Last Reviewed: November 22nd, 2024

Best Pre-Employment Assessment Tools Of 2024

What are Pre-Employment Assessment Tools?

Pre-employment assessment tools are digital platforms that objectively evaluate candidates before interviews, providing employers with data-driven insights beyond resumes. By assessing skills, cognitive abilities, and cultural fit, these tools aim to solve the problem of subjective resume screening and improve hiring quality. Benefits include reduced time-to-hire, minimized bad hires, and a more diverse talent pool. Key functionalities range from aptitude tests and coding challenges to personality assessments and video interviews. Emerging features utilize AI for automated scoring and bias detection. HR professionals and recruiters across industries benefit most, particularly those in fast-paced or skill-specific sectors. However, limitations like cost, potential bias, and candidate resistance necessitate careful implementation and ethical considerations. The key takeaway is that these tools, when used responsibly, can enhance hiring accuracy and efficiency, ultimately leading to a stronger workforce.

What Are The Key Benefits of Pre-Employment Assessment Tools?

  • Reduced Screening Time
  • Improved Candidate Quality
  • Objective Skill Assessment
  • Reduced Bias in Hiring
  • Better Hiring Decisions
  • Increased Efficiency (Recruiting Process)
  • Predictive Hiring Insights
  • Reduced Costs (per Hire)
  • Improved Candidate Experience
  • Compliance with Hiring Regulations
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Our Research Analysts evaluated 102 solutions and determined the following solutions are the best Pre-Employment Assessment Tools overall:

Overall

Mettl  Award
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Why We Picked Mettl

User reviews for Mettl offer valuable insights into the platform's strengths and weaknesses. Users appreciate its comprehensive assessment options, allowing for tailored evaluations across various competencies and roles. Mettl's remote proctoring capabilities are well-received, ensuring the integrity of online assessments, particularly in the context of remote work. The platform's AI-driven insights and analytics assist users in making data-driven decisions for talent management and development. However, some users report a learning curve associated with creating complex assessments, potentially affecting ease of use for beginners. Integration complexities can pose challenges for organizations seeking to integrate Mettl with existing systems. Data privacy and security concerns are raised, reflecting the importance of handling sensitive candidate and employee data with care. Users also mention the limited offline support, which may be an issue in areas with unreliable internet access. In comparison to similar products, Mettl stands out for its range of assessment options and AI-driven insights. Users find it efficient for hiring and training while ensuring data security. It is perceived as a valuable tool for HR and talent management, but potential users should be aware of the learning curve and consider their specific integration and data privacy needs.

Pros & Cons

  • Comprehensive Assessment Options: Users appreciate the wide range of assessment types and customization options, allowing them to create tailored evaluations for various roles and competencies.
  • Remote Proctoring Capabilities: The platform's remote proctoring features receive praise for ensuring the integrity of online assessments, particularly in remote or distributed work environments.
  • AI-Driven Insights: Users value the data analytics and insights generated by Mettl, which assist in making informed decisions related to talent management and development.
  • Efficiency in Hiring and Training: Mettl's assessments are recognized for their ability to streamline hiring processes and enhance training and development initiatives, ultimately saving time and resources.
  • Data Security Measures: The platform's commitment to data security and compliance is highly regarded by users, ensuring the protection of sensitive candidate and employee data.
  • Learning Curve: Some users have noted that there can be a learning curve associated with creating complex assessments, which may impact ease of use for beginners.
  • Integration Complexity: Integrating Mettl with existing HR and learning systems may be complex, potentially requiring additional time and resources.
  • Data Privacy Concerns: As with any platform handling sensitive candidate and employee data, users express concerns about data privacy and security.
  • Limited Offline Support: Mettl primarily operates online, which can be challenging in environments with unreliable internet access.
  • Cultural Adaptation: Some users find that assessments may not be equally effective in different cultural contexts, necessitating adaptation for global organizations.

Key Features

  • Assessment Authoring: Mettl offers a robust assessment authoring tool, allowing users to create customized tests, quizzes, and evaluations tailored to specific job roles and competencies.
  • Remote Proctoring: The platform provides remote proctoring solutions, ensuring the integrity of online assessments through features like video monitoring and identity verification.
  • Competency Mapping: Mettl enables organizations to map and define the competencies required for various roles and provides assessments to measure these competencies effectively.
  • Adaptive Testing: Mettl's adaptive testing feature adjusts the difficulty of questions based on the candidate's performance, ensuring more accurate evaluation of their skills and knowledge.
  • AI-Driven Insights: The platform leverages AI and data analytics to provide in-depth insights and analytics, helping organizations make informed decisions in talent management and development.
  • Skill Gap Analysis: Mettl offers tools for identifying skill gaps within an organization, helping create targeted training and development plans for employees to bridge these gaps.
  • Integration Capabilities: Mettl can integrate with existing HR and learning management systems, streamlining the assessment and evaluation process within an organization's existing infrastructure.
  • Certification Programs: The platform supports the creation and management of certification programs, allowing organizations to issue certifications to candidates who successfully complete assessments.
  • Data Security: Mettl prioritizes data security and compliance, ensuring the protection of sensitive candidate and employee data in line with industry standards and regulations.
  • Customizable Reports: Users can generate detailed reports based on assessment results, allowing for in-depth analysis of candidate performance and actionable insights for talent development.
Criteria  Award
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Why We Picked Criteria

User reviews of Criteria reveal its strengths and weaknesses. Users commend the platform for its comprehensive assessments and customization options, enabling tailored evaluations for various job roles. Objective decision-making is a key highlight, as the standardized assessments reduce biases and subjectivity in hiring. The platform's data-driven insights and remote proctoring capabilities are also well-received. Users value the global accessibility of Criteria's online platform, crucial in today's diverse and remote work environment. On the flip side, users report a learning curve when creating highly customized assessments, which may deter beginners. Integration challenges with existing systems and data privacy concerns are also noted, necessitating careful management. Some find the online nature of Criteria limiting in areas with unreliable internet access. Additionally, assessments may require cultural adaptation for optimal effectiveness. In comparison to similar products, Criteria stands out for its range of assessments and data-driven insights. However, potential users should be aware of the learning curve and consider their integration and data privacy needs. Overall, it is seen as a valuable tool for talent assessment and management, particularly for organizations seeking objective hiring practices.

Pros & Cons

  • Comprehensive Assessments: Users appreciate the wide range of assessment types and customization options, allowing them to create tailored evaluations for various job roles and competencies.
  • Objective Decision-Making: The platform's standardized assessments promote objective decision-making in hiring, reducing the influence of biases and subjectivity.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Users value the data analytics and insights generated by Criteria, which assist in making informed decisions related to talent management and development.
  • Remote Proctoring Capabilities: The platform's remote proctoring features receive praise for ensuring the integrity of online assessments, particularly in the context of remote work.
  • Global Accessibility: Users find Criteria's online platform accessible to a diverse, global workforce and remote teams, which is crucial in today's work environment.
  • Complexity in Customization: Some users find that creating highly customized assessments can be complex, potentially requiring a steeper learning curve.
  • Integration Challenges: Integrating Criteria with existing HR and talent management systems may be complex, potentially requiring additional time and resources.
  • Data Privacy Concerns: As with any platform handling sensitive candidate and employee data, users express concerns about data privacy and security.
  • Limited Offline Support: Criteria primarily operates online, which can be challenging in areas with unreliable internet access.
  • Cultural Adaptation: Some users find that assessments may not be equally effective in different cultural contexts, necessitating adaptation for global organizations.

Key Features

  • Customizable Assessments: Criteria offers a comprehensive assessment authoring tool, enabling users to create customized tests and evaluations that align with specific job roles and competencies.
  • Behavioral Assessments: The platform provides assessments that evaluate candidates' behavioral traits and cognitive abilities, aiding in the identification of a candidate's suitability for a role.
  • Job Profiling: Criteria supports the creation of job profiles, allowing organizations to define and align competencies required for different roles within the company.
  • Standardized Testing: The platform ensures standardized assessments and scoring, reducing subjectivity in hiring decisions and promoting fairness in candidate evaluation.
  • Data Analytics: Criteria offers data-driven insights and analytics, enabling organizations to make informed talent management decisions, from hiring to employee development.
  • Integration Capabilities: The platform can integrate with existing HR and talent management systems, making it easier to incorporate Criteria's assessments into an organization's existing infrastructure.
  • Remote Proctoring: Criteria supports remote proctoring solutions, ensuring the integrity of online assessments through features such as video monitoring and identity verification.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Users can generate comprehensive reports based on assessment results, offering valuable insights into candidate performance and competency mapping.
  • Compliance and Security: Criteria places a strong emphasis on data security and compliance, ensuring the protection of sensitive candidate and employee data in line with industry standards and regulations.
  • Global Accessibility: The platform's online nature enables organizations to conduct assessments on a global scale, making it accessible to a diverse workforce and remote teams.
SHL  Award
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Why We Picked SHL

User reviews for SHL highlight several strengths and weaknesses. Users praise SHL for its comprehensive assessments, offering a wide range of evaluations that can be tailored to specific job roles and competencies. Objective decision-making is another key strength, as SHL's standardized assessments reduce biases and subjectivity in hiring, promoting fairness. The platform's data-driven insights and analytics are well-received, enabling organizations to make informed talent management decisions. However, there are limitations users point out. Some find the platform's complexity in customization challenging, especially when creating highly customized assessments. Integration with existing HR systems can be complex and may require additional time and resources. Data privacy and security are concerns, given the sensitive candidate and employee data handled. Additionally, the online nature of SHL may not suit areas with unreliable internet access. Cultural adaptation of assessments is necessary for global organizations. In comparison to similar products, SHL stands out for its range of assessments and data-driven insights. However, potential users should be aware of the learning curve and consider their integration and data privacy needs. Overall, it is seen as a valuable tool for talent assessment and management, particularly for organizations seeking objective and data-driven hiring practices.

Pros & Cons

  • Comprehensive Assessments: Users appreciate the wide range of assessments offered by SHL, enabling them to tailor evaluations to various job roles and competencies within their organizations.
  • Objective Decision-Making: The standardized assessments promoted by SHL reduce bias and subjectivity in hiring decisions, contributing to more objective evaluations.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Users find value in the data analytics and insights provided by SHL, which help organizations make informed talent management decisions, from hiring to employee development and succession planning.
  • Remote Proctoring Capabilities: SHL's remote proctoring features are appreciated for maintaining the integrity of online assessments, especially in the context of remote work.
  • Global Accessibility: The online platform's accessibility is a significant advantage, ensuring a diverse, global workforce can utilize SHL's assessments.
  • Complexity in Customization: Some users find that creating highly customized assessments can be complex, potentially requiring a steeper learning curve.
  • Integration Challenges: Integrating SHL with existing HR and talent management systems may be complex, potentially requiring additional time and resources.
  • Data Privacy Concerns: As with any platform handling sensitive candidate and employee data, users express concerns about data privacy and security.
  • Limited Offline Support: SHL primarily operates online, which can be challenging in areas with unreliable internet access.
  • Cultural Adaptation: Some users find that assessments may not be equally effective in different cultural contexts, necessitating adaptation for global organizations.

Key Features

  • Tailored Assessments: SHL offers a wide range of assessments that can be customized to align with specific job roles and competencies within an organization, ensuring evaluations are precisely matched to its needs.
  • Behavioral Assessments: The platform provides assessments that evaluate candidates' behavioral traits and cognitive abilities, aiding in the identification of a candidate's suitability for a role.
  • Job Profiling: SHL supports the creation of job profiles, enabling organizations to define and align competencies required for different roles within the company.
  • Standardized Testing: SHL emphasizes standardized assessments and scoring, reducing subjectivity in hiring decisions and promoting fairness in candidate evaluation.
  • Data Analytics: The platform offers data-driven insights and analytics, enabling organizations to make informed talent management decisions, from hiring to employee development and succession planning.
  • Integration Capabilities: SHL can integrate with existing HR and talent management systems, making it easier to incorporate their assessments into an organization's existing infrastructure.
  • Remote Proctoring: SHL supports remote proctoring solutions, ensuring the integrity of online assessments through features such as video monitoring and identity verification.
  • Reporting and Analytics: Users can generate comprehensive reports based on assessment results, offering valuable insights into candidate performance and competency mapping.
  • Compliance and Security: SHL places a strong emphasis on data security and compliance, ensuring the protection of sensitive candidate and employee data in line with industry standards and regulations.
  • Global Accessibility: The platform's online nature enables organizations to conduct assessments on a global scale, making it accessible to a diverse workforce and remote teams.
Infor Talent Science  Award
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Why We Picked Infor Talent Science

Infor Talent Science is a cloud-based talent management solution that leverages predictive analytics to assist companies in making more informed decisions regarding hiring, developing, retaining, and redeploying their workforce. The platform's core functionality revolves around assessments that evaluate candidates' behavioral traits and cognitive abilities to predict their potential for success in specific roles. While Infor Talent Science has received positive feedback for its comprehensive features and ease of use, some users have expressed concerns about its cost and limitations.

Users appreciate the platform's ability to provide insights into candidates' behavioral tendencies, which can help identify individuals who are likely to thrive in collaborative environments and contribute to team productivity. The use of role-specific performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) further enhances the platform's ability to match candidates with suitable positions, leading to improved person-job fit and reduced turnover. However, the platform's premium pricing structure may pose a challenge for smaller organizations with limited budgets. Additionally, while Infor Talent Science offers a range of features, it may not seamlessly integrate with all existing HR systems, potentially requiring additional investment in middleware or custom integrations.

Infor Talent Science is well-suited for medium to large enterprises seeking a robust talent management solution that emphasizes predictive analytics and behavioral assessments. Organizations with complex hiring needs and a focus on building high-performing teams are likely to benefit the most from the platform's capabilities. However, smaller businesses or those with tighter budget constraints may need to carefully evaluate the cost-benefit ratio before committing to Infor Talent Science.

Pros & Cons

  • Predictive Analytics: Provides insights into a candidate's potential for success in a specific role, reducing the risk of bad hires and improving employee retention.
  • Reduced Time to Hire: Streamlines the hiring process by quickly identifying top candidates, allowing companies to fill open positions faster.
  • Improved Quality of Hire: Helps organizations make data-driven hiring decisions, leading to a higher quality of candidates who are a better fit for the company culture and job requirements.
  • Enhanced Candidate Experience: Offers a positive and engaging experience for candidates, improving employer branding and attracting top talent.
  • Bias Reduction: Helps mitigate unconscious bias in the hiring process by focusing on objective data and job-related criteria.
  • Limited Customization: The assessments offered by Infor Talent Science might not be as customizable as some users require, potentially leading to a mismatch between the assessment content and the specific requirements of certain roles or industries.
  • Implementation Challenges: Integrating Infor Talent Science with existing HR systems or workflows can pose technical challenges for some organizations, requiring additional IT support and resources during the implementation phase.
  • Cost Considerations: Depending on the size of the organization and the desired level of service, the cost of using Infor Talent Science might be a concern for some businesses, especially smaller ones with limited budgets.

Key Features

  • Behavioral Insights: Capture internal performance spectrums to develop and set role-based hiring benchmarks. Evaluate candidates based on 13 different quality metrics and 24 core characteristics based on employee data and performance KPIs to match applicants within predefined impact ranges. 
  • Talent Assessments: Evaluate candidates based on scientific assessments and align response patterns with organizational DNA to identify best matches. Accurately pinpoint applicants' cognitive abilities by applying adaptive testing that automatically calibrates difficulty levels of questions and cross-examines with trick questions. 
  • Role-specific Predictive Profiles: Evaluate key qualities and characteristics of candidates to determine compatibility for different open positions. Objectively grade scores and view similarities or differences between candidate scores and performance characteristics. 
  • Onboarding Management: Designs the first 90 days of integrating new hires based on work preferences, including motivators, struggles and management's ability to increase performance. Bring new hires up to speed by making reports directly available to new hires and allow managers to track rack role acclimatization progress on the activity tracking dashboard. 
  • Interview Tool Kit: Use auto-generated questionnaires developed by Ph.D. I/O psychologists. Rely on the system to auto-assign question sets to suitable candidates and job profiles. Measure alignment during interviews by tracking how candidates respond with a quick reference to ideal answers. 
  • Development Reports: Assess strengths and opportunities of new hires to assist with coaching and career development. Access performance insight from the onboarding period to identify different positions or better-aligned departments for new hires. 
  • ATS Integration: Connect the platform with existing applicant tracking systems to streamline talent acquisition. Transfer applications and candidate profiles from recruiting systems or ATS to the platform where candidates can complete assessments. 
TestGorilla  Award
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Why We Picked TestGorilla

User reviews for TestGorilla highlight both strengths and weaknesses. Users particularly appreciate the extensive assessment variety available within the platform, which saves time in assessment creation. Customization options also stand out, allowing organizations to tailor evaluations to specific job roles and competencies. The user-friendly interface is another advantage, making the assessment process accessible for both candidates and employers. Additionally, data-driven insights provided by TestGorilla aid in informed talent management decisions, and the option for candidates to receive feedback enhances transparency. On the flip side, some users find the assessment creation process complex, especially when designing highly customized assessments. Integrating TestGorilla with existing HR systems can be a substantial effort, potentially requiring additional resources. Data privacy concerns are raised, emphasizing the need for vigilant data protection measures. Users also mention a learning curve in becoming familiar with the platform's features. Cultural adaptation is crucial, as the effectiveness of assessments may vary across different contexts. In comparison to similar products, TestGorilla's wide assessment variety, customization options, and user-friendly interface make it a compelling choice. However, its limitations, such as assessment complexity and integration challenges, should be considered alongside these strengths.

Pros & Cons

  • Wide Assessment Variety: Users appreciate the extensive library of assessments, covering diverse skills and job roles, which saves time in assessment creation.
  • Customization: TestGorilla's ability to create custom assessments allows organizations to tailor evaluations to their unique needs, ensuring assessments match specific competencies.
  • User-Friendly Platform: Reviewers highlight the user-friendly interface, making assessments accessible and easy to navigate for both candidates and employers.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Users value the data analytics and insights provided, aiding in informed talent management decisions and helping identify areas for improvement.
  • Candidate Feedback: The option for candidates to receive feedback on their assessments enhances transparency and fosters candidate engagement in the process.
  • Assessment Complexity: Some users find the process of creating highly customized assessments to be complex, potentially requiring a learning curve.
  • Integration Effort: Integrating TestGorilla with existing HR and talent management systems can be a substantial effort, potentially requiring additional time and resources.
  • Data Privacy Concerns: As with any platform handling sensitive candidate and employee data, users express concerns about data privacy and security, necessitating vigilant data protection measures.
  • Learning Curve: Users may need time to become familiar with the platform's features, impacting the initial ease of use.
  • Cultural Adaptation: The effectiveness of assessments may vary across different cultural contexts, necessitating adaptation for global organizations.

Key Features

  • Extensive Assessment Library: TestGorilla boasts a wide range of pre-built assessments, covering various skills and competencies. This library allows organizations to find assessments tailored to specific job roles and industries without the need for custom development.
  • Custom Assessment Creation: Users can create custom assessments to match the unique requirements of their organization and job roles. This feature offers flexibility in designing evaluations that align with the specific skills and competencies sought after.
  • Remote Assessments: TestGorilla supports the administration of assessments in remote or distributed settings. This feature is especially valuable in the context of remote work and global talent sourcing, providing flexibility for candidate evaluations.
  • Data-Driven Insights: The platform provides analytics and insights that help organizations make informed talent management decisions. Users can leverage data to identify strengths and weaknesses in their hiring and employee development processes.
  • User-Friendly Interface: TestGorilla is designed with a user-friendly interface for both candidates and employers. This ease of use enhances the assessment experience, making it accessible to a wide audience.
  • Data Security and Compliance: TestGorilla places a strong emphasis on data security and compliance. The platform is designed to meet industry standards and regulations, ensuring the protection of sensitive candidate and employee data.
  • Integrations: TestGorilla offers integration capabilities, allowing organizations to seamlessly incorporate assessments into their existing HR and talent management systems. This integration streamlines the assessment process and enhances overall efficiency.
  • Global Accessibility: The platform's online nature makes it accessible to a diverse, global workforce. This global accessibility is crucial for organizations with international teams and remote workers.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: TestGorilla generates detailed reports based on assessment results. These reports provide insights into candidate performance and are valuable for decision-making in hiring and employee development.
  • Candidate Feedback: TestGorilla allows candidates to receive feedback on their assessments. This feature enhances transparency in the evaluation process and can be beneficial for candidate engagement.
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Why We Picked TalentQuest

User reviews for TalentQuest provide a mixed but informative perspective on the platform. Many users praise its robust talent management features, including performance appraisal, succession planning, and learning management. They find these tools effective in optimizing workforce productivity and talent development. However, some users express concerns about the complexity of implementation and the platform's cost, which can be prohibitive for smaller organizations. A common sentiment is that TalentQuest's mobile app lags behind the desktop version in functionality, limiting remote access. While the platform offers customization, users report that making extensive changes may require technical expertise, posing a challenge. Employee training is another area of feedback, with some users emphasizing the need for comprehensive training to maximize the platform's capabilities. TalentQuest's integration capabilities have room for improvement, particularly when syncing with other HR systems. Generating custom reports can be complex, and users have noted the need for more intuitive reporting features. On the positive side, the platform offers a comprehensive talent management solution with an array of tools for HR professionals. Users find it effective in streamlining HR processes and facilitating talent development. However, it is essential to address challenges like cost, mobile app functionality, and implementation complexity to ensure a seamless user experience.

Pros & Cons

  • User-Friendly Interface: Users appreciate TalentQuest's intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy to navigate and use.
  • Comprehensive Talent Management: Users find that TalentQuest offers a comprehensive set of talent management tools, from assessments to performance management and learning.
  • Data Analytics: The platform's robust data analytics capabilities allow users to derive valuable insights from talent data, aiding in informed decision-making.
  • Customization: Users like the ability to customize competency models and tailor the platform to their organization's unique needs.
  • Continuous Learning: TalentQuest's learning and development system supports continuous learning and skill development among employees, enhancing professional growth.
  • Performance Management: Users find the performance management features, including goal setting and feedback, to be effective in enhancing employee performance and development.
  • Integration Capabilities: The platform's integration with other HR systems ensures seamless data flow and comprehensive talent management.
  • Mobile Accessibility: Users value the platform's accessibility on mobile devices, offering flexibility and accessibility for a modern, mobile workforce.
  • 360-Degree Feedback: Users find the 360-degree feedback feature to be valuable for enhancing self-awareness and personal development.
  • Career Pathing: TalentQuest assists employees in planning their careers and growth within the organization, which contributes to talent retention.
  • Complex Implementation: Some users found the initial implementation and setup of TalentQuest to be complex and time-consuming, requiring a steep learning curve.
  • Costly: Several users mentioned that the licensing and ongoing costs of TalentQuest can be on the higher side, making it less budget-friendly for smaller organizations.
  • Limited Mobile App: Users noted that the mobile app may have limited features compared to the desktop version, which could be restrictive for mobile users.
  • Customization Challenges: While the platform offers customization, making extensive changes or customizations to the system may require technical expertise and could be challenging.
  • User Training: Some users found that employees need training to maximize the platform's capabilities, which can be time-consuming.
  • Limited Integration: A few users mentioned that the platform's integration capabilities, especially with other HR systems, could be improved for more seamless data exchange.
  • Reporting Complexity: Users reported that creating and generating custom reports may be complex and less intuitive.
  • Limited Help Resources: Some users felt that the availability of help resources, such as documentation and support, could be more comprehensive.
  • Scalability Challenges: A few users mentioned that TalentQuest may have limitations in scalability for larger enterprises.
  • User Interface Feedback: A minor group of users provided feedback about the need for improvements in the user interface for enhanced user experience.

Key Features

  • Assessment and Testing Tools: TalentQuest provides a suite of assessment and testing tools to evaluate candidates and employees. These tools encompass psychometric assessments, skills testing, and behavioral assessments, helping organizations make informed decisions about talent.
  • Performance Management: The platform supports ongoing performance management by facilitating goal setting, feedback, and performance reviews. Users can set objectives, track progress, and provide and receive feedback to enhance employee development.
  • Learning and Development: TalentQuest offers a comprehensive learning and development system. This includes a library of resources, such as courses, webinars, and content, to foster continuous learning and skill development among employees.
  • 360-Degree Feedback: The platform allows organizations to collect feedback from multiple sources, including peers, managers, and self-assessments. This 360-degree feedback approach enhances self-awareness and personal development.
  • Succession Planning: TalentQuest assists in identifying and nurturing high-potential employees, preparing them for future leadership roles. This feature supports effective succession planning, ensuring an organization's long-term talent needs are met.
  • Onboarding and Offboarding: It streamlines the onboarding process for new employees, ensuring a smooth transition into the organization. Additionally, TalentQuest helps manage offboarding processes when employees leave the company, preserving knowledge and ensuring compliance.
  • Data Analytics and Reporting: TalentQuest offers robust data analytics and reporting capabilities. Users can generate insights from talent data, aiding in informed decision-making and the optimization of talent strategies.
  • Competency Modeling: The platform allows organizations to create customized competency models tailored to specific job roles. This feature aids in assessing and developing competencies that are critical to an organization's success.
  • Career Pathing: TalentQuest assists employees in defining career paths and growth opportunities within the organization. It empowers individuals to plan their careers and supports talent retention.
  • Integration Capabilities: The platform offers integration with other HR and talent management systems, ensuring seamless data flow and comprehensive talent management across an organization.
  • Mobile Accessibility: TalentQuest is accessible on mobile devices, providing flexibility and accessibility for employees and candidates on the go. This feature supports a modern, mobile workforce.
  • Feedback and Survey Tools: The platform includes tools for conducting surveys and collecting feedback from employees, candidates, and other stakeholders.
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Why We Picked Aon Assessment

Users generally praise Aon Assessment for its powerful pre-employment assessment tools that aid in identifying the right candidates for specific roles. Many find the assessments to be accurate and highly predictive of candidate success within the organization. The comprehensive nature of Aon Assessment's solutions, offering a wide range of assessment types, is seen as a strength, allowing businesses to tailor assessments to their unique needs.

However, there are notable limitations users have highlighted. Some find the implementation process complex and resource-intensive, which could be a hurdle for smaller organizations. Cost is another concern, as the comprehensive nature of Aon Assessment's offerings can be expensive, potentially straining the budgets of smaller businesses. Users also mention a learning curve for employees using the platform and express a desire for more customizable reporting features.

In comparison to similar products, Aon Assessment is often seen as a leader in predictive assessments, with users valuing its accuracy and predictive capabilities. While there are limitations, the consensus is that the benefits in candidate selection and employee development outweigh these drawbacks, making it a favored choice for many organizations.

Pros & Cons

  • Comprehensive Assessment Tools: Aon Assessment offers a wide range of assessment tools, including psychometric assessments, cognitive ability tests, and situational judgment tests, providing organizations with a comprehensive solution for talent assessment.
  • Predictive Analytics: Users appreciate the platform's use of data-driven insights and predictive analytics to help identify high-potential candidates, ultimately leading to more successful hires and reduced turnover.
  • Customization and Personalization: Aon Assessment allows organizations to customize and personalize their assessments, aligning them with their specific job roles and competencies, ensuring a tailored approach to talent evaluation.
  • Global Reach: Users value Aon Assessment's global presence, making it a suitable choice for multinational companies in need of assessments and talent solutions across different regions.
  • Scientific Validity: The assessments provided by Aon Assessment are backed by scientific research and validation, instilling confidence in the accuracy of the results and their ability to predict candidate success.
  • Complex Implementation: Some users find the initial setup and implementation of Aon Assessment's tools to be complex and time-consuming, requiring substantial IT and HR resources to get started.
  • Costly: Aon Assessment's comprehensive solutions, while effective, can be costly for smaller businesses, leading to budget constraints for organizations with limited financial resources.
  • Learning Curve: Users have reported that employees may need time to adapt to the platform's assessment tools and understand how to interpret the results effectively.
  • Limited Reporting Capabilities: Some users have noted limitations in the reporting and analytics features, desiring more in-depth and customizable reporting options to gain deeper insights into candidate assessments.
  • Customer Support: While Aon Assessment offers support, a few users have expressed concerns about the responsiveness and effectiveness of customer support, particularly during critical implementation phases.

Key Features

  • Custom Assessment Solutions: Aon Assessment offers the flexibility to create tailored assessment solutions, ensuring they align with an organization's unique needs. This customization can range from designing assessments to match specific job roles to adapting content for various industries.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Aon Assessment leverages data analytics to provide in-depth insights. These insights help organizations make informed decisions about talent selection and development. They offer predictive analytics, benchmarking, and reporting to support HR strategies.
  • Scientifically Validated Assessments: Aon Assessment's assessments are backed by extensive scientific research and validation. This ensures the reliability and validity of their tools, giving organizations confidence in their selection and development processes.
  • Digital Assessment Tools: Aon Assessment offers a range of digital assessment tools, including psychometric tests, situational judgment tests, and gamified assessments. These tools help organizations evaluate candidates' cognitive abilities, personality traits, and situational judgment.
  • Seamless Integration: The platform seamlessly integrates with an organization's existing HR systems. This integration streamlines the assessment process, making it easier for HR professionals to manage and evaluate talent data.
  • Mobile-Friendly: Aon Assessment's tools are designed to be accessible on mobile devices. This mobile-friendliness ensures candidates can complete assessments from anywhere, making the process more convenient and efficient.
  • AI-Powered Solutions: Aon Assessment harnesses the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance assessments. AI-driven features include automated scoring, candidate ranking, and the ability to identify top talent quickly.
  • Competency Frameworks: Organizations can define the competencies required for various job roles. Aon Assessment's assessments can then be aligned with these competency frameworks to assess candidates' suitability for specific positions.
  • Global Reach: Aon Assessment's assessments are available in multiple languages, allowing organizations to evaluate candidates on a global scale. Their international presence ensures that assessments can be adapted to local cultural norms.
  • Continuous Innovation: Aon Assessment is committed to staying at the forefront of assessment technology. They continually innovate and enhance their offerings to meet the evolving needs of organizations in a rapidly changing HR landscape.
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Why We Picked eSkill

Users commonly appreciate eSkill for its extensive library of pre-built assessments, covering a wide range of skills and job roles. This library simplifies the process of creating tailored tests for candidates. The flexibility to customize assessments is also a notable strength, allowing users to fine-tune evaluations to their specific needs. Many users highlight the detailed reporting and analytics capabilities provided by eSkill. These features enable HR professionals to gain valuable insights into candidates' performance, aiding in the decision-making process. The platform's integration options and compatibility with various applicant tracking systems have garnered positive feedback, streamlining hiring workflows.

On the other hand, some users find the interface to be complex and challenging, particularly when configuring custom assessments. Pricing is another source of concern, with eSkill being perceived as relatively expensive, especially for smaller businesses. Users have expressed a desire for more diverse question types to cover a broader range of assessment scenarios. While the majority of users have positive experiences with eSkill's customer support, a few have reported slow response times and less-than-satisfactory assistance. The ability to integrate with other systems, while generally a strength, has presented challenges for some users who encountered difficulties in setting up these connections.

Users frequently compare eSkill to other assessment and testing platforms. It often stands out for its extensive assessment library and customization options. While there are concerns about pricing and interface complexity, the platform's reporting capabilities and integration options make it a competitive choice for businesses seeking in-depth candidate evaluation solutions.

Pros & Cons

  • Comprehensive Assessment Library: eSkill provides an extensive library of pre-built tests, saving time and effort for users by offering a wide range of assessment topics and job-specific evaluations.
  • Customization Flexibility: Users appreciate the ability to tailor assessments to specific job roles, ensuring that candidates are evaluated on the skills and knowledge relevant to the position they are applying for.
  • Detailed Reporting: eSkill offers comprehensive reporting and analytics, allowing users to gain valuable insights into candidates' performance, strengths, and areas for improvement, aiding in informed hiring decisions.
  • Remote Assessment: The platform's online assessment capabilities are particularly advantageous in today's remote work environment, enabling candidates to complete tests from anywhere, saving time and resources.
  • Scalability: Users find eSkill scalable, accommodating their evolving assessment needs as organizations grow and hiring demands change.
  • Interface Complexity: Some users find eSkill's interface to be complex and challenging to navigate, especially when trying to set up customized assessments or interpret detailed reports.
  • Pricing Concerns: Pricing is a common source of frustration, with some users perceiving eSkill as relatively expensive, particularly for smaller businesses or those with limited hiring needs.
  • Limited Question Types: Users have expressed a desire for a more extensive variety of question types, stating that the platform's current question formats may not cover all their assessment needs.
  • Integration Challenges: Some users report difficulties integrating eSkill with other HR or applicant tracking systems, leading to extra work and potential data discrepancies.
  • Customer Support: While not universally mentioned, a few users have had negative experiences with customer support, citing slow response times or less-than-helpful assistance.

Key Features

  • Customizable Assessments: eSkill offers a vast library of pre-built tests, but it also allows users to create their own customized assessments. This flexibility ensures that assessments align with specific job requirements and company needs.
  • Advanced Question Types: Users can leverage a variety of question types, including multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, simulations, and hands-on tests, providing an accurate evaluation of practical skills and knowledge.
  • Anti-Cheating Measures: eSkill employs stringent security measures to prevent cheating during assessments. This includes webcam monitoring, randomized question orders, and timer controls.
  • Integration Capabilities: eSkill integrates seamlessly with various popular HR and applicant tracking systems, streamlining the hiring process and ensuring that assessment results are readily available to hiring teams.
  • Realistic Job Previews: With the ability to simulate job-related tasks, eSkill allows candidates to experience the role before they're hired, helping both employers and applicants make more informed decisions.
  • Scalability: The platform accommodates organizations of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. Whether you need to assess a handful of candidates or thousands, eSkill can handle the load.
  • Comprehensive Reporting: eSkill generates detailed reports, providing insights into candidates' performance. These reports assist in making data-driven hiring decisions.
  • Skill Gaps Analysis: Users can identify skill gaps in their workforce, helping with targeted training and development programs to enhance overall productivity and proficiency.
  • Mobile Compatibility: eSkill is accessible on various devices, including mobile phones and tablets, making it convenient for both candidates and assessors.
  • International Expertise: eSkill's expertise extends globally, offering support for multiple languages, ensuring that assessments are inclusive and accessible to a diverse talent pool.
HiPeople  Award
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Why We Picked HiPeople

User reviews of HiPeople provide a balanced perspective on the platform's performance. Users commend its strengths, including efficient talent sourcing, robust data analytics, and a seamless onboarding process. They appreciate the comprehensive insights that facilitate data-driven decision-making and the tools for continuous performance management. HiPeople's support for HR compliance and its mobile accessibility are also lauded. Users find value in customizable dashboards, effective employee engagement features, and the platform's cost-efficiency for larger enterprises. On the flip side, some users have expressed concerns. They note a learning curve, particularly when exploring the platform's numerous features. Complex integrations with legacy systems can pose challenges, and the cost may deter smaller businesses. A few users report limitations in customizing HiPeople to meet highly specific HR process needs. Support availability outside of standard business hours can be a point of frustration, and effective user training is deemed essential but time-consuming. Implementing and managing HiPeople may also be resource-intensive. Comparatively, HiPeople is seen as a robust solution for talent management and HR processes, particularly for mid-sized and larger organizations. However, its scalability and cost-effectiveness for smaller firms may be a matter of consideration. Users acknowledge its positive features while highlighting areas where improvement is possible, emphasizing the need for adequate training and support availability.

Pros & Cons

  • Efficient Talent Sourcing: Users appreciate HiPeople's ability to quickly identify and source top talent, streamlining the hiring process.
  • Robust Analytics: HiPeople's data-driven insights help users make informed HR decisions, improving workforce management.
  • Seamless Onboarding: The platform's onboarding features receive praise for making the integration of new hires smooth and efficient.
  • Enhanced Performance Management: Users find HiPeople's tools valuable for continuous performance evaluation and employee growth.
  • Compliance Support: HiPeople's HR compliance features simplify regulatory processes, ensuring legal adherence.
  • Mobile Accessibility: Users like the convenience of accessing and managing HR data on the go through mobile devices.
  • Customizable Dashboards: HiPeople's customizable dashboards allow users to tailor the platform to their specific needs.
  • Effective Employee Engagement: The platform's resources for measuring and enhancing employee engagement receive positive feedback.
  • Cost-Efficiency for Larger Enterprises: Larger organizations find value in HiPeople's features, justifying the investment.
  • Integration Flexibility: Users appreciate the ability to integrate HiPeople with other essential business systems, enhancing overall efficiency.
  • Learning Curve: Some users find that HiPeople has a learning curve, particularly when initially navigating its comprehensive features.
  • Integration Complexity: Complex integrations with certain legacy systems can be challenging, requiring additional time and resources.
  • Cost for Smaller Businesses: Smaller businesses may find the cost of implementing HiPeople prohibitive, as it's more tailored to mid-sized and larger organizations.
  • Customization Limitations: Some users report limitations in customizing HiPeople to fit very specific or unique HR processes.
  • Support Availability: A few users have mentioned limited support availability during non-standard business hours, potentially impacting issue resolution.
  • User Training: Users note that providing adequate training to staff is necessary to maximize the benefits of the platform, which can be time-consuming.
  • Resource Intensiveness: Implementing and managing HiPeople can be resource-intensive in terms of time, personnel, and budget.
  • Compatibility Challenges: Some users have faced compatibility issues with their existing software and systems when integrating HiPeople.
  • Limited Custom Reporting: Users looking for highly customized reporting options may find the available features somewhat limited.
  • Scalability for Smaller Firms: Smaller firms may find HiPeople's features geared more toward larger enterprises, which can affect scalability.

Key Features

  • Data-Driven Analytics: HiPeople offers robust data analytics tools, providing in-depth insights into your workforce. It enables you to make informed decisions based on real-time data, enhancing HR strategies.
  • Talent Acquisition Tools: The platform provides advanced tools for sourcing, assessing, and hiring top talent. It streamlines the recruitment process, saving time and resources.
  • Performance Management: HiPeople facilitates the continuous evaluation and feedback process, helping organizations drive employee growth and engagement through structured performance management.
  • Employee Onboarding: It offers comprehensive onboarding solutions to ensure a seamless transition for new hires. This feature accelerates their integration into the organization.
  • Workforce Planning: HiPeople aids in forecasting workforce needs, ensuring your organization has the right talent in place to meet future demands effectively.
  • HR Compliance: The platform helps in maintaining HR compliance by automating regulatory processes and ensuring that your HR practices align with legal requirements.
  • Employee Engagement Tools: HiPeople offers tools and resources to gauge and enhance employee engagement, fostering a positive work environment.
  • Customizable Dashboards: Users can tailor their dashboards to display the key metrics and information relevant to their organization's specific goals and needs.
  • Integration Capabilities: HiPeople seamlessly integrates with other essential business systems, enhancing overall efficiency and data accuracy.
  • Mobile Accessibility: The platform is accessible on mobile devices, allowing HR professionals to manage and access critical data on the go.
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Why We Picked Predictive Index

User reviews for Predictive Index reflect a generally positive sentiment, highlighting several strengths. Users appreciate its accuracy in hiring decisions, as it matches candidates to roles based on their natural behaviors and cognitive abilities. It also fosters improved team dynamics by helping managers understand and leverage employees' working styles, contributing to better collaboration and productivity. Enhanced employee engagement and reduced turnover are other noted benefits. The data-driven approach aids in objective decision-making, a vital aspect for talent management and leadership development. However, some users express concerns, including data privacy issues regarding the collection and handling of sensitive employee information. Predictive Index is seen as a costly investment, potentially limiting its accessibility for smaller businesses. Additionally, some users note the need for cultural adaptation in global organizations and point out that it might not fully address the unique complexities of every context. In comparison to similar products, Predictive Index offers a comprehensive solution for talent management, particularly in hiring and team optimization. While it has its limitations, its data-driven approach and ability to enhance employee engagement set it apart. Overall, user reviews suggest that Predictive Index is a valuable tool for organizations, but users should be mindful of potential privacy concerns and costs.

Pros & Cons

  • Accurate Hiring: Users appreciate that Predictive Index aids in making accurate hiring decisions by matching candidates to roles that align with their natural behaviors and cognitive abilities.
  • Improved Team Dynamics: Many users find that Predictive Index enhances team dynamics by helping managers understand team members' working styles, leading to more effective collaboration and productivity.
  • Enhanced Employee Engagement: Reviewers highlight that the tool contributes to improved employee engagement by providing insights for tailored management strategies and professional development.
  • Reduced Turnover: Predictive Index's ability to match individuals to roles where they excel is valued for its impact on reducing turnover and related recruitment costs.
  • Data-Driven Decision-Making: Users appreciate the data-driven approach for talent management and leadership development, which helps in making objective and informed decisions.
  • Data Privacy Concerns: Some users express concerns about data privacy, particularly regarding the collection and handling of sensitive employee information.
  • Costly Investment: Predictive Index can be perceived as a significant financial investment, making it less accessible for smaller businesses with limited budgets.
  • Cultural Adaptation Challenges: Reviewers note that the tool may require adaptation for global organizations, as cultural differences in behaviors and communication styles can impact its effectiveness.
  • Not a One-Size-Fits-All Solution: Some users find that Predictive Index may not fully address the unique complexities of every organization or industry, leading to limitations in certain contexts.
  • Potential Bias: Like any assessment tool, there's the potential for bias if not used and interpreted with care, which can result in inaccurate conclusions.

Key Features

  • Behavioral and cognitive assessments: Predictive Index offers both behavioral and cognitive assessments to help organizations better understand their employees and candidates. The behavioral assessment measures an individual's workplace behavioral tendencies, while the cognitive assessment measures their learning ability, problem-solving skills, and other cognitive abilities.
  • Job assessment tools: Predictive Index provides job assessment tools to help organizations define and understand the behavioral and cognitive requirements of different jobs. These tools can help organizations create accurate job descriptions, screen candidates more effectively, and make better hiring decisions.
  • Team analytics: Predictive Index's team analytics tools help organizations understand the behavioral and cognitive makeup of their teams. This can help to identify potential conflicts and areas where teams may need additional support or training.
  • Talent optimization: Predictive Index's talent optimization solutions are designed to help organizations optimize their talent strategies and drive better business results. These solutions include workforce planning, talent acquisition, talent development, and talent retention.
  • Customization and integration: Predictive Index's solutions are designed to be customizable and integrated with other HR systems and tools. This allows organizations to tailor the solutions to their specific needs and requirements.
  • AI-powered insights: Predictive Index's solutions are powered by artificial intelligence, which provides data-driven insights and recommendations to help organizations make better talent decisions. The AI technology is designed to learn from data over time and continually improve the accuracy of its predictions.

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Greenhouse

by Greenhouse
Greenhouse
Greenhouse Recruiting is a comprehensive recruitment software suite designed to help businesses attract and hire candidates. It offers a structured and scalable approach to recruiting with integrations.The platform holds the number two spot on our overall best recruiting software list. It has earned top rankings in applicant tracking, integrations and extensibility, and platform capabilities. Additionally, it ranks in the top five for communications, onboarding and talent sourcing.It’s suitable for all business sizes across multiple locations. Key features include automated sourcing, scheduling, talent filtering and live reporting.The platform automates repetitive tasks, cutting down on manual work. It provides clear visibility into the hiring pipeline, which helps prevent incomplete candidate tracking, productivity gaps and prolonged vacant positions.An added bonus is its robust data-driven insights, which support better hiring decisions and improve DE I practices by reducing unconscious bias.Users appreciate Greenhouse Recruiting’s user-friendly design and intuitive interface. The majority also highly praise its responsive and knowledgeable customer support. In contrast, most note setting up custom reporting is challenging, and the mobile app lacks some desktop features.Pricing starts at $5,000 per year and is quote-based. Currently, there’s no free trial available.
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Buyer's Guide

Pre-Employment Assessment Software Is All About Data-Driven Candidate Selection

Pre-Employment Assessment Tools BG Intro

Your recruitment software s your trusty compass, guiding you through the vast landscape of potential hires. However, pre-employment assessment tools are your GPS in this vast terrain, helping you navigate diverse talents and experiences to find the perfect organizational match. With a plethora of tools at your disposal, choosing the best software can be overwhelming. This comprehensive guide aims to equip you with everything you need to know about pre-employment assessment tools to make an informed choice. Let’s start!

Executive Summary

  • Pre-employment assessment tools provide various candidate tests to identify top talent for an open role.
  • Standardized questionnaires with pre-set answers let hiring teams efficiently score results, enabling faster, bias-free hiring decisions.
  • Managers can leverage automation tools and various assessment types to filter candidate pools.
  • An informed software selection strategy depends on asking the right questions internally and to vendors.
What This Guide Covers:

What Are Pre-Employment Assessment Tools?

Pre-employment assessment tools, or pre-hire assessment software, are recruiting tools that let employers accurately evaluate candidates’ skills and aptitudes to determine the best fit for an open position. The platform offers test formats like questionnaires, online tests and skill assessments to evaluate candidate potential, allowing talent acquisition teams to effectively and objectively shortlist applicants.

Primary Benefits

Pre-employment assessment software enhances candidate selection by handling repetitive activities, analyzing different data units and presenting candidate results.

Let’s explore the top benefits of using these tools to enhance your candidate selection process:

Pre-Employment Assessment Tools Benefits

Eliminate Hiring Bias

Hidden bias can sneak into hiring decisions despite sincere intention. Pre-employment assessment tools minimize the impact of those hidden biases in the hiring process. These subjective opinions can tamper with candidate opportunities and cause your organization to lose out on top talent. These tools offer built-in frameworks and robust reporting tools that introduce objectivity into candidate screening, ensuring consistent evaluation based on skills and compatibility.. Consistently evaluate applicants for their skills and compatibility while keeping biases at bay.

Make Data-Driven Decisions

Different roles require varying technical skills, experience and emotional intelligence (EQ) levels. So, how can you numerically score the qualitative characteristics of your potential hires? Pre-hire assessment software uses methods validated by industrial-organizational psychologists to establish criteria for evaluating candidates effectively. By relying on the data, you don’t have to rely solely on your intuition when making crucial hiring decisions.

Improve Hiring Success

Evaluate prospective hires based on job-relevant data and suitable assessment methods to determine whether a candidate has the expertise and the right personality for the position. Improve the quality of your hires by selecting the right candidate for an open role.

Enhance Candidate Experience

A recent Appcast study showed that 92% of job seekers abandon the hiring process midway. While drop-offs are inevitable, it's vital to address the root cause of why a majority of applicants never finish the process. Pre-employment assessment tools counteract this trend by offering user-friendly interfaces and engaging question formats that enhance the candidate experience, increasing the likelihood of candidates completing the assessments and engaging effectively with your hiring process.

Key Features & Functionality

Pre-Employment Assessments

Use various pre-hire assessment types to evaluate skills, personality, behavior and expertise. Develop consistent questionnaires and benchmarks to determine a candidate's suitability or shortlist applicants for the next hiring stage.

Questionnaire Library

Organize assessment templates and job-specific question sets in a digital library for easy access. . Your talent acquisition specialists can add or edit questions based on current requirements and save past surveys in databases.

Testing Platform

Conduct end-to-end assessments online in a secure test delivery environment to ensure consistency and fairness throughout the evaluation process. Send candidates invite links, allowing them to record or submit their responses securely.

Recruiter Dashboard

Manage and monitor the candidate assessment process from a centralized platform. Access candidate results, track assessment progress, schedule interviews, and utilize templates and resources in one place, facilitating efficient collaboration within the hiring team.

Rating Scales and Scorecards

Use structured frameworks to objectively measure candidate responses and generate consistent scores, simplifying candidate comparison and analysis.

Interview Kits

Access curated interview guides highlighting candidate strengths and weaknesses, enabling a more strategic interview approach. Some vendors even offer AI-generated questions based on score analysis to streamline the interview process.

Reports and Analytics

Gain actionable insights into candidate performances to make informed hiring decisions. Rely on multi-rater scoring systems to analyze questionnaire responses and generate shareable reports for more fruitful recruiting.

Integrations

Enable seamless data transfers and workflows by connecting pre-employment tools with your existing applicant tracking system (ATS). Access active applicant pipelines, past candidate profiles and databases quickly.

Software Comparison Strategy

Although many pre-hire assessment software vendors provide the same features, a structured software comparison will help you uncover their differences. Consider the following steps to get the ball rolling:

1. Identify Your Goals

Start your journey by defining your recruitment and broader HCM goals. Nail down the following:

  • Identify the traits you’re looking for in your next hires.
  • Evaluate your existing framework's efficiency in assessing candidates.
  • Determine the time spent developing tests, assessing responses and evaluating scores.
  • Pinpoint your existing hiring process and system inefficiencies.

Base your goals on your recruiting team’s difficulties. Problem-area examples are improving the quality of hires, enhancing time-to-fill or ensuring consistent evaluations.

2. Develop a Requirements List

Next, transform your goals into an actionable requirements list. Think of this list as the blueprint for an ideal software.

First, be clear about your ideal system’s assessment types. Most vendors offer the following evaluations:

Pre-Employment Assessment Types

  1. Personality Assessments: These assessments evaluate an individual's personality traits, helping determine whether they have the traits needed for certain roles or to fit with existing team dynamics.
  2. Cognitive Ability Tests: Measure a candidate's problem-solving, logical reasoning and critical thinking skills, helping determine their mental agility and complex task aptitude.
  3. Skills and Competency Assessments: Evaluate specific job-related skills or technical proficiencies, ensuring candidates possess the knowledge and expertise required for particular roles.
  4. Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs): Present hypothetical work scenarios to evaluate your potential hires’ decision-making, problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
  5. Behavioral Assessments: Delve deeper into habits and tendencies with behavioral assessments. Analyze scores to predict future performance and potential.
  6. Assessment Centers: Use a combination of exercises, including group discussions, job-based tasks and role-playing, to simulate real work scenarios and simultaneously assess various competencies.

You’ll also need to check the assessment platform for the following details:

  • Question Formats: Compare various questionnaire formats. Common options include multiple-choice, dichotomous, open-ended questions and rating scales. Certain providers offer audio-visual tests, gamified assessments and branded questionnaire options to enhance candidate experiences.
  • Key Functions: Identify essential features that support your candidate evaluation process.
  • Customizations: Determine whether you require customizable options to align questionnaires with your organization's unique requirements and job roles.
  • Integrations: Note any additional recruiting tools or modules you need in a new system. Examine how well the tool seamlessly integrates with your existing HR systems to ensure data consistency and ease of use.
  • IT Requirements: You’ll need a system you can implement without too many hassles. Assessing your IT infrastructure helps you determine what you’ll need to support a new system.

Certain vendors offer pre-employment assessment tools as part of their recruiting suite. If you already have an existing recruiting system, we recommend inquiring with your software provider about the availability of candidate evaluation features.

However, if you’re in the market for a new recruitment suite, consider referring to our software features and requirements checklist, which comprehensively covers all the essential technical and functional aspects to consider.

3. Research Vendors

Next, explore your options by checking software review sites, seeking recommendations from colleagues, and analyzing your competitors' tools. Prioritize vendors with a strong reputation and expertise relevant to your industry and workforce. Consider the following aspects:

  • Reputation: Prioritize providers with impeccable track records and industry experience.
  • Compliance: Confirm that the vendor follows industry standards and complies with legal requirements for ethical data management and security.
  • Validity and Reliability: Evaluate the built-in testing frameworks. Look for vendors offering scientifically validated assessments and scoring frameworks, a consistent and objective talent selection process.

4. Create a Shortlist

Refine your prospect list based on how well the platforms align with your company’s requirements. We recommend requesting demos and free trials to get hands-on experience using each platform. Focus on the following aspects during free trials:

  1. Assessment Relevancy: Ensure assessment offers match the roles you’re hiring for. Despite candidate scores, interview all prospects to identify any gaps between your added competencies and the assessment frameworks.
  2. Assessment Completion Rate: Track whether your applicants make it to the end of the assessment and submit their answers. If the numbers aren’t up to mark, consider using user-friendly tools and engaging assessment formats that offer enhanced candidate experiences. 
  3. Quality of Hire: Interview shortlisted applicants and use strategic questions to assess whether the assessment platforms effectively refined candidate shortlists.

5. Select The Winner

Lastly, document your findings in a shareable spreadsheet or report, noting key features, assessment options, unique value propositions and pricing details. Weigh the pros and cons to make an informed, long-term decision.

Need a hand? We’re here to help! Use our free vendor comparison matrix to compare different options against your software needs.

If you prefer to start from scratch, hop over to our lean selection article, in which we reveal the nine critical steps of software evaluation.

Cost & Pricing Considerations

Implementing any software can be a hefty investment. Knowing the various upfront and hidden costs ensures you get your money’s worth. Let’s dive into some upfront and implicit costs you’ll likely incur when installing a new pre-hire assessment platform.

First, you’ll incur some upfront costs:

  • License or Subscription Fees: Monthly or annual fees paid for acquiring the software or subscribing to the vendor's services.
  • Installation Fee: A one-time cost for deploying the system.
  • Customizations: Tailoring the system to match industry standards or your organization’s requirements.
  • Data Transfer Fee: The cost of transferring existing data into the new system.

Still, certain costs depend on the plan you opt for. Vendors offer tiered pricing, where the price tag increases as you require more from a system. Access to enhanced functions and control often requires upgrading to a higher-tier plan.

The following factors typically affect tiered pricing:

  • The number of open roles
  • The number of candidates, also called invite-based pricing
  • The number of administrative users
  • The different types of applicant screening tests

The Best Pre-Employment Assessment Tools

Now that you’re familiar with what pre-employment assessment tools can and should do for your business, we’ll shed a spotlight on some popular solutions:

Mettl

Mettle is a cloud-based pre-hire assessment platform with over 100,000 pre-built questions, 250 job-specific skills and customizable assessment templates. It includes anti-cheating measures with AI-based remote proctoring and browser lockdown. Assign human invigilators and implement browser lockdown to prevent candidates from switching tabs during the test.

This vendor offers the following pre-employment assessment:

  • Psychometrics tests
  • Coding tests
  • Behavioral assessments
  • Domain-specific tests
  • Aptitude tests
  • Communication skills tests

Mettl

Mettl’s test-taker list lets you sort applicants and download candidate reports. Source

Criteria

Criteria is a cloud-based pre-hire candidate assessment platform focusing on enhanced candidate experiences with mobile-friendly gamified assessments. Its multi-dimensional evaluation approach collects responses that best represent who you’re hiring and built-in question adaptability technology that tailors difficulty levels as candidates respond.

Additionally, leverage the end-to-end solution to conduct interviews and leverage key insights to develop strategic interview questions.

Criteria offers the following assessment formats:

  • Cognitive aptitude tests
  • Personality tests
  • Risk assessments
  • Competency and skill assessments
  • Emotional Intelligence (EQ) tests
  • Game-based assessments

Criteria

Criteria offers robust analytics and generates radar maps to display candidate competencies.

SHL

SHL is a cloud-based pre-hire assessment system offering robust reporting and analytics capabilities. It also offers pre-recorded video interview capabilities in addition to candidate assessments. Develop suitable questionnaires that assess competency fit and gain insights that predict future potential.

Key assessment types include:

  • Virtual assessment centers that include job simulations, group exercises and stakeholder meetings.
  • Behavioral assessments
  • Personality tests
  • Cognitive assessments
  • Skill assessments
  • Job-based competency assessments

SHL

SHLoffers three personality assessments tailored to identify candidate motivation, working preferences and capacity to work in a remote setting. Source

 

 

Questions To Ask

Asking the right questions helps uncover specific requirements your business will benefit from. Use the following questions as a starting point to drive internal conversations during your software search:

  • Which pre-employment assessments does your company need?
  • What goals do you want to achieve with a new system?
  • Which recruiting metrics do you want to improve?
  • Do you have any specialized roles that require hiring?
  • What is the frequency of hiring?
  • What is the industry type and size of your business?
  • How extensive are your present IT capabilities?

Pre-Employment Assessment Tools Key Questions To Ask

Asking the right questions to your prospective vendors will help you uncover the benefits and shortcomings associated with their services:

  • What are the different pre-employment assessment tests available?
  • Are the testing frameworks validated by the I/O psychology community?
  • Can your system seamlessly integrate with existing recruiting tools?
  • Is the platform scalable?
  • Which integration options are available? Does it come with additional costs?
  • Is the platform GDPR, EEOC and ISO compliant?
  • What are the technical support resources offered?
  • What is the turnaround time for site maintenance?

Next Steps

Quality talent is an extremely crucial resource for any business, so it's important to do your due diligence and ensure that you onboard the right people for the job. Consider the recommendations in this guide as a starting point to select the best pre-employment assessment tools for your business.

If you’re ready to take the next step, consider using our free vendor comparison matrix to see how different alternatives stack against your company requirements and make the optimal choice.

Which pre-employment assessments do you find crucial for your business? Let us know in the comments.

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Additional Resources

About The Contributors

The following expert team members are responsible for creating, reviewing, and fact checking the accuracy of this content.

Technical Content Writer
Saniya was a Technical Content Writer at SelectHub. With an MBA in Marketing, she found her calling in the world of digital marketing and technical content writing. Her work spanned HR-centric systems like talent management, recruitment and performance management to robust software like ERP and manufacturing systems. When the day winds down, she enjoys taking long walks with her dog or indulging in her artistic side by swapping her keyboard for a pencil. She finds solace in watching the sunset over the beach and appreciates the little things in life.
Edited By Joe Evans
Content Editor
Joe Evans is an Editor and Senior Market Analyst at SelectHub. A seasoned professional wordsmith, he has a bachelor's degree in journalism and electronic media and a decade of professional expertise in crafting top-tier digital content for niche online brands. He leads his small yet formidable team in producing helpful, compelling content in vital categories like HR, payroll, talent management, performance management, marketing automation home health, MES. When not editing and writing, he enjoys sports, quality time with family and dogs, and remains constantly in pursuit of something new and interesting to read or listen to.