Accountability tests are designed to assess how connected a candidate is to the requirements of the role they're applying for, and how likely they are to show discipline, ownership and integrity.
Accountability tests look at a series of different skills, beliefs and attributes in a bid to see how responsible a prospective employee is likely to be.
Tests vary by provider, but typically candidates will be given a series of hypothetical scenarios and asked to select the answer options which, in their opinion, are most or least likely to resolve the issue at hand. This gives employers a good sense of the candidates' overall character, and how well their answers align with the vision, ethos and objectives of the company.
Accountability tests are increasingly used as part of the recruitment process as they can be a really good indicator of an individual's character, and can help employers to determine whether they're likely to fit well into the role, team and overall business.
To do well on an accountability test, a candidate needs to demonstrate how aligned they are to the vision of the company. They need to show evidence that they are comfortable with the responsibilities of the role, that they respect the overall ethos of the company, and that they understand what it takes to work with integrity and discipline.
In an accountability test, a candidate may be assessed on how they handle mistakes, make difficult decisions when they are liable for results, and hold themselves accountable to a company’s mission and goals.
An accountability test can be a useful addition to the hiring process. Not only will it give richer insights about the candidates being considered, but it also helps prospective employers to assess people in a more objective way, and can bolster knowledge of different candidates' strengths and skills.
Being accountable means being responsible for your decisions, behaviour and actions. An accountability test can help employers and recruiters to see whether a candidate is likely to deliver tangible results and take ownership of the decisions they make.
These soft skills can be hard to effectively evaluate through more traditional recruitment processes such as reviewing resumes or interviews. By asking candidates to take an accountability test, employers get additional information that can aid the decision-making process.
Accountable staff are responsible for their actions; they take constructive criticism, learn from their mistakes and are committed to achieving excellent results. So it really is an important characteristic to look for in prospective employees.
Accountability tests can be used in a huge variety of roles, including:
Accountability is so important, but it's often forgotten in the hiring process. Businesses with accountable staff are likely to have higher employee morale, progressive culture and better levels of productivity.
You are working in a product development team. Some of the team members are focused on developing ‘product X’ quickly, as they believe it is unnecessary to spend too much time on a product that has many successful competitors in the market.
You know that this lack of attention to detail will later lead to quality issues and unsatisfied customers, creating problems that can be easily avoided now if the team takes time to develop the project properly. You worry a rushed product will hurt both the reputation of your team and the company.
What would you do?
Share your concerns with the product team leader and propose a clear action plan for moving forward with the development of ‘product X’.
Track the decisions made by the team members that you disagree with and then monitor relevant metrics when the product is live to see if your predictions were accurate.
Talk to some of the team members, outlining the pros and cons of the actions taken so far, trying to persuade them to develop a better quality product.
Request a meeting with the product development director and suggest the product be reassigned.
Results for the Accountability Test along with other assessments the candidate takes will be compiled to produce a candidate report.
The report is automatically generated and available both online and as a downloadable pdf so they can be shared with other team members and employees alike.
In Neuroworx's accountability test, candidates will need to answer a range of situational judgment questions that challenge a candidate’s competency in accountability. The test is designed to indicate how accountable the decisions a candidate makes are, which can then be compared to the scores of other applicants.
The test presents a scenario for the candidates to review before selecting what they believe to be the most and least effective actions to take in response. The other available options are mostly generic mistakes or misconceptions, which makes the test challenging and helps measure a candidate's ability more accurately.
During the development process, the test was rigorously analyzed to maximize reliability and validity in line with industry best practices. It was created and tested by psychometric experts, and designed to assess accountability in a sample of job applicants who have varying professional experience.
Each test is reviewed by a panel of individuals representing diverse backgrounds to check for any sensitivity, fairness, face validity and accessibility issues. This ensures each candidate has a fair chance of demonstrating their true level of expertise.
Our accountability test is monitored to ensure it is up-to-date and optimised for performance.
Validated
Neuroworx provides evidence-based recommendations for tests to use for over 750 jobs. Our recommendation engine leverages data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).
Start
Instant access to our full testing suite.
All our Accountability tests are written by accredited psychologists and fully validated.
We offer Accountability tests for all levels so you can assess all roles within your organisation.
Automate
Streamline hiring with our out-of-the-box tools.
Automated actions such as alerts and reminders ensure a smooth candidate experience.
Receive candidate results in real-time so you can make decisions in hours, not days.
Hire
Improve hiring with bias-free, data-driven decisions.
Our full array of candidate performance metrics will provide actionable data on each of your candidates.
Simple, easy-to-use candidate comparison reports mean you don’t need to be a psychologist to interpret them.
Testimonials
Provides all the data and high-level metrics we need to make fast hiring decisions. Neuroworx has been particularly helpful in scaling our operations since we moved to remote working.
Focusing on data reduced the subjective decision making from our hiring process and allowed us to reduce bias and make better hiring decisions.
We used Neuroworx as part of our Finance Graduate Scheme recruitment and it was just what we needed – really simple to send candidates the link to complete and clear to see how they all compared. And great value for money!
Origins
Accountability can be viewed as both a quality and a skill. For many people it's intrinsic; for other people it takes work. But by demonstrating accountability, you show your employer that you're committed to the overall vision of your company or the company you're seeking to work for.
Accountability is about taking ownership of something, whether good or bad. Whereas responsibility can refer to a more defined set of objectives or requirements that you need to fulfil to meet the requirements of your role.
Yes. Simply sign up (no credit card is required) and we'll give you unlimited access for seven days. Create as many jobs and test as many candidates as you want; you won't be charged a penny.
Neuroworx offers monthly or annual subscriptions for businesses of all sizes, so choose one that best fits your needs. You can also contact us to discuss the possibility of a custom plan suited to your specific needs. You can check out our subscription plans here.