Types of Assessments

An assessment test is a study, conducted by an external research company, with the aim of assessing the professional and personal skills of a person, in order to find out which of the candidates is the most suitable person for a particular job.

In this process, as well as looking at the intelligence level (the so-called ‘hard’ skills) of a person, the social aspects, such as communication skills and personality of the person are also taken into account (‘soft’ skills). This way it is possible, depending on the type of assessment, to create a complete picture of the applicant through (inter)active means. Below follows a list of different types of assessments.

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Different types of assessments

Selection assessment

This type is one of the most common assessments, with the aim of testing the suitability of the candidate for a specific position as part of an application process. In addition it is possible to estimate the potential risks in the functioning of the candidate.

Development assessment

If you have been working in a company for some time, it is possible that a development assessment is required, with the goal of testing the suitability of the candidate for future positions. This type goes far beyond a selection assessment, because the assessors study which competences can be developed by the person in question. The results are therefore often linked with your career development within the company.

Career assessment

If there is a desire or a need for a job change (within a company), then a career assessment will take place. By means of in-depth conversations between the employee, the employer and the assessment agency the skills and talents of the employee will be evaluated. During these conversations personal requirements will be combined with the test results to be able to re-position the employee within the company, or possibly offer a suitable place elsewhere.

Theme-Driven Assessment

With this type the candidate is not assessed for a specific position, but there is a central theme. This could include the so-called ‘’ within a company. In particular, young, promising employees are asked to have a potential assessment, in order to find out, at an early stage, what their skills and talents are and, where necessary, to make any adjustments, with the ultimate goal of reaching a managerial position.

Online assessment

An online assessment is an abridged form of a full assessment whereby the candidate’s intelligence level and personality is determined via questionnaires and capacity tests. This is a cheap alternative to the selection assessment that allows clients to screen a lot of candidates without the need to call in specialized personnel.

A assessment report will be drawn up after the assessment test. This includes the assessors findings and results of the aptitude tests. This report usually provides a clear overview of the candidate’s capacities, talents and interests. It can also serve as a good way of obtaining career advice.

Prepare for the interviews you will face on assessment days with JobTestPrep’s competency interview training.