What are the best pre-employment testing software?

The "best" pre-employment testing software really depends on your specific needs, budget, industry, and the types of roles you're hiring for. However, I can give you a comprehensive list of top contenders, categorized by their strengths, along with key factors to consider when making your choice.

## Top Pre-Employment Testing Software Platforms

Here are some of the leading platforms, often praised for different reasons:

### 1. All-in-One & General Purpose (Great for most companies)

* **TestGorilla:**

* **Strengths:** Extremely user-friendly, vast library of tests (cognitive, personality, skills, coding, language, SJT), excellent candidate experience, strong analytics, affordable for SMBs and growing companies. Great for quickly setting up comprehensive assessments.

* **Best for:** Companies of all sizes looking for a broad range of tests and ease of use.

* **eSkill:**

* **Strengths:** Highly customizable tests, extensive library covering a wide range of skills (technical, software, clerical, medical, industrial), strong reporting, and good for creating job-specific assessments.

* **Best for:** Organizations needing highly tailored tests for specific roles and industries.

* **Criteria Corp (Criteria Assessments):**

* **Strengths:** Focus on scientifically validated cognitive aptitude, personality, and skills tests. Offers a comprehensive suite including the CCAT (Cognitive Aptitude Test), emotional intelligence, and various skills tests. Good for high-volume hiring.

* **Best for:** Companies prioritizing validated, research-backed assessments, especially for cognitive abilities and personality fit.

* **Mercer Mettl:**

* **Strengths:** Global reach, comprehensive suite of assessments (technical, psychometric, cognitive, communication), robust proctoring solutions (AI and human), and strong analytics. Highly customizable.

* **Best for:** Enterprises and global companies needing a wide range of tests, strong proctoring, and localized content.

### 2. Technical & Coding Assessments

* **HackerRank:**

* **Strengths:** Industry standard for technical skill assessment, real-time coding environments, vast library of coding challenges, supports many programming languages, excellent for evaluating developers.

* **Best for:** Tech companies, software development teams, and any organization hiring for technical roles.

* **CoderPad:**

* **Strengths:** Focus on live, collaborative coding interviews, but also offers take-home assessments. Provides a realistic coding environment for candidates.

* **Best for:** Tech companies that want to simulate real-world coding challenges and conduct live technical interviews.

### 3. Psychometric & Personality Focused

* **SHL:**

* **Strengths:** A long-standing leader in psychometric assessments, offering highly validated cognitive, personality (OPQ), and behavioral tests. Enterprise-grade solutions with deep analytics.

* **Best for:** Large enterprises and organizations that require highly validated, in-depth psychometric assessments for leadership, graduate, or specialized roles.

* **Wonderlic:**

* **Strengths:** Best known for its quick cognitive ability test (Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Test), but also offers personality and behavioral assessments. Fast and efficient.

* **Best for:** Companies needing a quick, reliable measure of general cognitive ability, often used in high-volume hiring.

### 4. AI-Driven & Gamified Assessments

* **Harver:**

* **Strengths:** Uses AI to predict job success, focuses on candidate experience with engaging, gamified assessments, and provides data-driven insights into fit and performance. Covers cognitive, personality, and situational judgment.

* **Best for:** Companies looking for innovative, AI-powered solutions to improve hiring efficiency and candidate experience, especially in high-volume roles.

* **Pymetrics:**

* **Strengths:** Uses neuroscience games to assess cognitive and emotional traits, aiming to reduce bias and improve diversity. Focuses on predicting job fit based on data.

* **Best for:** Organizations committed to reducing bias and improving diversity in their hiring process, particularly for early career and high-volume roles.

## How to Choose the Best Software for You

To determine the "best" for your organization, consider these factors:

1. **Types of Tests Needed:**

* **Skills Tests:** Technical (coding, software proficiency), language, administrative, sales, customer service.

* **Cognitive Ability Tests:** Problem-solving, critical thinking, numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning.

* **Personality Assessments:** Work style, cultural fit, behavioral traits.

* **Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs):** How candidates would handle work-related scenarios.

* **Integrity Tests:** Assessing honesty and reliability.

* **Video Assessments:** For evaluating communication skills and initial fit.

2. **Industry & Roles:**

* **Tech/IT:** HackerRank, CoderPad, TestGorilla (for general tech skills).

* **Sales/Customer Service:** eSkill, TestGorilla, Harver.

* **Entry-Level/High Volume:** TestGorilla, Criteria Corp, Wonderlic, Harver, Pymetrics.

* **Leadership/Specialized:** SHL, Mercer Mettl, Criteria Corp.

3. **Budget:** Pricing models vary widely (per candidate, per test, subscription, enterprise).

* **Affordable/SMB:** TestGorilla, eSkill (can be scalable).

* **Mid-Market/Enterprise:** Criteria Corp, Mercer Mettl, SHL, Harver.

4. **Integration with ATS/HRIS:** Seamless integration with your Applicant Tracking System (e.g., Greenhouse, Workday, Lever) is crucial for efficiency.

5. **Candidate Experience:** Is it user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and engaging? A poor experience can deter top talent.

6. **Reporting & Analytics:** Look for clear, actionable insights, benchmark data, and customizable reports.

7. **Scalability:** Can the platform grow with your hiring needs?

8. **Customization:** Can you create your own tests or modify existing ones?

9. **Proctoring & Cheating Prevention:** Essential for maintaining test integrity, especially for remote candidates. Look for AI proctoring, webcam monitoring, and secure browser features.

10. **Legal Compliance & Validation:** Ensure the tests are legally defensible, validated, and comply with regulations like EEOC guidelines (in the US) to avoid bias and discrimination.

11. **Customer Support:** Good support is vital for setup, troubleshooting, and ongoing use.

## Recommendation

For most small to medium-sized businesses looking for a versatile, user-friendly, and cost-effective solution with a wide range of tests, **TestGorilla** is often an excellent starting point.

For larger enterprises or those with very specific, high-stakes assessment needs, **Mercer Mettl, Criteria Corp,** or **SHL** offer more robust, scientifically validated, and customizable solutions.

**Always request demos and free trials** from your top 2-3 choices to see which platform best fits your workflow and requirements.