A Guide to Types of Pre-employment Testing

The days of submitting a resume, getting interviewed, and getting the job have drastically decreased. Hiring managers have now found a better way to get the best candidates out of a pool of them—through pre-employment testing. 

Employers now prefer to carry out a pre-employment assessment test before starting an interview with potential candidates. 

There are different types of pre-employment testing methods that can be used across various industries, depending solely on what suits the hiring manager. 

Pre-employment testing is a major step in most hiring roles today, especially with remote work. Employers want to see all that a candidate can bring to the table and not just rely on a person’s resume. 

Let’s have a look at what pre-employment testing is all about and the different types of pre-employment testing methods that organizations use to select potential candidates. 

What is pre-employment testing? 

Pre-employment testing is a standardized method during the hiring process which involves giving candidates seeking a job at an organization-specific tests to see which ones fit the job requirements. These tests could range from cognitive ability and personality tests to physical ability tests. 

Many employers have acknowledged that this method of getting candidates has been successful because they have been able to select outstanding candidates who have impacted the company in one way or another. 

A standardized method of top candidates’ selection.

Types of Pre-employment Testing

There are different types of pre-employment assessment tests that a hiring manager can offer for a particular job role. 

Job Knowledge Tests

This test basically involves giving aspiring candidates an opportunity to show if they know what a particular role is all about. This means that they get to show how much knowledge they have about a particular role by maybe answering some questions regarding the position. For example, an individual seeking a social media manager position at a company can be asked how she intends to drive engagement to the company’s social media pages. 

Cognitive Ability Tests

This pre-employment test is very common these days, especially amongst remote workers. This test is used to grade the mental capacity needed for a particular role. And the most common is the General Aptitude Test (GAT). It comprises logical, verbal, and numerical reasoning tests. For the logical part of it, you might be required to note differences in shapes or patterns sometimes. For verbal reasoning, you will be required to take tests that deal with words. And for numerical reasoning, you could expect numbers. There are so many practice websites that could help job seekers prepare ahead of the test. 

Emotional Intelligence Tests

Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage one’s emotions and the emotions of others. This ability is highly recommended in the workplace since people with it tend to work well in teams and build good relationships with colleagues. Employers could provide tests that prove if a job seeker has this ability or not. 

Integrity Tests

According to reports, this was the first pre-employment assessment test that was introduced. This test simply identifies people who won’t serve the company well by being dishonest and undisciplined. However, many people believe the test won’t seem accurate because people could lie about who they are just to be part of the successful applicants after the test. 

Personality Tests

This is another different type of pre-employment testing method. Personality tests for employment are required by managers who are eager to know what type of person will be joining their company and filling a particular role. Personality tests for employment are required to ensure that a particular position fits a particular candidate. For example, a public speaking role will fit a job seeker who is outspoken and not one who is shy

Skill Assessment Tests

The majority suggest that this test should be taken at the end of the hiring process since it consumes a lot of time. This test is required to show off the skills of candidates. For example, a graphic designer could be asked to show off his skills by using a particular software to design. The hiring manager will judge how he uses that software and the outcome of his work. 

Physical Ability Tests

This test involves a physical test, as the name implies. Job seekers will be asked to show off their physical capabilities in order to get a particular role. For example, able-bodied men will be required for heavy-duty jobs. 

Conclusion

Pre-employment testing is a standard method to fish out the best candidates from a pool of job seekers. It makes the work of hiring managers easier as they do not have to go through all the resumes and conduct numerous interviews to find the right candidates. 

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