Types of personnel selection tests and questionnaires

Recruiters and recruitment experts use different tests and questionnaires to select the ideal candidates for the job positions they offer.

The job interview it can be a good tool to get to know the applicant and to decide, ultimately, whether or not he is qualified to perform the functions that the position requires. But applying only to the interview to determine whether or not the candidate is the person you are looking for may not be entirely reliable.

Today, many selection processes include the completion of different tests (for example, role-playing games) or psychotechnical tests to, in this way, determine the professional aptitude of the candidates, know their personality and assess your motivation. The combination of these tools is the best option if we want the selection process to be as precise as possible.

Recommended article: "Job Interviews: The 10 Most Common Mistakes"

The concept of competition

The origin of these tests is found in the concept of competence, which arises from the need to value not only the set of knowledge, skills and abilities that a person may possess, but also

appreciate your ability to use them in concrete situations and solve problems that may arise in a specific workplace. Likewise, the concept of competence refers to the attitude, motivation and conditions of the individual and her behaviors.

The different tests or questionnaires that are used in the personnel selection processes have the mission of assessing as a whole the four different dimensions present in the concept of competence. These are:

• Know how to be: refers to the personal dimension, attitudes and values ​​that guide the candidate's behavior.
• To know: is the technical component, that is, academic data or knowledge.
• Know to do: it is the methodological component, the ability to apply knowledge: abilities, skills, methods of action, etc.
• Know to be: is the participatory component. Refers to skills related to interpersonal communication and teamwork

You can learn more about the concept of competition in our article: "How to face an interview based on skills: 4 keys to getting the job"

Types of personnel selection tests and questionnaires

But, What are the tests or questionnaires used by personnel selection experts? What do these tools intend to measure? We will explain it to you below

Professional or knowledge tests

The professional tests simulate real situations and conditions that can be found in a specific job.. Therefore, these tests seek to know what is the degree of mastery of an applicant to perform that job to which it aspires and are used to obtain information on the training, experience and specific knowledge of the candidate.

There are two types of professional tests: knowledge tests, which evaluate the contents related to the occupation; and the skills tests, which evaluate the specific competencies related to the occupation. Among these tests, we can find: language tests, typing test, mastery test of computer tools, tests to repair or assemble a device, etc.

Personality questionnaires

Personality questionnaires try to extract through different items the main character traits of an individual in order to deduce the suitability and adaptability to the job to which the individual aspires. For example, if a subject participates in a selection process for the commercial position, one of the personality traits that recruiters will value is extraversion.

Recruiters can use different personality tests, but two of the most used are: the questionnaire of the big 5 (Big Five), which measures sociability, responsibility, openness, kindness and neuroticism; or the EPQ-R questionnaire, based on the Eysenck PEN model. Regarding these questionnaires, the answers are neither bad nor good, they simply reflect the personality of the candidate or their way of thinking and acting in certain situations.

In addition, for some jobs it is an essential requirement to pass some personality tests related to mental health. For example, one of the most used tests is the MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory). Its use is focused on identifying the personality profile and the detection of psychopathologiesTherefore, it can be used, for example, in police personnel selection processes.

Psychotechnical questionnaires

Psychotechnical questionnaires are intelligence tests or aptitude tests that are usually presented with a time limit to carry them out. They are tests that evaluate the intellectual capacities of the applicants for the correct performance of certain jobs, and allow assessing cognitive abilities of the person, such as intelligence general, the memory, perception or attention.

This type of questionnaires is also used to find out more specific aspects of the intelligence of the aspirant, for example, verbal aptitude, numerical aptitude, spatial aptitude, capacity for abstraction or concentration.

Situational tests

Situational tests are also known as group dynamics, and they allow evaluating the competencies and abilities of the candidates, as well as predicting her performance in a given job. During the performance of this type of tests, a situation is recreated that simulates the conditions and demands posed by the position, at that the subjects will have to face by putting into practice a series of competencies necessary to carry out the task in a efficient.

Situational tests are being used more and more because have proven to be one of the most useful and accurate tools for assessing competencies, since during its completion the candidates put into practice the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to solve the situation-problem or specific task.

The situational tests most used by personnel selection experts are:

• Write a report: Evaluates the capacity for analysis, reasoning and written expression.
• Make a presentation: Evaluates the ability to structure a presentation, oral expression ability, public speaking ability.
• Tray exercise: Evaluates planning skills, time management, problem solving skills, verbal and written communication.
• Role playing: Evaluates different competencies depending on the role that is carried out. For example, leadership or teamwork