The Hired Guns Blog

Will Future Grads Need Standardized Tests to Get Hired?

The Hired Guns on November 3, 2011

Hiring methods continue to evolve, but it’s safe to say that at most companies, their success rates are inconsistent and hard to predict. But if one startup’s product gains traction, getting entry-level talent in place just might become less painful, and a lot more reliable. The Certified Baccalaureate Test (aka “The Business Test”) is designed to give companies consistent metrics for measuring candidates’ skills in basic accounting, general marketing, finance, business writing, and other corporate-America staples — including excellence in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The questions were devised with input from business-school professors — no word on what input (if any) corporations may have had in determining what went on the test.

The startup that launched the test last year, GF Education, is marketing the test scores as a good way for job candidates to set themselves apart. GF Education’s founder, Guy Friedman, told Forbes that he hopes to bring “meritocracy” to the market, since the scores will apply to grads from all sizes and types of schools. The test will cost $500 in the future, but it’s currently $199. One nice touch: candidates who manage to score in the top 30% but fail to get a job in six months can get their exam fee refunded. In addition, high scorers’ details are passed along to a gaggle of recruiters and to companies who ask to see this list. It’ll be interesting to see if this idea catches on, and how it changes the way companies staff up.