Mechanical reasoning test for technical hiring
See how candidates reason about forces, movement and everyday mechanical systems.
- 10 分钟
- 21 道题
- Intermediate
- Multiple choice, Picture choice
- Questions in 英语
- Phone and desktop
简短回答
The Mechanical Reasoning assessment is a 10-minute, 21-question hiring test of forces and balance, motion and speed, and how gears, pulleys and wheels transmit movement. Each question shows a simple drawing and asks what happens or which way a part turns. Use it as evidence when hiring technicians, trades staff and engineering trainees.
测量内容
Understanding of forces, balance, motion and speed, and how gears, pulleys and wheels transmit movement.
Forces and balance
Questions cover how forces affect balance and what happens when a setup changes.
Motion and speed
Questions ask candidates to reason about moving objects and differences in motion and speed.
Gears, pulleys and wheels
Questions explore how gears, pulleys and wheels transmit movement, including which way parts turn.
Question formats
Multiple choice
The candidate: Reads a short situation, table or statement and picks the right answer, or every right answer.
You see: Whether the candidate knows the material well enough to apply it, not just recognize it.
Picture choice
The candidate: Studies a pattern or diagram and picks the picture that fits.
You see: Reasoning with shapes and patterns that does not depend on reading.
21 questions in 10 minutes, served one at a time.
Roles this test fits
Hands-on technical roles such as maintenance and installation technicians, HVAC, electrical and plumbing trades, carpenters, welders, machine operators, machinists and vehicle mechanics, as well as engineering trainees, facility engineers and technical sales staff.
What this test can add to your hiring process
See applied reasoning, not just a resume
Questions show simple drawings of levers, ramps, moving objects, gears, belts or pulleys and ask what happens, which way something turns, or which setup needs less effort. You see how a candidate works through those situations, beyond what a resume lists.
Review more than one question style
Multiple-choice questions ask for the one right answer about a drawing. Picture-choice questions ask the candidate to pick the drawing that answers the question. Both rely on practical understanding of how things work, not memorized formulas.
Keep the assessment focused
The test takes 10 minutes and has 21 questions. It offers a short, consistent way to gather job-related evidence before deciding what to explore in an interview or work sample.
Use results to guide follow-up
Treat the score as a signal for a person to review, not as a hiring decision. Use it to choose relevant follow-up questions about practical situations, then consider the candidate’s evidence alongside other parts of your process.
What you get for each candidate
- Stayed on the test tab throughout
- No pasted answers
- Answered at a steady pace
Scores, profiles and integrity signals are evidence for you to review alongside an interview, never an automatic decision.
How the test handles integrity signals
Each attempt draws a different set of questions from large pools. Question order and answer options are shuffled. The browser receives one question at a time, and answer keys never reach it. Timing runs on the server, so a reload returns the same question with the time left. Candidates cannot copy question text, and blocked copies are recorded. Each candidate gets a personal link that expires. HireValid records signals such as time away from the test tab, pastes and very fast answers in an Integrity Score with a timeline for the employer to review; the score never decides. With candidate consent, an employer can add webcam photos. Questions are answered once, in order, with no going back.
我们如何防范 AI 作弊 · Integrity signals
Use the score as one piece of evidence
Review the score alongside a role-relevant work sample and a structured interview. For example, a work sample could ask the candidate to explain or demonstrate how they would approach a practical situation relevant to the job. Keep the task appropriate to the role and use the same evaluation approach for each candidate. The mechanical reasoning test is not a pass mark or a stand-alone decision. Compare the evidence from the test with what you observe in the work sample and hear in the interview. For more context on using assessments in hiring, see the pre-employment testing guide.
Structured interview questions to explore
Tell me about a time you had to work out why a moving part or system was not behaving as expected. How did you approach it?
Listen for a clear account of the situation, the steps the candidate took to investigate, and how they checked what happened.
Describe a job task where balance, force or movement affected how you planned the work. What choices did you make?
Listen for a practical explanation tied to the candidate’s role and the reasoning behind their choices.
Tell me about a time you had to explain how a mechanical setup would move or turn to someone else. How did you make your explanation clear?
Listen for specific details about the setup, how the candidate communicated the movement, and how they responded to questions.
Walk me through a time you encountered an unfamiliar mechanical situation at work. What did you do next?
Listen for a grounded account of how the candidate gathered information, considered the situation and decided on a next step.
Understand scoring and benchmarks
Roles and level this assessment fits
This intermediate test is intended for hands-on technical roles such as maintenance and installation technicians, HVAC, electrical and plumbing trades, carpenters, welders, machine operators, machinists and vehicle mechanics. It can also support hiring for engineering trainees, facility engineers and technical sales staff. Use it to gather evidence on practical mechanical reasoning, then relate that evidence to the actual responsibilities of the position.
What candidates see
Questions use simple drawings and short, plain sentences, so reading speed matters as little as possible. Situations draw on general experience of how objects move and balance, not a particular trade, tool brand or workshop habit. They do not rely on sports, money or local knowledge. Units are metric, numbers are small enough for scratch paper, and drawing parts are identified by letters and shapes rather than color. Candidates may use scratch paper. A four-question, four-minute practice set is available before the assessment.
Choose related evidence thoughtfully
The mechanical reasoning test focuses on forces, balance, motion, speed and how gears, pulleys and wheels transmit movement. If you also want evidence on patterns and shapes, consider Abstract Reasoning. For a separate look at reasoning with numbers, see Numerical Reasoning. These measure different areas, so select assessments based on the job rather than treating them as interchangeable.
Fairness and accommodations
Questions use simple drawings and short, plain sentences, so reading speed matters as little as possible. Situations come from general experience of how objects move and balance rather than from any one trade, tool brand or workshop habit, and they never rely on sports, money or local knowledge. Units are metric, numbers are small enough for scratch paper, parts in the drawings are told apart by letters and shapes rather than color, and the people named come from many backgrounds and genders.
You can give any candidate extra time as an accommodation. Results are evidence for a person to review, never an automatic decision.
Provisional: reliability is reported once 200 candidates have completed it.
Test details
A short, timed test of how well a candidate understands the way everyday machines and physical systems behave. Each question shows a simple drawing of levers, ramps, moving objects, gears, belts or pulleys and asks what happens, which way something turns, or which setup needs less effort. It looks at practical understanding of how things work, not at memorized formulas.
- Questions are in English.
- Aids allowed: Scratch paper.
- Each question is answered once, in order, with no going back.
- 4 practice questions, 4 minutes, before the timed test.
常见问题
What does the Mechanical Reasoning test measure?+
It measures understanding of forces and balance, motion and speed, and how gears, pulleys and wheels transmit movement. Each question shows a simple drawing and asks what happens, which way something turns, or which setup needs less effort. It looks at practical understanding of how things work, not recalling memorized formulas.
How long is the Mechanical Reasoning test?+
The assessment has 21 questions and a 10-minute time limit. Candidates cannot go back to earlier questions. A separate practice set has four questions and takes four minutes. Candidates may use scratch paper during the assessment.
Which roles suit the Mechanical Reasoning test?+
It is designed for intermediate hands-on technical roles, including maintenance and installation technicians, HVAC, electrical and plumbing trades, carpenters, welders, machine operators, machinists and vehicle mechanics. It can also be used for engineering trainees, facility engineers and technical sales staff. Match the evidence to the actual job duties.
What question formats are in the Mechanical Reasoning test?+
Multiple-choice questions ask candidates to choose the one right answer about a simple drawing. Picture-choice questions ask candidates to select the drawing that answers the question, such as the setup that needs less effort. Both formats keep reading short, so the mechanical reasoning test centers on how things move and balance.
Does the Mechanical Reasoning test require trade-specific experience?+
The questions use general situations about how objects move and balance rather than a particular trade, tool brand or workshop habit. They cover forces, motion, speed, gears, pulleys and wheels. That makes the test relevant to several technical roles, but you should still consider role-specific experience separately in your work sample and interview.
How should I use a Mechanical Reasoning test score?+
Use the score as evidence for a person to review, alongside a role-relevant work sample and structured interview. It is not a pass mark or a hiring decision by itself. Follow up on the candidate’s reasoning about movement, balance or mechanical setups, and consider the evidence in light of the position’s responsibilities.
What kinds of drawings appear in the Mechanical Reasoning test?+
The drawings show levers, ramps, moving objects, gears, belts and pulleys. Candidates are asked what happens next, which way a part turns, or which setup needs less effort. Parts are told apart by letters and shapes rather than color, units are metric, and numbers are small enough to work out on scratch paper.
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