Employers often make consultants run a gauntlet before awarding the contract.
Locking up a consulting gig is no longer a simple matter of applying for a position or job project, scoring well in interviews, and boasting about certifications.
These days consultants, whether hired on an independent basis or on a full-time staff slot, are coming under the same technical skills scrutiny many in the IT field face as formal skills testing and assessment becomes more prominent in recruiting and hiring.
According to training research reports, nearly three quarters of companies are now implementing skills tests and assessments into the hiring process and it's not just limited to full-time positions.
Why test?
Firms use testing to benchmark a candidate's knowledge - validate they're getting what they're paying for - and to prove to clients that the consultant is worth the big bucks.
While it's impossible to study for a skills assessment - you either know it or don't - consultants can do some homework beforehand, especially if they know what type of project work is involved. Here are some tips from recruiters on being prepared for skills testing and assessments:
Getting good help these days
Companies have extended testing and proficiency exams to the IT contractor level, say training experts, to assure that consultants are up to par - especially when they're slated for big-time contract work.
On the flip side, it assures the client that the staff working on their behalf has the needed skills.
Companies incorporating skill tests into the recruitment process reported at 25 percent higher level of satisfaction with chosen candidates than those relying solely on background and reference checks, according to a study by Aon Consulting and the Society of Human Resource Management, a national professional association.
Best weapon
As one training expert says, the skills assessment is hard proof an employer can bring to the contract negotiation table on big number projects since it clearly shows that the client is getting the needed expertise, and getting what they're paying for.
It can also be a financial boon for the indie consultant as well. Skills assessment helps validate project fees and costs, say experts.
According to recent research by GartnerGroup, an IT research and analysis firm, 65 percent of enterprises will implement an IT skills management process for both guiding staffing and assessing learning strategies by 2003.
