Wouldn’t it be great if in addition to subjective opinion gleaned from interviews, there was a universal, data-driven test that could predict, with great accuracy, how a candidate will fare in a new position? A survey conducted in 2022 by HireDNA shows that 82% of companies already use some form of pre-employment assessment to bolster their hiring decisions. So, the question becomes, which tests do you use and why?
There are plenty of reasons to use pre-employment testing. Testing facilitates standardized and improved prediction of job performance, offering objective evaluation and a reduction of unconscious bias. Today, a diverse range of sophisticated assessments cater to specific roles in four categories: Skills, cognitive ability, personality, and situational judgement.
Skills Assessments evaluate a candidate’s core skills required for a specific job. For a marketing specialist, it could be a campaign analysis. For a customer service representative, a simulated interaction can best evaluate skills. The list below breaks down skills assessments.
- Job Simulation Tests: Custom-designed to replicate real job scenarios. Check out platforms like Talogy and Vervoe.
- Language Proficiency Tests: iMocha and TestGorilla offer language skills assessments.
- Basic Skills Tests (e.g., Wonderlic Basic Skills Test, Criteria Basic Skills Test): These tests assess fundamental math and verbal skills required for entry-level positions.
- Platform-Specific Skills Assessments (e.g., Xobin, Vervoe, TestDome, Mettl (Mercer), Testlify, Adaface, HireVue, Criteria Corp, WeCP): These platforms offer a wide range of customizable skills assessments, including technical, soft, and cognitive skills, with features like AI-powered analysis.
Cognitive Ability Assessments: These tests measure different aspects of intelligence and aptitude. Recognized options include:
- Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT): A cognitive ability test that assesses verbal, numerical, and spatial reasoning skills. It’s a speed test with a fixed time limit.
- Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT-R): Another general cognitive ability test that measures verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning.
- Predictive Index Learning Indicator: Measures an individual’s capacity to learn, adapt, and handle complex tasks in the workplace.
- Revelian Cognitive Ability Test (RCAT): Assesses a range of cognitive abilities, including verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning.
- Toggl Hire, Pymetrics, Talogy, and McQuaig: Offer various cognitive ability tests as part of their suite of assessment tools for hiring.
Personality Assessments delve into a candidate’s behavioral tendencies and values to determine how well they might fit into a company’s culture. Examples include:
- BFI-2 or NEO-PI-R:This well-regarded assessment measures personality across five broad dimensions: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN).
- Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI):Specifically designed to measure a candidate’s potential for Adjustment, Ambition, Sociability, Interpersonal Sensitivity, Prudence, Inquisitiveness, and Learning.
- DISC Assessment:DISC focuses on four behavioral styles and has become very common: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness.
Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) put candidates in situations that directly predict their ability to handle situations relevant to a job. Some recognized providers and characteristics of effective SJTs include:
- SHL: A well-known provider of various psychometric assessments, including SJTs.
- Talogy: Offers customizable SJTs designed to assess specific competencies.
- The Talent Games (C-Factor): Provides gamified SJTs to assess decision-making and soft skills in realistic scenarios.
The Future of Hiring is Data-Driven:
As the corporate world continues to embrace data-driven decision-making, employee testing is poised to become an even more integral part of the recruitment landscape. By moving beyond subjective evaluations and embracing objective assessments of skills and abilities, companies can build stronger, more capable teams that are well-equipped to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future.
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