Time Management test

Recruiters can have their work cut out for them when searching for the best candidates. Thankfully, there are many tools and resources available to simplify the process. However, selecting the most efficient person for the job can be challenging when they have numerous applicants. 

Is there a time management test for hiring managers to use? Yes, there is, and many organizations already utilize it in their recruiting processes. This guide will cover the aspects of a time management test, how to analyze the results, and use the information to hire the best candidates possible. 

What Is a Time Management Test?

A time management test is a short questionnaire that candidates will complete during the hiring process. This pre-employment screening step can provide employers with information about the individual’s skills and how they handle workloads and navigate workplace stress. 

This situational judgment technique offers candidates a series of relevant workplace situations where they must juggle priorities, gauge tasks, and achieve productive outcomes. These real-world examples are good indicators of a person’s ability to prioritize and navigate multiple functions within a specified time frame. 

It is not a lengthy questionnaire and should only take an individual approximately 10 to 20 minutes to complete, depending on the complexity of the questions involved. A time management test will include multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions that cover different areas common to workplace situations, including: 

• Forcing candidates to prioritize urgent and critical tasks
• Scheduling group and individual duties
• Working around opposing obstacles 
• Estimating timelines of all necessary work 
• Challenging candidates’ attention to detail 
• Reflecting and communicating positive and negative outcomes 

This pre-employment screening technique is more common for middle management or higher roles where time management is necessary for optimal success. However, some organizations may invoke this test for all candidates regardless of the available position. 

Soft skills that you can find within a time management test include: 

• Prioritizing  
• Planning 
• Executing 
• Communicating and Reflecting 

Prioritizing

The first step in effective time management will be to prioritize tasks. There will often be multiple things that require immediate attention or contain strict deadlines in many realistic scenarios. 

Eligible candidates who complete a time management test will have the chance to show their abilities. In addition, hiring managers can analyze their results for quick decision-making, production, and if they can look at the entire picture. 

Planning 

The next step in effective time management is the planning stage. Developing a strategy to execute is vital to increasing production and minimizing task areas that are repetitive or unnecessary. 

Recruiters can view how individuals arrange work according to priority, consider deadlines, and allocate multiple team members' work. 

Executing 

The execution stage in the time management test allows the applicant to display their strategies for invoking a pre-set plan. Test scenarios may include dynamic situations where needs change during execution to reflect how adaptable a person is to the evolving priorities. 

Highly skilled candidates will possess exceptional execution traits while coordinating with team members to resolve the scenario effectively. Their testing results can show whether they handle the majority of a situation alone or delegate tasks for optimal efficiency. Another critical factor in the execution process is delegating to other individuals who possess unique attributes to perform specific duties.  

Communicating and Reflecting 

Candidates who focus on continuous communication throughout each phase will show recruiters if they are team players and accept changing priorities as necessary. Consulting with others to prioritize, plan, and execute will ensure that the tasks will be effective and productive. 

When using time management strategies, hiring managers can review if an individual uses the time to reflect on what worked well and what areas need work. Those who make a conscious effort to analyze the process once it’s complete are more apt to use the information moving forward for future situations. 

How to Use Time Management Tests In the Hiring Process

With such great information to gather from a time management test, recruiters may wonder how to begin using it in their hiring process. 

Integrating a time management assessment into your recruiting strategy can provide insight into a candidate's ability to focus on the task at hand and minimize distractions. Their test results may also depict how good they can be at taking charge of a stressful work situation to maintain productivity and efficiency. 

However, using a time management test when screening potential employees is not the only way to select the best person for the job. Recruiters should recognize that this tool is just one method that provides information about an individual’s soft skills. 

When interviewing people, hiring managers must use a comprehensive approach and include various techniques to make a well-rounded, qualified decision on new hires. Potential employees may have the opportunity to complete this questionnaire when applying for an open position, during the interview process, or in the final stages as short-listed candidates. 

There is no one perfect way to use a time management test during the hiring process. Instead, organizations should explore which recruiting phase will be best suited for integrating it for optimal feedback. Hiring managers may also customize the timing of these assessments, depending on the open role.  

How to Assess and Use a Time Management Test for Hiring

Naturally, recruiters will have a specific approach to assessing test results when examining candidates for a position. Knowing how to use the test results from a time management questionnaire will be vital in determining a potential employee’s skills and abilities. 

Some things to look at when analyzing an individual’s results include: 

• Do they have tasks in a logical and strategic order, or do tasks overlap, wasting time and resources?
• Can they allocate duties to others in an effective manner for optimal productivity? 
• Are they showing they can meet strict deadlines? 
• Did they make mistakes in any phases surrounding prioritizing, planning, executing, communicating, and reflecting? 
• Do they appear resourceful and dynamic when goals change? 
• How do they seem to handle tight deadlines or stressful workplace situations? 

Recruiters should be open to discussing the results with a candidate. There may be circumstances where their answers seem unorthodox, but their proposed methods may be highly effective after a consultation and discussion about their solutions. 

Recruiting for Time Management

Time management is a soft skill that many employers focus on with potential employees. Individuals who have the technical knowledge to do the job and the soft skills to be influential team members will help drive the company’s success. 

One common tool that recruiters will use and look for in applicable candidates is their ability to use the Eisenhower Matrix. This dynamic focuses on how an individual prioritizes tasks according to urgency, importance, and delegation.

High-Scoring Candidates

Individuals who can successfully achieve an ideal balance of completing urgent tasks on time, finishing important ones later, and delegating others often score higher on these tests. In addition, recruiters may see how a candidate uses a conscious effort when planning each task for optimal efficiency. 

Candidates who offer high-scoring results on a time management test may integrate into an organization seamlessly. There is a good chance they will adapt quickly and work effectively in the role. 

Low-Scoring Candidates

Alternatively, those who will present low scores on a time management test may require more training if offered the position. This way, employers can prepare their new employees for success in the workplace by providing the essential resources they need to perform their roles efficiently.  

If recruiters prefer a potential candidate for a position but that candidate scores lower on a time management test, it does not mean they aren’t suitable for the job. Some individuals may possess the technical skills and knowledge to be exceptional in the role but require some guidance on time management. 

Hiring managers can communicate with the management team when choosing individuals who may require further training to succeed in their job. 

Time Management Test: Considerations for Recruiters

If an organization wants to integrate a time management test for hiring new employees, there are some vital considerations to keep in mind. Implementing new processes and procedures can be challenging, so knowing these critical points will help recruiters as they move forward and use time management tests for hiring. 

• Time management skills vs time management techniques 
• Effective time management is not a personality trait
• It is only one part of the hiring process 
• Some candidates do not perform well on tests 
• Look at the big picture 

Time Management Skills vs Time Management Techniques 

When analyzing time management test results, recruiters should be aware of the differences between an individual’s skills and techniques. These are two separate aspects of time management. 

To break it down into simpler terms, a skill is an action a person can do, and a technique is a way to do the activity effectively. So, while skills and techniques are closely related, they are separate elements of an individual’s time management process. Therefore, using calendar reminders is a technique of practical time management skills.

Effective Time Management Is Not a Personality Trait 

It can be hard to distinguish between personality traits and skills an individual possesses. Therefore, hiring managers should understand that effective time management is not a personality trait but a skill someone can learn and develop. 

For example, punctuality is a personality trait, while meeting deadlines effectively is a time management skill. It can be challenging for an individual to alter their personality traits. However, employees can learn how to develop productive skills for the workplace. 

It Is Only One Part of the Hiring Process 

Employers should not rely entirely on a time management test for hiring new candidates. While these assessments are terrific tools to indicate which potential employees have the soft skills they want in a role, using a comprehensive hiring process is necessary. 

Using multiple methods and techniques to short-list candidates will simplify a recruiter’s job. It can also help hiring managers choose the best person for the job, as one method may not reflect some of the individual’s key attributes, although others may. 

Some Candidates Do Not Perform Well On Tests 

Unfortunately, completing assessment tests is not an easy task for many individuals. The interview process can be exhausting and create anxiety for a nervous candidate. As a result, some individuals may not score well on a time management test but can perform well in real-life situations. 

Recruiters should keep in mind that there is always room for error, and these assessments are not 100% accurate or foolproof. Consequently, by using more than one method in the hiring process, organizations can better understand how a candidate will fare in a job situation.  

Look at the Big Picture 

A hiring manager should always look at the bigger picture when analyzing candidates for an open role. Although time management tests are helpful in the hiring process, there is much more beyond an individual’s test results. 

For example, a candidate may show exceptional skill at delegating specific tasks by choosing the best co-workers for the job. Not everyone can read into different personalities and tune into other people’s best attributes. Someone who can look beyond the task at hand can be a successful part of a team. 

The Takeaway

Hiring managers will include several tools and resources when examining potential employees for positions. One of the best methods to find individuals with optimal efficiency in the workplace is to have a time management test for hiring processes. 

Many organizations currently use time management tests as part of the recruiting process. Results from an assessment can indicate how a candidate works through prioritizing tasks, developing a plan, executing duties, and following up after completion. 

However, employers should remember that these pre-set questionnaires are not the only tool necessary to choose candidates. So, including a wide variety of resources when screening potential employees will provide the most comprehensive results to make an informed decision on filling a role. 

When implemented correctly, the time management test is a terrific way to analyze an individual’s skills and abilities in real-life work situations.