclusion

Assessments are a useful tool to evaluate job applicants’ aptitude for a call center role. Different types of assessments are available to evaluate different skills and traits. When using call center pre-employment assessments, it’s essential to choose reliable, valid, and job-related assessments, provide clear instructions to applicants, and use assessments as one part of the hiring process. Additionally, it’s important to avoid biased assessments, consider the cost of assessments, and ensure compliance with local laws and regulations. By following these tips, call center employers can hire the best candidates and improve customer satisfaction.

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About ThriveMap

ThriveMap creates customised assessments for high volume roles, which take candidates through an online “day in the life” experience of work in your company. Our assessments have been proven to reduce staff turnover, reduce time to hire, and improve quality of hire.

Not sure what type of assessment is right for your business? Read our guide.

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