Welcome to eSkill’s Test of the Month! In these posts, you’ll find information on popular eSkill assessments from our library of more than 800 subject types. While normally we highlight one specific test, this month we’re spotlighting our customized assessments.
Which method is best when testing skills before you make a hire: using customized or standardized pre-hire tests? We broke down the pros and cons between the two in a recent blog. Long story short – it depends on the position you’re hiring for.
For technical jobs where hard skills are a must like an engineer, mechanic, or technician, custom tests are necessary for finding the right candidate. With custom tests, you can test exactly which skills are needed for a future job role. Let’s dive in.
What Does it Test? Whatever your heart desires! Mix and match questions from a pre-existing test library, upload existing questions, digitize paper tests, or write questions completely from scratch. Test for a hyper-specific skill or include a variety of subjects to get the full view of your candidate.
Assessment Type – eSkill’s custom assessments come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Create multiple choice questions, free responses, audio uploads, video replies, or even custom simulations that mimic an actual work environment. Whatever you need to test, you’ll have the format you need for accurate measurement.
Ideal Industries & Jobs – Custom tests apply to virtually any industry. However, they work best in fields where standardized tests are too general to measure what you need. This includes:
Manufacturing – Understanding best practices regarding mechanical aptitude and safety
Construction – Knowing tool functionalities or project planning.
Healthcare – Navigating specialized software, processes, and empathy.
Government – Following regulations and documenting work.
Energy and Utilities – Identifying essential equipment or components.
Transportation – Managing and tracking orders to deliver goods safely / on time.
Legal Services – Evaluating legal terminology, processing documents, and researching cases.
Education – Measuring teaching style or classroom management methods.
Complimentary Questions – Consider creating a custom test that measures hard skills, but also includes questions that measure communication skills, cognitive ability, or behavioral style.
Standardized assessments can work just fine if you need to measure general skills or a baseline level indicative of success. But if you need to know a job applicant’s specific ability in a specialized field, equipment, system, or workflow, then custom tests are a must for finding good candidates. Plus, our dedicated assessment experts can help you create content and source custom questions with trusted subject matter experts.
Get started with eSkill today and see how our customized pre-hire assessments can help you make consistently great hires.