21 Apr
Technical tests are the most effective (and efficient) way to determine whether somebody really knows their stuff or not. With the surge in demand for tech talent, technical tests are an effective way to sift through the candidates and find the best one. However, there are various challenges when it comes to recruiting tech staff due to the tech-laden CVs and decoding their know-how during interviews. Thankfully, technical tests are here to make the recruitment process more manageable.
A technical test is a set of tasks aimed at measuring the applicant's technical (coding) knowledge. These tasks often require the candidate to code, debug, and solve a problem within a specific time frame.
The idea behind such tests is that a candidate without the necessary skills cannot even start the tests. So, these tests are the best way to find out whether the candidate can do the job or not.
Technical aptitude is the ability to get things done most efficiently and effectively. While this term is often used interchangeably with technical skills and expertise, they are different.
Technical skills focus on how well a person can use a certain tool or language—for example, knowing how to use Java for web development or knowing how to use C++ for embedded systems development. While this is necessary, technical skills don't guarantee a person's ability to complete the work.
On the other hand, technical aptitude is the ability to complete the work in the most efficient manner possible.
The most common form of technical aptitude is the ability to debug and troubleshoot problems. Such troubleshooting ability is the most important thing in a software engineering role. In fact, this is the one skill that can greatly change your company's fortunes.
A good developer knows how to design and develop software efficiently. They can use their technical knowledge and understanding of the problem to develop the best solutions. A technical test is the best way to measure technical knowledge and aptitude.
The pace of change in the tech industry is extremely fast. The tech stack used to create a software product one year is not the same as today. Hence, hiring the right people to work on your product is crucial.
So, how can you be sure that a candidate will be able to get the job done?
The most efficient way is to look beyond the candidate's technical skills and delve deeper into their technical aptitude.
Technical aptitude is the critical variable for success in software development. When you are looking for a programmer to hire, you are looking for someone skilled at programming. Still, you are also looking for a person who can learn on the job, someone who can figure out what the problem is and solve it, someone who can do the job now, and perhaps most importantly, someone who will be able to keep learning more and more in the future.
Technical aptitude is more important than technical skills. While a technical test is a good way to measure a person's technical knowledge, it is the technical aptitude of a person that will help them continue to learn, grow and improve their skills.
If you need to hire tech staff, you need the right set of skills assessment tests to determine their qualifications. Kandio is a curated skill-testing marketplace with assessment tests. Get started with us today!
Kasper is a serial entrepreneur who is on a mission to disrupt technologies and industries. In his spare time, he joins marathons and enjoys adventures in the great outdoors. As the CEO and Founder of Kandio, he is laser-focused on designing user experiences to make hiring a lot easier with Kandio’s growing library of assessment tests.
Kasper Dam