elimination and preservation - scope of JD.

Recently got a chance to review a selection process by an industry leader globally ranked 3rd, so to say. They have been diligently asking all their candidates for any position, from operational level to senior manager levels, to go through a 10 minute test to screen candidates. It was a pressure test to take 50 questions within 10 minutes. While the content was of high quality , the fact they were administering it to all positions at all levels was a bit odd. Selection criteria need to cover a range of objectives. From elimination to preservation. HR tools and methodologies should not lose sight of business needs in the process. While the particular test in this case was a valid one, it was less effective when applied for jobs where experience or other broader parameters mattered. Where the test results were to be seen as a supplementary, its weight as a 'necessary' condition was self defeating. One size does not fit all in all cases. In fact  each Job Description need to have component for 'testing protocols' which an hiring action need to comply. Most companies leave this vital aspect to HR for applying some 'standard scales' and tools. That will end up in having a 'standard' test to screen rather than select. like companies obsessed with english language tests over technical skill tests for  jobs where the latter is more critical.