?? So... the job market is a dumpster fire

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Hey ??

Welcome back to this week's volume of ?? On The Clock.

A while back, this viral post from a marketer talking about their job search popped up on my LinkedIn feed:

Calling this a dumpster fire might be... too kind ??

It's not just that the marketer had to complete math equations on an aptitude test that had (clearly) been copied and pasted from whatever hiring software the company was using.

Or that they were penalized for having the audacity to click out of their browser during the test.

What stuck out to me was the 700+ comments from people sharing similar experiences in this absolutely brutal job market. Just look at this:

I mean… philosophical frameworks and advanced cell biology for a copywriting role? ??

The post is just one example of how employers are using tech like skills tests in the wrong way. By taking shortcuts, they are actually short-circuiting their own hiring processes and freezing out really good candidates.

Look, when skills tests are applied correctly, they bring the best candidates to the surface and separate those who aren't a good fit for a role. I know this because it’s how we hire at Toggl.

But some employers seem to have lost the memo about the purpose of these tests and are using them as a medieval obstacle course. What other reason is there to force jobseekers to answer “gotcha” questions with seemingly no point at all?

With stories like these, we’re not at all shocked that, despite a strong job market, the number of recruiters ghosting applicants has more than doubled, and nearly 70% of applicants say the current job search is more difficult than their last hunt.

That’s why we do things a little differently over here at Toggl ??

No to CVs. Yes to skills.

This email (rant?!) isn’t to dunk on skills tests — Toggl uses them for every single hire we make.

The difference is the questions in our skills tests make sense. The tests are built out during meetings with our People Ops team and the department making the hire. This collaboration means every single question directly relates to the job role.

No “tell us where you want to be in five years” or advanced cell biology questions allowed. Our skills tests intentionally test hard and soft skills so only the best fit candidates make it through to the next stage.

The custom skills test is then uploaded to Toggl Hire, which automatically tracks and scores every application. If the candidate reaches a certain score during their test, they’re automatically moved onto the next round of the hiring process.

This doesn’t just save our People Ops team a ton of time, it also means every candidate who gets through to the next stage is equipped with the right skills for the job.

Candidate experience is everything

Our People Ops team has a vault of documents in our Notion database covering every step of our hiring process. And there is a constant theme in every document — candidate experience.

We know hiring is a two-way street, and candidates are assessing us as much as we are assessing them. And a good candidate experience goes a?very long way.?

How do I know? Well... this time last year, I got rejected from a job at Toggl ??

I only made it through the first couple of rounds of the hiring process. But the candidate experience was unmatched. Despite the rejection, I knew I wanted another chance at working for Toggl. It didn't hurt that the talent team encouraged me to keep an eye out for other opportunities.?

Fast forward to today, and I’ve now spent six months working for this brilliant company in a different role. I've even got a photo to prove it.?

But I know this isn’t the norm in this absolute dumpster fire of a job market, so I have a quick question.?

Do these (pretty insane) stories about skills tests and the current job market hit home, either from your own job search or someone you know??

Drop a comment below. I would love to hear your thoughts and stories ??

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