What is pre-employment testing?

Pre-employment testing is the procedure of assessing job applicants’ competencies, prowess, and other pertinent traits before they are employed. Assessments of personality traits, job-related knowledge, and physical fitness may be part of these examinations. Pre-employment testing is intended to assist businesses in selecting the most suitable applicants for a certain position and lower the likelihood of a poor hire. Employers can use these exams to detect any potential problems or areas where extra training may be required, which will help them make better recruiting selections. Pre-employment testing must, however, abide by anti-discrimination legislation, be relevant to the job, and be consistent with business requirements. Companies should be open and honest with job applicants about the testing process and utilize trustworthy, validated exams that are suited to the individual job needs. 

Pre-employment tests are used by employers for a number of reasons, including

• To access job-related skills and abilities: Pre-employment software like Ducknowl can be used by employers to examine candidates’ knowledge, technical skills, cognitive capacities, and other job-related attributes that are challenging to determine through resumes or interviews.

• To improve hiring decisions: Pre-employment assessments can help firms make better recruiting decisions by giving an unbiased evaluation of job applicants, lowering the chances of making a poor hire.

• To reduce turnover and training costs: Pre-employment testing can assist employers in identifying applicants who are more likely to remain with the company and need less training, which can eventually cut turnover and training expenditures.

• To enhance diversity and inclusion: Pre-employment assessments can aid in reducing bias in the recruiting process by offering a more objective evaluation of candidates’ skills and abilities, which can boost the diversity and inclusion of the workforce.

• To ensure compliance with regulations: Pre-employment exams can assist firms in ensuring compliance with anti-discrimination laws and regulations by facilitating a fair and consistent hiring procedure.

Types of pre-employment tests

Pre-employment assessment tests come in a variety of forms, each of which is intended to assess certain facets of a candidate’s qualifications. The following are some typical pre-employment assessment exam types:

1. Cognitive ability tests

Tests of cognitive ability ask you about your ability to think clearly enough to perform the job. Employers can better estimate how well you’ll perform on the job based on your responses because they’ll have more knowledge about how you handle complexity. The General Aptitude Test (GAT), one of the popular cognitive ability exams, demonstrate a candidate’s capacity for problem-solving through logical, verbal, and numerical reasoning. Take practice exams to familiarize yourself with possible exam questions and solutions.

2. Personality tests

Hiring managers can determine if a candidate fits their culture by conducting personality tests. They may also be able to determine whether a candidate’s personality increases production. The test findings may aid employers in determining a candidate’s degree of involvement and whether they believe the prospect has long-term career potential with the company. Study various personality test formats and questions to better understand how to express personality to employers.

3. Job knowledge tests

Companies administer job knowledge tests to gauge a candidate’s familiarity with the position. A job knowledge test on the firm’s internal accounting procedures, for instance, can be given if prospective employers are hiring a managerial accountant. By administering tests on specific work requirements, hiring managers can determine whether candidates are capable of employing knowledge gleaned from previous roles. If you are a candidate, inquire with your recruiter whether there are any areas of particular interest you should study, and carefully prepare for the test. 

4. Skills tests

Job-related competencies are measured through skills tests, which can be general (such as verbal, math, and communication skills) or specific (such as typing and computer skills). These are abilities that applicants have earned via their educational and professional experiences; they do not necessarily reflect a candidate’s basic aptitude but rather acquired knowledge—what the applicant is already capable of doing as a result of prior experience.

5. Integrity tests

Integrity tests are among the most impartial exams that companies can use to evaluate applicants’ dependability. Employers ask questions that are tailored to a candidate’s level of morality and ethical guidance in the face of particular employment conditions. A candidate’s-honesty might demonstrate that they fit the company’s culture and will get along well with coworkers. 

6. Physical ability tests

Tests of physical prowess focus on a candidate’s strength and endurance. They also demonstrate the ability to carry out jobs requiring physical labor, such as those of a police officer or firefighter. For employers, adding a physical competency test to the hiring process means they can locate qualified candidates while also lowering the risk of workplace accidents.

7. Situational judgment tests

Situational judgment tests (SJTs) are a form of psychometric exam used to assess a person’s capacity for making decisions in contexts linked to the workplace. SJTs ask candidates to choose the best course of action from a list of options after presenting them with hypothetical circumstances that they would come across in their job capacity.

SJTs are frequently utilized in hiring and selection, particularly for roles requiring sound judgment and decision-making abilities. They are also employed in training and development initiatives to pinpoint a person’s strong and weak decision-making points.

Also read: Interview questions