EmployTest FAQ

Our top-rated US-based team can answer questions by phone or email, whichever works best for you (an actual real, live person). We’ll answer any questions on your mind, either before you buy or after you’re set up and testing.

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Applicant test scores are an important part of the hiring decision making process, but they are typically only part of it. Hiring decisions should be based on an overall view of the applicant, which also includes interviews, experience, work samples, and education (if applicable). Your organization may have other considerations as well. Tests give an independent, non-opinion based understanding of their abilities.

We partner with the top test developers to bring you the most extensive library of tests available. Every question has been developed by a PhD or Master’s level industrial organizational psychologist. These researchers work with subject matter experts to create test questions. Each test undergoes a thorough validation process to make sure it measures the desired skill or competency. Each test is then periodically reviewed to make sure it still accurately measures the desired skill.

Interviews and references can be unreliable and open to different interpretation by your co-workers on the hiring team. Everyone may have a different opinion on which candidate is the best and the tests will provide the definitive answer. More importantly, however, using tests that follow US Department of Labor’s Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection, in addition to EEOC guidelines, is the most responsible and fair way to quickly and accurately assess job applicants’ abilities. Yes, your company could build similar tests internally, but it will be a big commitment of time and budget. Our tests will provide the information you need, at a reasonable cost.

Why EmployTest? You’ll have a dedicated US-based account manager who you can talk with by phone if needed (email if fine too!). No other company has the extensive lists of tests/profiles to help with your hiring or training process. Our flexible pricing allows you to start with a modest investment, instead of the thousands required by other assessment vendors. Finally, our tests are guaranteed to provide accurate results for the skill/knowledge being tested. No other company guarantees their tests like we do.

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Research consistently supports pre-employment testing as one of the strongest tools available for predicting on-the-job success. A landmark study by Schmidt and Hunter found that cognitive ability tests outperform interviews and resumes as predictors of performance across job types. Skills-based simulations, like the ones EmployTest uses for Microsoft Office assessments, add further accuracy by measuring what a candidate can actually do rather than what they report on a resume.

Skills-based assessments use interactive simulations rather than multiple-choice questions. The Microsoft Excel test, for example, presents real spreadsheet tasks inside a simulated environment, so results reflect actual hands-on ability. Behavioral and aptitude assessments use scenario-based and scaled-response formats. None of the core skills tests are multiple choice.

Most skills assessments take between 15 and 45 minutes depending on the test and difficulty level. Typing and data entry tests are timed. Other assessments are generally untimed, though EmployTest provides average completion time guidelines for each test, which can help flag anything unusual about a candidate’s session.

Yes. Most skills assessments are available at basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. The intermediate level is the most commonly used starting point for administrative and office roles. You can sample any level before sending it to a candidate to confirm it matches what your position actually requires.

EmployTest’s Microsoft Office assessments cover the full range of practical workplace tasks within each application. Excel tests include formulas, data formatting, pivot tables, and spreadsheet navigation. Word tests cover document formatting, editing, and layout functions. Outlook tests assess email management, calendar functions, and organizational features. Each test is a simulation of the actual application rather than a quiz about it.

Skills tests measure what a candidate can do, such as how accurately they use Excel or how fast they type. Behavioral assessments measure how a candidate tends to approach work, such as their customer service orientation, attention to detail, or attitude toward teamwork. Most employers use a combination of both to get a complete picture of a candidate before making a hiring decision.

Employers use pre-employment assessments to evaluate whether a candidate has the specific skills, cognitive ability, or behavioral fit a role requires. For technical or administrative roles, skills tests provide an objective measure of proficiency that resumes and interviews alone cannot deliver. For customer-facing or team-based roles, behavioral assessments help identify candidates whose work style fits the environment.

The main categories are skills tests (measuring proficiency in specific software or job functions), cognitive ability tests (measuring reasoning and learning speed), and behavioral assessments (measuring work style and attitude). EmployTest covers all three, with particular depth in computer skills, Microsoft Office, and administrative role testing.

Most early turnover comes down to a mismatch between what a role requires and what a new hire can actually do. Pre-employment assessments give hiring managers objective skill data before the offer is made, which reduces the chance of placing someone in a role they are not ready for. EmployTest customers across industries report that testing before hiring leads to faster onboarding and stronger 90-day performance.

Structured, skills-based assessments evaluate candidates on job-relevant ability rather than credentials, background, or how well they present in an interview. This helps reduce the influence of unconscious bias that can affect resume screening and in-person evaluations. Using consistent assessments across all candidates for a given role produces a more level evaluation process.

The EmployTest test list page lets you filter assessments by category and job function. Each test includes a description of what it measures and the skill level it targets. Sample tests are available for most assessments so you can take the test yourself before sending it to a candidate, which is the most reliable way to confirm it fits the role.

Yes. Your EmployTest account supports multiple admin users. Score access is configurable: admins can be set to view all results across the organization, or only the sessions they personally created. This makes it straightforward for hiring managers in different departments or locations to work independently within the same account.

Yes. Notifying candidates that assessments are part of your hiring process is standard practice. Candidates do not receive their scores unless you choose to share them, so you retain full control over how results factor into your decision.

Yes. Notifying candidates that assessments are part of your hiring process is standard practice. Candidates do not receive their scores unless you choose to share them, so you retain full control over how results factor into your decision.