Skill assessment tests have become a vital tool for organizations looking to optimize their recruitment and hiring processes.
Properly designed and validated skills assessments allow hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals to evaluate job candidates in an objective, standardized manner.
Structured tests help measure both hard skills and soft skills to determine if applicants possess the core competencies necessary to succeed in a given role.
This article will define what pre-employment skill assessments are, analyze the main types, provide examples, and discuss the benefits of integrating skills testing to make better data-driven talent decisions.
What Are Skill Assessment Tests?
Skill assessment tests, also known as pre-employment tests, are standardized methods used during the personnel selection process to objectively measure whether a job candidate possesses the required competencies to perform a role successfully.
Instead of basing hiring decisions solely on the subjective impressions from interviews and resumes, incorporating structured skill assessments provides concrete metrics to evaluate individuals’ abilities.
Accurately Identify Competencies
Well-designed skill assessments focus on evaluating the most critical abilities needed for the open position. They help provide precise insights on which applicants currently have the baseline hard and soft skills to thrive in the job.
Using validated tests centered around the core competencies for the role allows organizations to more accurately identify candidates that are likely to succeed if selected.
Reduce Selection Bias
Relying only on traditional interviews and gut feelings during hiring opens the process up to unconscious biases that disadvantage certain candidates.
Structured skills testing promotes equal employment opportunities by shifting focus solely on performance data rather than subjective factors irrelevant to the job.
The standardized formats allow applicants to demonstrate abilities in an uniform manner, reducing biases that negatively impact diversity and fairness.
Higher Predictive Validity
Considerable research shows properly developed and implemented skill assessments are superior at predicting future on-the-job performance compared to unstructured interviews or basic background checks alone.
Meta-analytic studies find ability test scores correlate twice as high with supervisor performance ratings versus unstructured interviews. By measuring abilities and skill levels objectively, the tests forecast job performance with substantially higher accuracy.
Legally Defensible
Using structured, validated skill assessments complies with employment selection regulations and helps organizations avoid claims of unfair discrimination.
The focus on job-related abilities through standardized tests provides legally defensible criteria for employment decision processes.
This allows companies to back up talent choices with empirical evidence if selection practices are ever challenged in court.
In summary, thoughtfully incorporating structured skill assessment tests within talent screening processes, as a supplement to other techniques, assists in building an engaged, high-performing workforce optimized for the organization’s needs.
Types of Skill Assessment Tests
Pre-employment assessments can measure a wide variety of both hard skills and soft skills, spanning from manual dexterity to complex problem-solving abilities.
While hundreds of specific skills tests exist, some of the most common standardized assessment categories used in the employee selection process include:
Cognitive Ability Tests
Cognitive ability tests evaluate capacities like verbal reasoning, numerical and logical reasoning, spatial orientation, and pattern recognition.
They assess a combination of innate intellectual abilities and skills developed through education and experience.
Cognitive testing results provide insights into how easily a candidate can be trained for job-specific knowledge, as well as adapt to novel situations.
Job Knowledge Tests
Also referred to as achievement or proficiency tests, job knowledge exams measure the level of technical expertise or theoretical knowledge required for adequate performance in a specific role.
These assessments contain questions tailored to the precise skills demanded by the position to determine whether the applicant possesses the requisite abilities already.
Literacy and Numeracy Tests
Assessing basic skills in math, reading comprehension, writing, grammar, and technical areas can be useful for many entry-level jobs or roles that require fundamental digital, mechanical, or administrative capabilities.
These tests establish baseline thresholds for skills like calculations, paperwork, computer operation, equipment usage, and communication that enable workplace functionality.
Motor/Physical Ability Tests
Motor/physical skills assessments measure physical capacities like stamina, strength, manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and reaction times.
They assist in evaluating fitness for physically demanding or high-risk jobs like firefighters, plant operators, delivery drivers, or tradesworkers.
These tests confirm applicants can operate safely and efficiently in physically stressful roles.
Situational Judgement Tests
Situational judgment tests present hypothetical workplace scenarios and evaluate judgment in responding to problems, conflicts and dilemmas.
This helps provide realistic previews of how candidates might manage decision making, apply policies, use resources, resolve disputes, and display other behavioral skills required across many jobs.
Personality/Attitudinal Tests
While controversial, some organizations apply standardized personality testing to gauge if a candidate’s intrinsic behaviors align with traits like integrity, cooperation, diligence and other attributes deemed valuable for the culture and demands of that workplace.
However, the validity and reliability of using personality assessments to predict job performance remains questionable.
Carefully selecting from these assessment categories based on the precise cognitive, physical, interpersonal and technical competencies your positions require allows for effective evaluation of the key skills driving performance.
Examples of Skill Assessment Tests
There exist hundreds of validated and reliable pre-employment assessment instruments across the categories described previously.
Here are some widely adopted examples organizations commonly use to screen and select candidates:
Numerical Reasoning Tests
Numerical reasoning exams assess the ability to interpret charts, graphs, tables, basic calculations and other mathematical data reflectively. Questions typically provide statistics and quantitative information, along with an analysis prompt, and applicants must demonstrate capacities for numerical logic, reasoning, and accuracy under time constraints.
These tests measure numerical aptitudes applicable across sectors like finance, analytics, science, and technology. Well-known numerical reasoning assessments include the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT), SHL Numerical Reasoning Test, Talent Q Elements Verbal Numerical, and the CEB Numerical Ability Test.
Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal
This aptitude assessment measures a person’s ability in critical thinking disciplines useful for problem-solving across a spectrum of jobs. Test-takers perform items evaluating skills in areas like recognizing assumptions, interpreting inferences, assessing arguments, and evaluating conclusions derived from information provided.
The Watson Glaser exam predicts applied capacities for judgment, decision-making, and evaluating evidence objectively. It provides insight into rational thinking skills applicable in both knowledge worker and customer service settings alike.
Basic Skills Test
Basic skills tests, sometimes called clerical ability tests, evaluate core competencies in fundamental areas like math, reading comprehension, basic technology, mechanics, and more. Questions gauge proficiency in calculations, paperwork, tools usage, computer operations, equipment functions and other basic literacies needed to assimilate job training.
They establish baseline abilities to follow protocols, operate essential tools and machines, interpret technical documents, and meet minimum sophistication thresholds required in many entry-level roles.
Thomas International PPA Test
The Thomas Personal Profile Analysis (PPA) test presents applicants with adjective-based statements that they rank according to most and least self-descriptive. The customized trait profiles generated purport to measure intrinsic behaviors like assertiveness, sociability, composure, conformity, optimism and analytical thinking.
Thomas International aims the PPA assessment for use in customer service, sales, managerial and other interpersonal roles. However, the reliability of using personality assessments to predict performance warrants further research.
Mechanical Aptitude Tests
Mechanical aptitude and spatial relations assessments use images and schematics to test a person’s understanding of mechanical principles, hand-tool operation, machinery functions and movement dynamics. Items evaluate capacities like visualizing physical interactions, interpreting technical drawings, applying physics concepts, and identifying solutions to equipment issues.
These skills gauge abilities to operate, repair and service mechanical machinery and technology systems. Common mechanical reasoning tests include the Wiesen Test of Mechanical Aptitude, Ramsay Mat, and Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test.
The examples above present just a sample of the wide selection of skill assessments available to aid in screening and selecting qualified, capable talent that drives organizational success.
The Bottom Line: Investing in Skill Assessments
While implementing skill testing requires upfront investments of time, money and effort, the long-term performance dividends typically outweigh the costs substantially.
Pre-employment assessments provide data-driven insights to identify and select candidates with higher probabilities of excelling in their roles.
This translates into quantifiable impacts across several key organizational metrics:
Reduced Time-to-Hire
Structured skills testing allows recruiters to quickly screen large applicant pools for the most qualified talent matching the role requirements.
This shrinks pools to the best fits faster, reducing hours spent interviewing and assessing candidates unlikely to receive offers. Automating early screening steps with online assessments saves substantial recruiter time.
Lower Turnover
Studies show employees selected using validated skills assessments tend to have greater job satisfaction and longer job tenures compared to those hired without them.
Better skill-job matching enables employees to feel more engaged, challenged, and productive – causing them to persist in roles longer on average.
This reduces severance, replacement and onboarding costs due to premature departures.
Increased Productivity
Employees who possess key competencies for their roles tend to learn faster, produce higher quality work, require less oversight, and exceed performance expectations more consistently.
Superior talent outputs more work at higher quality levels, boosting results and goal achievement for business owners.
Higher Engagement Levels
Matching people to roles that align with their abilities and interests is a major driver of work engagement.
Employees experience greater meaningfulness and motivation when their skillsets correspond to job demands. This translates into higher discretionary effort invested to perform.
Reduced Safety Incidents
Assessments that specifically measure safety consciousness, situational awareness, concentration abilities, and responsibility tendencies help identify people prone to risky behaviors.
Integrating these tests for hazardous positions minimizes workplace accidents and OSHA incidents with heavy cost implications.
Lower Absenteeism Rates
Certain assessment types screen for organization commitment, discipline and dependability. Applying these tools reduces hiring staff with spotty attendance records that tend to miss more workdays.
Fewer absentees equates to greater workforce continuity and consistent operations.
Positive Returns on Investment
Multiple ROI analyses reveal skill testing during hiring generates substantial financial returns compared to intuition-based selection methods.
One prominent study found companies hiring top performers selected using science-based assessment tools saw 400% higher productivity returns compared to average hires. Investing in quality pre-employment assessments provides measurable long-term value.
In summary, ample evidence supports skill tests driving multi-dimensional performance, cultural and financial improvements – making them a wise investment for optimizing talent decisions.
Key Takeaways
Pre-employment skill assessments have become vital talent analytics tools within contemporary recruiting processes. To summarize key points:
- Structured skills tests offer standardized, unbiased methods for objectively measuring competencies required for roles, rather than basing decisions on subjective hunches.
- Cognitive, physical, personality, knowledge, literacy, motor skills and situational judgement represent some of the most common categories assessed.
- Carefully select assessments tailored to the critical technical and behavioral drives of success for your specific jobs. Avoid superficial tests lacking precision.
- Thoughtful assessment implementation screens candidates more efficiently, matches people to suitable roles, and yields teams with greater engagement, productivity and retention.
- Just some of the measurable business impacts include: reduced time-to-hire, lower turnover, higher productivity, increased safety, lower absenteeism, superior culture, and notable ROIs.
- Keep apprised of testing best practices regarding using assessments judiciously, ensuring fairness, considering context, and securing proof of validation and reliability. Seek expert guidance to avoid pitfalls.
For organizations struggling with hiring the best fits and constructing highly competent teams, skill assessment tools warrant consideration. While not a panacea, used astutely as part of a multifaceted process, testing helps build high-performing workforces.
With applicant tracking software seamlessly integrating an abundance of skill evaluations, implementing pre-employment testing has become relatively simple nowadays.
However, beware of “one-size-fits all” packaged solutions that fail to align to unique role needs. Seek tailored guidance from assessment professionals if new to hiring testing.
To learn more about leveraging talent analytics, measurement methodologies, assessment types, implementation approaches and skill testing best practices tailored for your organization, please reach out to our talent solutions experts for a consultation. Identifying and selecting top talent need not rely solely on instincts anymore – data-driven skill assessments reduce risk and enhance capabilities when applied judiciously. Let us guide your team in unlocking superior workforce quality, engagement and performance.
