The way that hiring is done globally has been revolutionized by various pre-employment tests. To fill positions, human resource managers have traditionally used telephone and in-person interviews. But eventually, this strategy was found to be flawed due to a rise in the number of bad hires and early attrition rates. Additionally, a company suffers multiple costs as a result of the incompetence of bad hires. Employers cited decreased productivity (37 percent), lost time to find and train a replacement employee (32 percent), and compromised work quality (31 percent) when CareerBuilder asked them how a bad hire affected their business in the previous year.
One of the biggest obstacles to making a good hire is the desire or immediate need to fill a position quickly. However, picking the incorrect candidate to act as a replacement is risky and could end up costing the company a lot of money. Even if doing so results in potentially serious short-term operational issues, it is always preferable to leave an open position unfilled and restart the recruitment process than to make the wrong decision and risk creating serious, long-term operational issues.
Why do employers use pre-employment testing?
Employers have many reasons to use pre-employment testing, including:
To accelerate the hiring process
Employers may use these tests to quickly eliminate candidates from consideration, particularly if they have a large number of resumes to sort through.
To test an applicants skills
Pre-employment tests are administered by employers to determine whether your skills match those listed in the job description. For instance, if a company is hiring for a copywriter position, they may give you a writing test to see if your abilities meet their requirements. If an employer hires someone who succeeds on a skills test because it demonstrates how an applicant can use their knowledge, they may reduce their company’s turnover rate.
To increase the quality of interviews
Employers can use test results to ask you specific questions about your skills and work experience if they have enough information about applicants.
What is pre-employment testing?
A centralized method of gathering and recording information about you during the hiring process is pre-employment testing. Numerous exams and screenings can provide information about your potential for effective task performance in the workplace. Some employers might require a pre-employment test before scheduling an interview with you.
7 types of pre-employment tests
You can get ready to take the following pre-employment tests the following time you apply for a job:
1. Job knowledge tests
Employers administer job knowledge tests to gauge your familiarity with the position you are applying for. A job knowledge test on the company’s internal accounting procedures, for instance, might be given if your prospective employer is hiring a managerial accountant. It can be determined if you can apply the expertise you acquired from prior accounting positions by taking tests on specific job elements. To increase your chances of passing the test, inquire with the hiring manager about the test’s subject matter and read the questions carefully.
2. Integrity tests
Integrity tests are among the most impartial examinations that employers can use to evaluate applicants’ dependability. Employers ask questions that focus on your level of morality and ethical guidance in the face of particular workplace situations. Your integrity might demonstrate that you fit the company’s culture and that you get along well with coworkers. In order to provide the employer with an accurate description of the type of employee you will be if hired for the position, answer these questions honestly.
On an integrity test, an employer might inquire about the following.
3. Cognitive ability tests
Testing your cognitive abilities will reveal whether you have the mental capacity to perform the job. Employers can predict how well you’ll perform on the job based on your responses because they’ll learn more about your approach to complexity. The General Aptitude Test (GAT), one of the popular cognitive ability tests, emphasizes your capacity for using logical, verbal, and numerical reasoning to approach tasks. To get ready for possible questions and answers on your test, take practice exams.
4. Personality tests
Employers can determine whether you fit their culture through personality tests and whether your personality increases productivity. Employers may use test results to gauge your level of engagement and whether they believe you have a long-term career interest with the company. Review the various personality tests to become familiar with the format and the questions so you can accurately convey your personality to employers.
Some pre-employment personality tests you might take include:
5. Emotional intelligence tests
Tests of emotional intelligence evaluate your capacity for forming bonds with people and your understanding of emotions. If coworkers are upset or anxious, having high emotional intelligence demonstrates how you can diffuse conflicts and ease their anxiety. Some employers might examine your emotional skills using the Berke assessment to see if they match the position you applied for.
Your emotional intelligence test can reveal a number of abilities, including:
If a worker has the ability to work well with coworkers from various backgrounds and personalities, they will succeed. You have a better chance of achieving your objectives and being promoted to a high-level position by cooperating with your team.
Adaptability demonstrates your capacity to adjust to changing business needs. For instance, if you are a project manager and a client requests that a project’s deadline be changed, you must reorder your tasks in order to satisfy their demands.
Understanding others’ feelings in a situation requires empathy. This characteristic demonstrates your compassion and willingness to support coworkers in changing their perspectives and achieving their goals.
6. Skills assessment tests
Skills assessment tests overview your soft and hard skills. In order to determine who they might want to hire, employers test for these abilities once they are in the later stages of the hiring process. An employer might give you a writing test, for instance, if they want to hire you as a public relations coordinator to see how quickly you can type, whether you can produce newsworthy content in a specific amount of time, and how well you proofread your work before submitting it. To move forward in the hiring process, you might need to pass additional skill assessments that ask you to demonstrate your research, presentation, or leadership abilities.
7. Physical ability tests
Physical ability tests feature your strength and stamina. They also demonstrate your ability to carry out in jobs requiring physical labor, such as those of a firefighter or police officer. Employers must take an additional step in the hiring process to assess candidates’ physical abilities in order to decrease the likelihood of workplace accidents and to identify qualified candidates.
Types of Pre-Employment Tests
FAQ
What are 2 commonly used pre-employment tests?
- Job knowledge tests. A candidate’s technical or theoretical expertise in a particular field is assessed through job knowledge tests.
- Integrity tests. …
- Cognitive ability tests. …
- Personality tests. …
- Emotional Intelligence tests. …
- Skills assessment tests. …
- Physical ability tests.
What are the three types of employment tests?
- Job knowledge tests. Employers administer job knowledge tests to determine your familiarity with the position you are applying for.
- Integrity tests. …
- Cognitive ability tests. …
- Personality tests. …
- Emotional intelligence tests. …
- Skills assessment tests. …
- Physical ability tests.
What are pre-employment tests?
