As they say in Advertising…Image is Destiny! However, this is not just applicable in Advertising or the Arts…Image counts for a lot in organizations as well, and especially so during the hiring process. Image is not just about appearance but is also about how the candidate speaks and writes English. So, if you are an HR person, you probably remember being impressed by the initial presentation of a candidate. But what if the initial presentation was wrong? What if your fave candidate was not the right person with the right language skills to deal with your customers on a day-to-day basis? How could you assess that candidate's English-language skills without a reasonable doubt? Well, with a Voice & Accent test (V&A), of course! We'll now take a look at what exactly is a Voice and Accent Assessment or V&A test…

What is a Voice & Accent test?

A V&A test, also called a Voice Assessment test, is typically an online test that will assess your candidate's oral and written English-language skills for their suitability in client-facing roles. This test will evaluate your candidate's language skills, such as their accent, clarity of speech, listening skills, intonation, pronunciation, fluency, and grammar.

A Voice and Accent online test is conducted in a simulated environment, wherein candidates perform certain specific tasks, such as replying to pre-recorded messages, answering calls, and reading out a pre-written script out loud. Most English Voice and Accent tests can be combined with other assessment tools and protocols, such as the screening of Resumes, structured interviews, and other tests, such as Cognitive tests.

There are several Voice Assessment tests in the market, and all of them have something to recommend them. In this article, we'll talk about the Top 3 V&A tests and we'll explain how they work and why they are important.

What you should look for when choosing the right Voice and Accent test

You should choose the right Automated Language test, based on the role and the industry for which you are hiring. You can not only choose one assessment but you can choose a combination of assessments.

You should follow these steps to identify the right English Language Skills Assessment Test for your organization:

Define the purpose of the assessment:

This will include answers to questions, such as, why you need the assessment; how will you use it to recruit the best candidates; will the assessment test is for Indian English or US English, and how will the recruitment process and your organization benefit from the assessment.

Define the audience:

This will include answers to questions, such as, who are the candidates you are administering the test to; what is the position for which they are being assessed; is it for a mass hiring drive, and is it to help you choose between two similarly-qualified candidates?

Examine the V&A test you intend to use in detail:

The right Voice Assessment test should have the following features: it should be adaptable and scalable; it should allow for anti-cheating or proctoring features, and it should provide you with detailed and abridged real-time reports.

Steps for choosing the right V&A Assessment

• Purpose of Assessment
• Define Audience
• Examine Test In Detail
• Hire Right

We shall now take a look at the top 3 V&A assessments in the market.

The Top 3 online V&A assessments in the market

The following are the top 3 online V&A assessments in the market. Here's a brief look at each:

1. PMaps Voice & Accent test (eVA):

The PMaps eVA Assessment is a Machine Learning-based tool that is an automated online language test that helps you gauge several skills and attributes in your candidates and employees. These are:

• Grammar: This assesses whether the candidate can respond in precisely constructed sentences along with the proper usage of tense formation and punctuation.
• Vocabulary: This assesses an individual's ability to understand the meaning of words. It checks whether the individual is familiar with and at the same time is able to use commonly spoken words. It also captures spelling errors.
• Fluency: This assesses an individual's pitch, clarity, and tone while speaking. It also checks the fluency of an individual while talking.
• Comprehension: This assesses an individual's ability to accurately comprehend and understand the customer's query and also provide the appropriate information or the right solution.
• Pronunciation: This assesses an individual's ability to speak in an appropriate manner with the desired articulation. It evaluates the voice process of the candidate. This layer also assesses words, phonemes, and audio utterances of the candidate's speech. It measures whether the candidate has a neutral English accent.

The PMaps Voice & Accent test is typically a Pre-Employment test and has several benefits, some of which are:

– Industry-wise simulation
– Machine Learning-based evaluation
– Detailed test report
– Customer question library
– Accent Neutral Assessment

The PMaps Voice and Accent Assessment test is quick, fun, visual-based, and not only appeals to different generations of test-takers but is especially suited to Gen Z candidates. The latter are quick to judge your organization, and the PMaps eVA language Assessment test will help create a positive opinion of your organization. This, in turn, will help you hire the very best candidates to service your valued customers. We now look at another V&A test.

2. Versant English test (VET):

This test assesses the ability to communicate in spoken English. It is an online Spoken English Test and is a 17-minute assessment. The VET assesses the following skills:

• Overall Ability: This assesses the candidate's ability to understand spoken English and speak clearly on everyday topics.
• Sentence Mastery: This describes the candidate's ability to understand, remember, and appropriately say English sentences, including the ability to accurately reproduce phrases and clauses.
• Vocabulary: This reflects the candidate's ability to understand and reproduce commonly used words spoken in the right way and at the right time.
• Fluency: This reflects the candidate' ability to replicate natural rhythm, timing, and intonation when reading, repeating, and creating sentences.
• Pronunciation: This reflects the candidate's ability to produce vowels and consonants with the right stress in the native-level English language.
• Intelligibility: This measures how understandable the candidate is as a speaker.

The VET has the following sections: Reading, Short-answer questions, Repeat, Sentence Builds, Open Questions, and Story Retellings. Once a candidate takes the VET, the score will be provided, which benchmarks the candidate using internationally-recognized scales. The report summarizes the candidate's overall ability and specific skills. The test administrators also provide the candidate with certain tips so that she can improve and perform better in future tests.

Let's now look at another test.

3. The Test Gorilla English-Language test:

This assessment evaluates a candidate's English-language skills in four broad areas:

• Writing: This can help you determine if the candidate can write grammatically-correct and well-structured presentations, emails, memos, reports, and other correspondence as needed in the workplace.
• Speaking: This can help you assess whether candidates can efficiently converse in English with managers, peers, and customers.
• Reading: This can help you assess your candidate's reading skills, thereby helping you determine whether they can read and understand information in English. This could be in the form of emails, chat messages, procedures, reports, articles, and so on.
• Listening: This can help you assess whether your candidate can effectively participate in meetings or talk to clients, after listening to the latter's queries and concerns. This module also helps you assess whether your candidate can grasp nuances and understand details, by testing their listening skills.

So, you see, using a Voice and Accent test is really both an art and a science at its best. You can use the V&A assessment of your choice to hire the absolutely right candidates with the right English-language skills, both written and spoken.

In today's fast-paced world, ensuring that your candidates possess the right English language skills is crucial, but it can be a challenge. That's where our online English test comes into play. It's not just another test; it's a personalized tool designed to assess your candidates' proficiency in a way that suits your hiring needs. With our PMaps eVA Voice and Accent English online test, you can confidently gauge their abilities in speaking, writing, and understanding English – all from the comfort of your office. And when you need to dive deeper into their English language assessment, our online English assessment gives you the comprehensive insights you need to make informed hiring decisions.

In a world where communication is key, our tests are the bridge to a workforce that can effectively connect with your clients and customers. When you use the right V&A test, you can be assured that you are not just hiring with the help of your initial bias, but that you are backing it up with some solid, objective assessments. So, don't depend on your hunches alone…hire the best candidates with the best English-language skills for your organization with the right V&A test and ensure that both you and your customers are happy…all the way, every single day!

So, don't depend on your hunches alone…hire the best candidates with the best English-language skills for your organization with the right V&A test and ensure that both you and your customers are happy…all the way, every single day!

To know more about how you can use the right Voice & Accent assessment for your organization, call PMaps at 7709196077, or then, email us at , or get in touch through our website.