Recruitment tests play a crucial role in the evaluation of candidates, guaranteeing a choice based on objective data. Find out in this guide what types of tests are available, their benefits, and how to integrate them into your recruitment process.
Why use recruitment tests?
This recruitment method, also known as the Assessment Center, assesses candidates' skills, aptitudes and personality traits. By providing an objective assessment, they enable recruiters to reduce casting errors to meet the needs of the position to be filled. They are also a way of improving the candidate experience and effectively structuring the recruitment process. Many companies use them to save time in their decision-making, while ensuring a fair assessment.
For example, a recruitment agency can include psychometric tests in its approach to identifying suitable profiles for demanding positions. In the case of mass recruitment, these tools can be used to quickly filter hundreds of applicants.
What types of recruitment tests are there?
What are the different types of test?
Psychotechnical tests measure abilities such as logical reasoning, cognitive skills and numerical aptitude. Personality tests analyze individual traits to assess their fit with the corporate culture. Finally, skills tests validate the soft and hard skills required for the job in question. These tools are particularly useful in a variety of sectors, including technical, sales and managerial positions.
The list of the best recruitment assessments
Among the most commonly used in an Assessment Center are :
- The MBTI test: world-renowned, it helps identify candidates' personality traits based on preferences such as introversion or extroversion, logical thinking or intuition. For example, a "thinking and judging" MBTI profile may be ideal for a job requiring analytical skills.
- The Big Five: This tool assesses five fundamental personality dimensions: Openness, Professional Awareness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism. Recruiters can use it for positions requiring strong leadership or adaptability.
- Logical reasoning tests: Like Raven's matrices, these multiple-choice questionnaires measure candidates' ability to solve problems and think quickly. They are particularly useful in sectors where data analysis and rapid decision-making are essential.
- Role-playing exercises: These immerse candidates in real-life scenarios linked to their future job. For example, a managerial candidate may be asked to manage a fictitious team conflict to demonstrate his or her soft skills in problem-solving and communication.
- Memory and numerical reasoning tests: These assess specific cognitive abilities such as information retention or rapid calculation resolution, suitable for technical or analytical positions.
- The look-alike test: This analyzes the candidate's personality traits and values, often used for roles where cultural alignment is crucial.
These tools offer a global view of candidates, enabling recruiters to take a balanced approach to technical and soft skills. By combining different tests, it's possible to obtain reliable results and optimize your recruitment process, thus ensuring successful hiring.
How do you evaluate candidates using tests?
When should you include this step in your recruitment process?
Recruitment tests must be integrated after an initial selection based on CVs and cover letters. They are a key step before the final face-to-face interview to validate skills and aptitudes. For example, in a recruitment process for a managerial position, logical reasoning tests can be used before a work situation.
For a position requiring high levels of customer interaction, personality tests such as the MBTI or Big Five can be used to determine whether the candidate has the right personality traits, such as extroversion and interpersonal skills. This enables us to quickly assess whether the profile matches the corporate culture.
In technical environments, psychotechnical tests, such as numerical reasoning assessments, are often used to screen candidates prior to technical interviews. For example, a candidate for a financial analyst position may be subjected to rapid calculation or data analysis tests to demonstrate his or her cognitive abilities.
Workplace scenarios are particularly useful for roles where soft skills are a priority, such as project management. For example, a situational test might involve drawing up a plan to solve a fictitious team problem, or managing a simulated crisis meeting.
A language test can be added to validate mastery of a foreign language. For example, a written or oral test in English could be decisive in choosing a candidate for a position requiring international interaction.
What about the candidate's consent to the personality test?
Candidates' consent is essential to comply with the RGPD. It's crucial to inform them about the purpose of the tests, their duration, and how the data will be used. For example, a candidate must understand that psychometric tests are used to better identify their soft skills and suitability for the position, without any negative impact on their application.
How do I choose a recruitment test?
What makes a "good" recruitment test?
A good recruitment test must be adapted to the position and the company's requirements. It must also have high predictive validity, i.e. be capable of predicting the candidate's future performance. For example, a test such as the PAPI may be ideal for assessing a candidate's personality and ability to fit into a specific environment.
What are the advantages of psychometric tests?
Psychotechnical tests are a reliable way of assessing cognitive abilities. They offer an objective analysis and help to compare several candidates fairly. For example, a logical reasoning test can be used for jobs requiring high analytical skills.
Centralize all your candidate tests on a single platform
With Marvin Recruiter, you can automate and centralize all your recruitment tests. Our digital platform simplifies data management and guarantees an optimal candidate experience. Easily integrate psychometric and situational tests, and much more. Discover also our solutions for candidate pool and conversion rate calculation.
Our tool also generates customized reports to analyze candidate performance. These reports include comparative tables and graphs to facilitate decision-making. Thanks to an intuitive interface, recruiters can quickly access all the data they need to select the best profile.
FAQ : Your questions about recruitment tests
What are the 7 stages of recruitment?
The key stages are: defining requirements, drafting and circulating the offer, pre-selecting CVs, initial interview, assessment via tests, final interview, and decision-making. Each stage can include tools such as recruitment tests to ensure a structured process.
How do I prepare for recruitment tests?
Candidates can prepare by practicing psycho-technical tests, reviewing their technical skills, or simulating work situations. Understanding job expectations and familiarizing oneself with tools such as the MBTI test can also be beneficial.
How does an assessment center work?
An Assessment Center is a method that combines several tools, such as psychometric tests, role-plays and face-to-face interviews. It enables the skills and personality of candidates to be assessed within a structured framework.
What is the main purpose of the assessment center?
The aim is to provide an objective and comprehensive assessment of candidates' skills and personality traits. This enables recruiters to make informed decisions about vacancies.
How to pass an assessment center test
To succeed, it's crucial to prepare for the psycho-technical tests, understand the expectations of the job simulations, and adopt a proactive attitude during the face-to-face interviews.
Assessment center: advantages and disadvantages
The advantages include a comprehensive, objective assessment, but this can be costly and time-consuming. Disadvantages include the need for extensive logistical preparation.
Assessment center and URSSAF
It's important for companies to respect compliance rules, including legal and social obligations, to avoid any problems with URSSAF when organizing an assessment center.
