More than 50% of bosses ignore levels of experience and education when hiring candidates, and only one in seven tests skills such as numeracy and literacy.

Recruitment consultancy VMA Group quizzed 487 owner-managers of smaller and medium-sized firms and found that 59% admitted to breaking their own recruitment rules repeatedly regarding the minimum educational standards and experience required of candidates.

The survey also found that 95% believe they “know when they’ve met the right candidate”, with only 14% formally testing candidates’ numeracy, literacy and reasoning.

Claire Tuffin, executive director of VMA Group, said: “Bosses should rely rather less on gut instinct, and rather more on testing and systematic interviewing processes.

“It is often more effective to conduct a small number of targeted interviews than meet a large pool of candidates, and certainly a better use of time.”