In order to make things simpler for employees and employers both, LinkedIn has introduced a new feature called the ‘skills assessment tool’ to help users better represent their professional selves. LinkedIn wants to improve the recruitment process this way, by confirming that the applicants actually have the skills they advertise.
The resume-sharing website is rolling out the feature globally today. In a press release, it wrote,
We want everyone to have access to opportunities based on the skills they have, regardless of their background or where they went to school.
The assessment tests will include short multiple-choice questions and will cover almost all topics including photoshop, coding, spreadsheets, etc.. In the beta version, according to LinkedIn, around 2 million tests were taken and applied for on the platform, hinting at how popular and effective the feature will be.
If the user scores more than 70 percent, he/she will get a ‘verified skill’ badge which, according to LinkedIn, will weigh more than an ‘endorsement’ that is pretty common on the platform.
However, this is not the first time LinkedIn has attempted verifying user skills. Several years ago, the Microsoft owned company started to incorporate tests which helped suggest jobs to the users based on their skills.
Considering how LinkedIn has no way to confirm what background its users are from, the skill assessment tests might help balance things out and help companies pick out the right candidates for the job.
