Teachers give tests to students to determine if they’re meeting standards.

It’s a simple, one-way relationship. The teacher is in charge, and the student must measure-up to get a good grade.

Since our formative years were spent in the education system, we tend to look at all assessments from this perspective.

During the recruiting process, the recruiter often “gives the assessment” and then lets the prospect know if their skills/competencies/strengths are acceptable.

Take a minute to view this issue from the prospect’s perspective.

They’re often asking: Is this opportunity a good fit for me?

Assessments can help answer this question, but only if it’s presented to the recruiting prospect as a benefit–not just a pass/fail evaluation tool.

Try pitching it this way:

We have a quick assessment tool that will help you learn about your strengths and figure out if working in this role is a good fit for you.

On the backend, the assessment should not only help you learn more about your prospects, but also fuel productive follow-up discussions during the recruiting process.

Always lead with what’s best for the recruiting prospect—it’s the posture that resonates with the highest performers.