Dive Brief:

• A new feature for job seekers on Indeed will allow them to show their value in the market by taking skills-based assessments and adding the results to their Indeed resume, according to a press announcement. The assessments will test the skills employers want while providing a more well-rounded view of a what the job seeker brings to the table, the release said. 
• Last year's launch of Indeed Assessments first allowed employers to send such assessments to candidates to test their skill sets. This new feature will add to that functionality by allowing anyone with an Indeed account to access more than 50 already created skills assessments, the release said. Designed by psychologists, Indeed said these tests cover skills applicable to a variety of industries, including sales, tech and administration, and job seekers will have the option to save the results to their online resume or hide them if they choose.
• Indeed's data suggests job seekers who completed an Indeed Assessment sent to them by a potential employer were 30% more likely to receive a positive response back. For employers, the use of the tool resulted in an almost 30% reduction in time to hire, Indeed said. 

Dive Insight:

Are resumes still useful for employers today? And can they accurately represent candidates' abilities and potential? Some talent professionals argue the traditional resume is a dinosaur, but wonder what alternative can replace it. With so many candidates putting false spins on their resumes, recruiters routinely find it harder to rely on resumes alone to pick the right candidate. Inaccuracy on a resume can put a candidate in a worse light, too; new data reveals that women in particular undersell their skills and capabilities on resumes, putting them at a disadvantage when it comes to landing that first interview.

Soft skill assessments and other tools may be the answer for businesses looking to identify all four important aspects of candidate selection: experience, qualifications, soft skills and potential. New assessment tools and credentialing may help identify those soft skills often seen as important as experience and education. While skills assessments could be critical to sourcing the right candidates, HR might also consider how testing candidates' abilities to perform certain job functions further along in the hiring process can also narrow their search — so long as the tests don't cross into the territory of unpaid labor.