Top 20 Pre-Employment Testing Software Reviewed for HR Teams
TL;DR
Pre employment testing software helps organizations evaluate job-relevant skills, cognitive ability, and behavioral traits before interviews begin
These tools reduce hiring bias by replacing resume-based screening with structured, standardized assessments
The best pre employment testing software improves quality of hire, shortens time to hire, and supports fairer decision-making
Different pre employment testing companies specialize in different use cases, including skills testing, psychometric evaluation, and volume hiring
Choosing the right tool depends on role requirements, hiring scale, and the type of insights needed
After spending nearly two decades as a recruiter, I have realised that not having the right pre-employment assessment tools can significantly reduce the efficiency of the hiring process.
You can have a solid talent pipeline and have the best interview panel, but not having a well-defined pre-employment assessment is going to cost you dearly!
Pre employment testing software can come in handy when you do mass hiring, where you have to process hundreds of profiles within a short span of time.
The best part about pre employment assessment tools is that they cut down the hiring time in half! Furthermore, pre employment skill assessments eliminate the imminent hiring bias that comes with traditional hiring.
Once my team decided to invest in pre employment testing software, we realized that there were one too many tools in the market. How did we narrow down on the right pre employment assessment tool?
Read on to know how, and also get a peek into the top 20 pre employment assessments that I feel cater to diverse hiring requirements that employers put forward to their recruitment teams.
What Is Pre Employment Testing Software?
Pre employment testing software is a digital solution used by organizations to assess candidates before they are hired. Instead of relying solely on resumes, interviews, or gut instinct, hiring teams use these tools to evaluate skills, aptitude, and behavioral traits in a consistent and objective way.
This software allows employers to administer structured assessments such as skills tests, cognitive ability evaluations, and psychometric questionnaires. Candidates complete these tests remotely, and results are automatically scored using standardized benchmarks. This ensures every applicant is evaluated using the same criteria, regardless of background or presentation style.
Pre employment testing software for employees is especially valuable in roles where practical ability matters more than credentials. It helps organizations verify job readiness, predict on-the-job performance, and reduce the risk of costly mis-hires.
In this blog, you will learn how pre employment testing software works, what types of tests are commonly used, and which platforms are considered the best pre employment testing software based on real hiring needs. The blog also covers pre employment test examples, explains how to interpret test outcomes, and provides a curated list of leading pre employment testing companies to consider.
Why Organizations Use Pre Employment Testing Software
Hiring mistakes are expensive and disruptive. Interviews often reward confidence and communication skills rather than actual ability. Resumes highlight experience but rarely reflect competence. Pre employment testing software addresses these gaps by focusing on what candidates can actually do.
Organizations use these tools to screen candidates early, reduce interviewer bias, and ensure hiring decisions are backed by data. For high-volume hiring, testing software helps filter applicants efficiently. For specialized roles, it verifies technical or functional skills before time is invested in interviews.
Over time, consistent testing leads to better hiring outcomes, improved retention, and stronger team performance.
Common Types of Pre Employment Tests
Pre employment testing software supports multiple assessment types, depending on the role and hiring objective.
Skills assessment test for employment evaluates job-specific capabilities such as coding, accounting, customer support, or operational tasks. These tests confirm whether candidates can perform essential responsibilities.
Cognitive ability tests measure problem-solving, reasoning, and learning agility. These are especially useful for roles requiring adaptability and critical thinking.
Psychometric assessments evaluate personality traits, work style, and behavioral tendencies that influence collaboration and leadership potential.
Situational judgment tests present real workplace scenarios and assess how candidates respond, offering insight into decision-making and professionalism.
Pre employment test examples often combine multiple test types to create a holistic picture of job readiness.
How to Interpret Pre Employment Test Results
Test scores should always be interpreted in context. A high score indicates readiness in a specific area, not overall suitability. Similarly, lower scores highlight development needs rather than disqualification.
Hiring teams should compare results against role requirements, not other candidates alone. Structured interpretation helps avoid overreliance on a single metric.
Some platforms also provide pre employment exam sample with answers to help employers understand how scoring works and what responses indicate.
Top 20 Pre Employment Testing Software Platforms
Choosing the right pre employment testing software depends on how deeply you want to evaluate skills, aptitude, and behavior before hiring. Below is a detailed look at some of the most widely used pre employment testing companies, explaining what each tool offers, how it differs, and where it fits best.
1. Skillrobo
Skillrobo is a comprehensive pre employment testing software designed to help organizations hire based on real job capability rather than resumes or interview performance alone. The platform focuses on role relevance, ensuring assessments mirror the actual skills, aptitude, and behavioral expectations of the job.
Skillrobo enables hiring teams to combine skills assessment tests for employment with cognitive and psychometric evaluations in a single workflow. Its structured reports help recruiters and hiring managers understand job readiness, performance potential, and possible behavioral risks early in the process.
Key Features
Role-based skill and aptitude assessments
Cognitive and psychometric evaluations
Standardized scoring and benchmarking
Clear, recruiter-friendly assessment reports
What Sets It Apart
Skillrobo emphasizes fair, structured, and bias-aware hiring by focusing on job relevance and consistent evaluation rather than generic testing.
Use Cases
Skill validation before interviews
Bias reduction in early-stage screening
Hiring for technical, operational, and professional roles
2. TestGorilla
TestGorilla is a pre employment testing software primarily built for early-stage candidate screening. It offers a large library of ready-to-use assessments covering cognitive ability, job-specific skills, language proficiency, and personality-related traits.
The platform is widely used by organizations managing high applicant volumes, as it helps recruiters quickly filter candidates before interviews. TestGorilla’s straightforward interface makes it easy to deploy assessments without technical setup.
Key Features
Extensive test library across roles and industries
Customizable assessment creation
Automated scoring and candidate ranking
Remote, browser-based test delivery
What Sets It Apart
TestGorilla prioritizes speed and simplicity, making it well suited for fast-moving recruitment teams.
Use Cases
High-volume hiring
Early-stage candidate shortlisting
Remote and global hiring
3. eSkill
eSkill specializes in skills-focused pre employment testing, particularly for administrative, clerical, and customer-facing roles. Its assessments are designed to test practical, day-to-day job tasks rather than abstract theoretical knowledge.
Organizations use eSkill to confirm baseline competence before interviews, ensuring candidates meet minimum skill requirements. The platform also supports customization for role-specific testing needs.
Key Features
Job-specific skills tests
Customizable assessments
Automated grading and reports
Compliance-friendly testing environment
What Sets It Apart
eSkill places strong emphasis on practical skill validation for operational roles.
Use Cases
Administrative and clerical hiring
Customer service screening
Entry- and mid-level roles
4. Criteria Corp
Criteria Corp provides validated psychometric assessments focused on cognitive aptitude and personality traits. Its tools are designed to predict job performance, learning ability, and leadership potential.
The platform is commonly used by organizations that want research-backed assessments rather than surface-level testing. Criteria Corp’s assessments are often integrated into structured hiring and development programs.
Key Features
Cognitive aptitude testing
Personality and behavioral assessments
Scientifically validated scoring models
Benchmark-based reporting
What Sets It Apart
Strong focus on predictive accuracy and scientific validation.
Use Cases
Professional and managerial hiring
Leadership assessment
Talent development planning
5. HireVue
HireVue combines pre employment testing software with structured video interviewing. Candidates complete assessments and respond to standardized interview questions through recorded video responses.
This approach allows organizations to evaluate both assessment data and communication skills at scale. HireVue is frequently used by enterprises and campus hiring teams managing large applicant pools.
Key Features
Video interviews with structured questions
Cognitive and situational assessments
Scalable candidate evaluation workflows
Centralized hiring insights
What Sets It Apart
Integrates assessment data with video-based candidate responses.
Use Cases
Campus recruitment
Enterprise-level hiring
Early-career roles
6. Assess Candidates
Assess Candidates is a flexible pre employment testing platform that allows organizations to build customized assessments across skills, aptitude, and situational judgment. The platform is designed for ease of use and quick deployment.
Hiring teams often choose Assess Candidates when they want tailored testing without complex configuration or long implementation timelines.
Key Features
Custom test creation
Multiple assessment formats
Automated scoring and analysis
Candidate-friendly experience
What Sets It Apart
Offers high customization with minimal setup effort.
Use Cases
Role-specific hiring
Small to mid-sized organizations
Flexible recruitment workflows
7. Psychometrics Canada
Psychometrics Canada offers a range of validated assessments used for employee selection, development, and leadership evaluation. Its tools are widely used in regulated, professional, and safety-sensitive industries.
The platform emphasizes reliability, compliance, and professional interpretation, making it suitable for high-stakes hiring decisions.
Key Features
Cognitive ability assessments
Personality and behavioral testing
Professionally designed reports
Research-backed validation
What Sets It Apart
Strong emphasis on scientific rigor and compliance.
Use Cases
Regulated industries
Leadership and professional hiring
Long-term workforce planning
8. EmployTest
EmployTest focuses on behavioral and skills-based assessments designed to improve job fit and reduce turnover. The platform evaluates how well candidates align with role expectations and organizational culture.
EmployTest is often used by organizations prioritizing retention and performance consistency rather than just technical skills.
Key Features
Behavioral assessment tools
Job fit scoring
Skills validation tests
Performance prediction insights
What Sets It Apart
Strong focus on behavior-driven job fit.
Use Cases
Frontline and service roles
Retention-focused hiring
Culture alignment screening
9. MapleLMS Pre Employment Testing
MapleLMS integrates pre employment testing with learning and development workflows. It allows organizations to assess skills during hiring and align results with onboarding and training programs.
This approach is particularly useful for organizations that treat hiring and upskilling as a continuous process.
Key Features
Skill-based assessments
Learning management integration
Automated test administration
Performance tracking
What Sets It Apart
Connects hiring assessments directly with training initiatives.
Use Cases
Skill-driven hiring
Training-led onboarding
Continuous learning environments
10. Thomas Assessment Platform
Thomas provides behavioral and aptitude assessments designed to help organizations understand work style, motivation, and team fit. Its tools are used in both hiring and employee development contexts.
The platform emphasizes insight into how individuals behave at work rather than just what they know.
Key Features
Behavioral profiling
Cognitive aptitude testing
Team fit analysis
Development-focused insights
What Sets It Apart
Strong focus on behavioral understanding and team dynamics.
Use Cases
Culture-fit hiring
Leadership development
Team performance improvement
11. Mercer Mettl
Mercer Mettl is a widely used pre employment testing software that supports large-scale hiring, campus recruitment, and professional assessments. The platform offers a broad range of skill-based, cognitive, and psychometric tests that are mapped to job roles and industry standards.
It is commonly used by enterprises and staffing firms to conduct secure, remote assessments at scale. Mercer Mettl also supports advanced proctoring to maintain test integrity.
Key Features
Role-based skill and aptitude assessments
Cognitive and psychometric testing
AI-enabled remote proctoring
Detailed analytics and benchmarking
What Sets It Apart
Strong enterprise focus with scalable assessment delivery and test security.
Use Cases
Campus and graduate hiring
High-volume enterprise recruitment
Professional certification testing
12. SHL
SHL is a well-established assessment provider known for its research-backed psychometric and cognitive ability tests. Its tools are designed to predict job performance and leadership potential across a wide range of roles.
Organizations use SHL to bring scientific rigor into hiring and workforce planning decisions. The platform is particularly popular in large and global organizations.
Key Features
Cognitive ability and personality assessments
Job-focused assessment frameworks
Predictive analytics and reporting
Global norm benchmarking
What Sets It Apart
Decades of assessment research and validation.
Use Cases
Leadership and professional hiring
Workforce planning
High-stakes selection decisions
13. Codility
Codility is a pre employment testing software designed specifically for technical hiring. It focuses on evaluating real-world coding ability rather than theoretical knowledge.
Hiring teams use Codility to assess programming skills through live coding tasks and take-home challenges that mirror actual job scenarios.
Key Features
Coding challenges for multiple languages
Real-world programming tasks
Automated code evaluation
Plagiarism detection
What Sets It Apart
Strong emphasis on practical coding performance.
Use Cases
Software developer hiring
Engineering team screening
Technical skill validation
14. HackerRank
HackerRank provides technical assessments for developers, data scientists, and engineers. It enables companies to test coding skills in a realistic and structured environment.
The platform supports both screening tests and interview-based coding evaluations, making it suitable for end-to-end technical hiring.
Key Features
Coding and problem-solving tests
Role-based technical assessments
Interview coding environments
Candidate performance analytics
What Sets It Apart
Strong developer-focused assessment ecosystem.
Use Cases
Technical recruitment
Engineering interviews
Developer skill benchmarking
15. iMocha
iMocha is a skills-based pre employment testing software that focuses on validating technical, functional, and digital skills. It offers a large library of skill tests across IT and non-IT roles.
The platform is often used by enterprises looking to standardize skill validation across hiring and internal mobility.
Key Features
Extensive skill test library
Role-based assessment creation
AI-driven skill intelligence
Integration with ATS platforms
What Sets It Apart
Strong focus on enterprise skill taxonomy and mapping.
Use Cases
Skill-based hiring
Internal mobility programs
Workforce upskilling assessments
16. Pymetrics
Pymetrics uses neuroscience-based games to assess cognitive and behavioral traits. The platform evaluates attributes such as attention, risk tolerance, and emotional intelligence.
Organizations use Pymetrics to understand candidate potential and reduce bias through objective behavioral measurement.
Key Features
Game-based behavioral assessments
Cognitive and emotional trait evaluation
Bias-aware assessment design
Candidate-matching algorithms
What Sets It Apart
Uses neuroscience-driven assessments instead of traditional tests.
Use Cases
Early-career hiring
Potential-based screening
Diversity-focused hiring programs
17. Wonderlic
Wonderlic is best known for its cognitive ability assessments that measure learning speed, problem-solving, and adaptability. Its tests are widely used to predict job performance across roles.
The platform offers simple, time-efficient assessments that are easy to administer.
Key Features
Cognitive ability tests
Job benchmarking tools
Automated scoring
Easy deployment
What Sets It Apart
Quick and practical cognitive assessment methodology.
Use Cases
General aptitude screening
Entry-level and professional hiring
High-volume recruitment
18. Talview
Talview offers pre employment testing software combined with remote proctoring and video interviewing. It supports large-scale, secure assessment delivery.
The platform is commonly used for campus hiring, certifications, and volume recruitment programs.
Key Features
Online assessments with proctoring
Video interviewing tools
AI-based monitoring
Scalable assessment infrastructure
What Sets It Apart
Strong emphasis on assessment security and scale.
Use Cases
Campus hiring
Large-scale candidate screening
Remote assessments
19. Alva Labs
Alva Labs focuses on evidence-based psychometric testing to predict job performance and learning potential. Its assessments are designed to be objective and bias-aware.
The platform combines logic tests with personality assessments to provide a balanced view of candidate suitability.
Key Features
Cognitive ability testing
Personality assessments
Predictive job fit analytics
Bias-aware design
What Sets It Apart
Strong focus on fairness and predictive validity.
Use Cases
Graduate hiring
High-potential identification
Professional role screening
20. Berke
Berke provides psychometric assessments focused on predicting job fit and behavioral alignment. Its tools are commonly used to support hiring, coaching, and leadership development.
The platform evaluates motivations, personality traits, and cognitive patterns relevant to workplace success.
Key Features
Behavioral and personality assessments
Job fit scoring
Coaching and development insights
Predictive performance indicators
What Sets It Apart
Blends hiring assessment with coaching and development.
Use Cases
Leadership hiring
Culture-fit assessment
Employee development programs
Buyers Guide to Pre Employment Testing Software
| Tool Name | Key Differentiator | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Skillrobo | Role-based skill, cognitive, and behavioral assessments focused on fair, job-relevant hiring | Professional Plan priced at $299 per month |
| TestGorilla | Large ready-made test library with role-specific assessments and flexible credit-based pricing | Plans start at $22.50/month (Rise) and range to $399/month (Business) |
| eSkill | Practical, customizable job-specific skills tests for operational roles | Contact vendor (pricing varies by use case) |
| Criteria Corp | Scientifically validated cognitive and personality assessments | Contact vendor (custom plans) |
| HireVue | Combines assessments with structured video interviewing workflows | Contact vendor (enterprise pricing) |
| Assess Candidates | Flexible custom test creation | Contact vendor (tiered plans) |
| Psychometrics Canada | Research-backed professional assessments | Contact vendor (pricing by assessment type) |
| EmployTest | Job fit and skills-based assessments | Contact vendor (varies by plan) |
| MapleLMS | Integrates pre employment testing with training and onboarding workflows | Contact vendor (package pricing) |
| Thomas | Behavioral and aptitude profiling | Contact vendor (role-based pricing) |
| Mercer Mettl | Enterprise-grade assessments with advanced proctoring | Contact vendor (tiered enterprise plans) |
| SHL | Decades-old research in psychometric and job simulation testing | Contact vendor (custom enterprise pricing) |
| Codility | Real-world coding assessments with task libraries | Starter: $1,200/year (120 invites) / Scale: $600/mo or $6,000/yr |
| HackerRank | Deep technical skills and interview assessments | Starter plan ~$165/mo and Pro ~$375/mo |
| iMocha | AI-driven skills validation and diagnostics | Contact vendor (custom pricing) |
| Pymetrics | Neuroscience-based behavioral and cognitive games | Contact vendor (usage pricing) |
| Wonderlic Select | Multi-measure assessments combining cognitive, personality, and motivation metrics | Starts around $6,000/year for basic access |
| Talview | Secure, proctored online testing with video interviewing | Contact vendor (enterprise pricing) |
| Alva Labs | Bias-aware cognitive and personality testing | Contact vendor (role and scale based) |
| Berke | Behavioral and personality assessments with coaching insights | Contact vendor (custom pricing) |
| Vervoe | Skills and simulation-based automated candidate scoring | Contact vendor (tiered plans) |
How to Choose the Best Pre Employment Testing Software
Choosing the best pre employment testing software depends on hiring goals, role complexity, and scale. Organizations should evaluate whether the platform supports job-specific testing, standardized scoring, and clear reporting.
Ease of use for candidates, data security, and integration with existing hiring processes are also important considerations. Most importantly, the software should support fair and consistent evaluation rather than adding complexity.
Wrapping up
Pre employment testing software has become a critical part of modern hiring. By focusing on skills, aptitude, and behavior, these tools help organizations move beyond resumes and interviews toward evidence-based decisions.
The right platform enables better shortlisting, reduces bias, and improves long-term hiring outcomes. Whether hiring at scale or filling specialized roles, structured testing provides clarity where traditional methods fall short.
Organizations that invest in the right pre employment testing software are better equipped to hire confidently, consistently, and responsibly. Skillrobo is a total value addition to your recruitment process. Sign up to see for yourself first hand the power of AI-powered pre employment assessments.
FAQs
What is pre employment testing software used for?
It is used to assess candidate skills, cognitive ability, and behavioral traits before hiring decisions are made.
Is pre employment testing software suitable for all roles?
Yes, but the type of test should match the role. Skills-heavy roles benefit most from practical assessments.
Do candidates find pre employment tests fair?
When tests are job-relevant and transparent, candidates often view them as fairer than resume-based screening.
Can pre employment tests replace interviews?
No. They complement interviews by providing objective data that supports better interview decisions.
How accurate are pre employment test results?
Accuracy depends on test design and relevance. Validated, role-based assessments offer the most reliable insights.