Percentile vs Percentage: Their Difference in Pre-Employment Tests

Reading Time: 4 minutes

When hiring new employees, pre-employment tests can help you make sure you’re picking the right person for the job. In fact, 82% of companies now use these tests to make hiring easier and more reliable.

But here’s the catch: two words can throw a wrench in the process if they’re not crystal clear—percentile and percentage. If you’re scratching your head over the difference, you’re not alone! These terms aren’t just technical jargon; they actually affect how you interpret a candidate’s performance.

Get them mixed up, and you might miss out on hiring someone great—or bring on someone who isn’t quite right for the role.

EmployTest uses both percentiles and percentages in our assessments to get a more complete view of a candidate.

What is the Difference Between Percentile vs. Percentage in Hiring?

Percentage measures a candidate’s objective correctness. Percentile ranks their performance relative to others. This difference between percentage and percentile is crucial for understanding whether a candidate has met a standard or excelled among peers.

Percentage in pre-employment tests

A percentage score is straightforward. It’s a measure of correctness based on how many questions a candidate correctly answered. For instance, if a candidate answers 85 out of 100 questions right, they’d score an 85%. This measurement is generally used in hard skills and knowledge tests to see how well a candidate understands specific job-related material.

Think of percentage as a standalone measure. It shows the candidate’s accuracy on the test but says nothing about how others performed. For example, if several candidates scored 85%, the percentage alone wouldn’t tell you who stands out.

It’s a personal achievement marker. It gives insight into how much material the candidate knew without comparing them to other test-takers.

Percentile in pre-employment tests

A percentile score is a comparative measure that shows a candidate’s ranking relative to their peers. For instance, if a candidate scores in the 85th percentile, they performed better than 85% of other test-takers. Percentiles provide context by showing where a candidate stands among the pool of applicants.

Percentiles can be used in all kinds of tests, including those that also show percentages. This ranking helps you see how well a candidate did compared to others. That figure is especially useful when you’re assessing high-performing groups or competitive roles.

A high percentile score means a candidate is in the top bracket, making them a top option for highly selective positions.

Percentage and percentile compared

A candidate’s percentage score doesn’t always match their percentile and percentile rank. If an applicant scores 85% on a test but the average score is also 85%, their percentile rank will likely be around 50%. On the flip side, if a candidate scores 50% on a tough test where most others scored lower, their percentile rank could be around 85%.

Why Percentile and Percentage are Important in Hiring Decisions

When evaluating candidates, both percentile and percentage scores are two related but separate tools. They each provide different insights into a candidate’s suitability for a role. These measurements can lead to better-informed hiring decisions by clearly indicating both competency and competitiveness. Here’s how each score plays a vital role:

Percentages to evaluate core competency

Percentage-based scores offer a snapshot of a candidate’s core knowledge or skill level. They tell you exactly how much of the test material the candidate accurately understood or completed. This measurement is particularly useful for evaluating hard skills in technical or knowledge-based roles.

For example, if a candidate scores 90% on a software skills test, you know they’re highly proficient in that area. Using percentage scores helps you establish a baseline of competency, making sure candidates have the required knowledge to succeed.

Key Benefits of Percentages:

• Allows assessment of fundamental knowledge and skills.
• Measures correctness independently, showing a candidate’s specific competencies.
• Helps verify whether candidates meet the minimum job requirements.

Percentiles for evaluating candidate ranking

Percentile scores help you understand how a candidate ranks relative to their peers. This comparison helps when hiring for competitive or leadership roles. For instance, if a candidate is in the 90th percentile, they outperformed 90% of other test-takers. They stand out in a competitive applicant pool.

Percentile rankings add context. They help HR identify top talent among applicants with similar competencies.

Key Benefits of Percentiles:

• Offers comparative insight, essential for roles with high competition.
• Helps pinpoint candidates with a standout performance.
• Reduces the impact of hiring bias by focusing on where a candidate ranks within a group.

5 Best Practices for Using Percentiles and Percentages in Hiring

HR professionals can follow these best practices for a well-rounded candidate assessment strategy:

1. Customize pre-employment tests based on job roles

Use pre-employment tests tailored to the specific skills required for each role. Then, leverage percentile rankings to understand candidates’ strengths. In the case of analytical roles, percentile scores can show how a candidate’s problem-solving skills stack up against others.

2. Establish benchmark scores based on job level and test

Setting different percentage and percentile benchmarks for entry-level, mid-level, and senior positions makes sure that your criteria match the job’s demands. You can prioritize percentage scores for junior roles focusing on core skills, while senior roles may require top-percentile scores to secure highly competitive candidates.
A sales team hiring junior reps might emphasize Excel skills via percentage score in a Microsoft Office skills assessment. Meanwhile, percentiles in sales aptitude tests are more crucial for senior roles.

3. Use percentile data for long-term workforce planning

Track percentile scores of all candidates, even those not immediately hired, to create a talent pipeline. Also, keeping a database of high-percentile candidates can be valuable when similar roles open up in the future. Now, you have a resource for quicker, more efficient hiring.

4. Use percentiles to reduce hiring bias

Percentile data can reduce unconscious bias by providing a standardized measure of a candidate’s ranking. This approach allows you to evaluate candidates objectively. You’ll get to focus on their performance relative to the group without considering personal background factors.

5. Compare percentile ranges across departments

Analyze percentile data across different departments to uncover skill gaps or strengths. This move can help you identify which positions to open. Say a department consistently attracts lower percentile candidates. It might be worth adjusting recruitment strategies to attract more competitive applicants.

The Full Picture of Candidate Potential

Both percentile and percentage scores are invaluable in making smart hiring decisions by showing how well candidates perform individually and compared to peers. Percentages reveal core proficiency, while percentiles highlight a candidate’s ranking—key insights for finding the best fit.

EmployTest’s employment assessment tests provide the accuracy and metrics needed for more confident hiring decisions. Ready to take your hiring strategy to the next level? Improve your hiring strategy with expert tips – read our comprehensive guide now!