Types of pre-employment tests, with examples

How to read this guide

Each section below explains what one test type measures, shows an example question written for this page, lists the roles it suits and sets out the cautions to keep in mind. It also says whether HireValid offers that type, with a link where it does.

You may see older guides describe "4 types of employment test", usually cognitive, skills, personality and integrity. That grouping is a useful start, but it leaves out the types small businesses use most often today, such as situational judgement, typing and work samples. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management lists cognitive ability tests, work samples, job knowledge tests and structured interviews among standard assessment methods, and the CIPD notes that skill-based assessments "have been found to be better predictors of performance on the job when compared with traditional approaches". For the wider process, from choosing tests to reviewing results, see the practical guide to pre-employment tests.

Cognitive ability tests

What it measures. Reasoning and learning ability: working with numbers, words, patterns and logic in unfamiliar problems. These tests predict how quickly someone can learn a new job.

Best-fit roles. Most roles, and especially those that change fast or need a lot of training, such as analysts, coordinators and early-career hires.

Cautions. Cognitive tests can contribute to adverse impact, so use them alongside job-specific tests rather than alone, set any cut-off carefully and review selection rates after each round. Keep time limits reasonable and offer extra time as an accommodation.

At HireValid. Yes: general cognitive ability, plus verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, attention to detail and critical thinking in the cognitive ability category.

Job knowledge and skills tests

What it measures. Whether a candidate can use the tools and knowledge the job needs today, for example spreadsheet formulas, office software, accuracy with details or marketing basics. A job knowledge test is the most direct evidence of current skill.

Best-fit roles. Administrators, assistants, analysts, coordinators and anyone whose job depends on a specific tool.

Cautions. Test the level the job really needs, not the most advanced features. Skills can be learned quickly, so a strong candidate who lacks one tool may still be the best hire.

At HireValid. Yes: Microsoft Excel basic, Excel intermediate, Google Workspace basics, bookkeeping and accounting, clerical and MS Office and digital marketing fundamentals.

Language tests

What it measures. Reading, grammar, vocabulary and written communication in the language of the job, sometimes with a level estimate on a scale such as the CEFR.

Best-fit roles. Customer support, sales, marketing, remote and international roles, and any job with a lot of written contact.

Cautions. Set the level the job needs rather than demanding perfection, and judge spoken communication on clarity, not accent. Native speakers are not automatically better writers.

At HireValid. Yes: English proficiency and business writing, the latter scored with an explicit rubric and human review.

Situational judgement tests

What it measures. How a candidate would handle realistic workplace situations: a complaint, a deadline clash, a prospect who is not a fit. Candidates pick the best response from several options.

Best-fit roles. Customer service, sales, team leads and any role where judgement with people matters more than a specific tool.

Cautions. Good scenarios are written for the job and have a best answer agreed by people who know the work. Avoid scenarios that reward one cultural style.

At HireValid. Yes: customer service, sales aptitude, emotional intelligence, problem solving and time management, in the situational judgement category.

Typing and data entry tests

What it measures. Typing speed and accuracy, and sometimes accuracy when copying or checking data.

Best-fit roles. Call centre and chat agents, administrators, transcribers and data entry roles.

Cautions. Set the speed bar from the real work rather than a generic target, weight accuracy as much as speed, and allow suitable assistive devices. Typing tests need a keyboard, so tell candidates to use a laptop or desktop.

At HireValid. Yes: typing speed and accuracy and data entry and 10-key, with free typing and 10-key tests you can try first.

Coding tests

What it measures. Whether a developer or analyst can read, reason about and write code in the language the job uses.

Best-fit roles. Junior developers, data analysts and technical support roles.

Cautions. Code-reading and explanation items show understanding better than long algorithm puzzles, and they are fairer to candidates without time for unpaid projects. Pair any coding test with a live conversation about the candidate's own code.

At HireValid. Yes: Python, SQL and JavaScript fundamentals, using short code-reading items.

Work sample tests

What it measures. How a candidate does a realistic piece of the job: drafting a reply to a customer, cleaning a small dataset, planning a week of social posts or fixing a short bug. A work sample test is often the most convincing evidence a hiring manager sees.

Best-fit roles. Almost any role, usually after a shortlist, because work samples take longer to complete and to score.

Cautions. Keep it short, ideally under an hour, never use it as unpaid work, give every candidate the same brief and score it against criteria agreed in advance. Say whether AI tools are allowed.

At HireValid. Work samples are not a separate test; our interview templates include structured follow-ups and scoring guides for the interview stage.

Personality tests for employment

What it measures. How candidates describe their own preferences and style, such as how organised, outgoing or calm under pressure they see themselves.

Best-fit roles. Often used across many roles, sometimes for team fit or development rather than selection.

Cautions. Personality questionnaires have no right answers, candidates can present themselves favourably, and extroversion is easy to mistake for ability. If you use personality tests for employment decisions, check that the traits relate to the job, use results to guide interview questions rather than as a pass mark, and be cautious with any test that claims to sort people into fixed types.

At HireValid. HireValid does not offer this test.

Integrity and honesty tests

What it measures. Self-reported attitudes to rules, honesty and workplace behaviour, often used in roles that handle cash, stock or sensitive information. An integrity test for employment is a questionnaire, not a check on what a candidate has done.

Best-fit roles. Retail, cash handling, security and similar roles where employers focus on rule-following.

Cautions. Questions can feel intrusive, and how people answer depends on how they read the question. Use them only where clearly job-related, explain why, and never as the sole basis for a decision. Do not confuse them with integrity signals during a skills test, which record events such as tab switches for review.

At HireValid. HireValid does not offer this test. Our Integrity Score is different: it summarises signals recorded during a skills test, for human review.

Cognitive vs skills tests: which comes first?

People often ask about cognitive vs skills tests as if you must choose. In practice they answer different questions. A cognitive test asks how quickly someone will learn; a skills test asks what they can do today. For a role with heavy training, weight reasoning more; for a role that needs someone productive in week one, weight skills more. Most good assessments include one of each, and the role bundles show sensible pairings for eleven common jobs.

Tests HireValid does not run

Some checks that happen during hiring are not skills tests, and HireValid does not run them: background checks, criminal record checks, reference checks, drug tests and medical tests. They have their own legal rules, which vary by country and state, and usually come after a conditional offer. Take qualified advice before adding any of them to your process.