Dive Brief:

• Indeed Assessments aims to remove bias from the hiring process and reduce recruiters and job seekers' dependence on the resume, according to an Indeed announcement this week. The newly launched platform, a byproduct of Indeed's 2017 acquisition of Interviewed, is designed to help recruiters automate the candidate screening process to make faster, better-informed candidate evaluations.
• Indeed Assessments lets recruiters screen for skills that directly relate to their job openings instead of relying on only a resume. Indeed said the process minimizes bias that can occur in the hiring process. 
• The new tool screens candidates for skills in various roles and industries, including sales, technology and customer service. Psychologists designed all the assessments, the company said, which can be added to an employer’s Indeed job posting or forwarded directly to job candidates. Employers have a choice between more than 50 pre-built assessments and customizable options based on company-specific hiring needs. 

Dive Insight:

Resumes are still largely the center of every job hunt and applicant assessment, and while the format has been on the way out for at least a decade, employers have yet to find the precise replacement that could fit all their needs. Skills-based assessments, however, have been touted by experts. And in this economy, where skill shortages are seriously dampening employers' efforts to find talent, employers are more willing to take a chance on people who may demonstrably have the skills but may not be able to put them on paper.

Additionally, by eliminating dependency on the resume, recruiters will be less likely to (consciously or not) filter applicants via bias, against race, gender or other traits, thus helping employers improve their diversity over time.

Notably, this new offering came from a prior acquisition by Indeed, and it's likely the industry will continue to see innovation coming from such relationships. In a serious coup, Indeed's parent company, Recruit Holdings, recently also acquired Glassdoor, prompting experts and industry watchers to declare the acquisition a win for Indeed and its future market potential. Other players in the field may soon up their own acquisition game in turn, one expert told HR Dive.