Employer Testing of Job Candidates

Job Service Montana offers this service through the eSkill online testing system and provides employers with a valid pre-employment testing service that lets potential candidates take the test whenever and wherever it’s convenient for them, providing employers with quantitative data to help them make more informed hiring decisions.

The eSkill standard tests cover a wide range of skill areas and are the perfect starting point for users new to eSkill’s online assessment service. Subject-based tests cover hundreds of work skills, including soft skills, abilities,and aptitudes; as well as hard skills from accounting principles to web development and all the areas in between. Each of the eSkill Job-based Tests covers the combination of skills needed for a specific job title.

Subject-based Tests

Standard, time-effective assessments allow for a complete evaluation of a candidate’s skill level in a given area of expertise. These are off-the-shelf, single-subject tests with 40 questions each. The tests offer a quick-start solution for those looking to test on the fundamentals of a specific skill or industry.

See a complete list ofSubject-Based Tests
Job-based Tests
Multi-subject job-based assessments allow for a complete evaluation of a candidate’s skills in all the areas of expertise needed for a specific job profile in the current employment market. These off-the-shelf, 40-question tests are designed to assess a candidate’s practical knowledge for a specific job title. Some examples of test titles include Customer Service Representative, Data Entry Operator or Office Manager.

See the complete list of Job-Based Tests

All of the standard tests include:
- Questions that range in difficulty levels from Beginner to Advanced, to allow for an accurate evaluation of each candidate's level of expertise.
- Automatic shuffling between each test taker, to ensure the objectivity of the results.
To increase the effectiveness and legal defensibility of using any of these tests as job applicant assessments, we strongly encourage the following:
- Have a current employee who possesses the “skills” you are considering testing for, take the specific test. If that employee is successful at performing those “skills” at your workplace and they score “high” on the test, it may indicate that the test has validity at assessing skills needed by your business. If they score “low” on the test, it could indicate the test does not have validity. For assistance with evaluating the suitability of any of these tests, contact your local Job Service Office.
- Be aware of the requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide a reasonable accommodation, which includes "testing", during the application process.
- You may want to test only a limited number of candidates, such as 3-6 of the finalists for the position. Some of these tests take over 30 minutes to complete. A job seeker may even decline to apply for a position if they feel the “testing” takes too much time to complete and may choose to apply for other positions instead.
- For statewide consistency and to help reduce errors in the job applications you receive, please use the exact name of the test you are requiring in your job announcements or in any advertising you use. Job Service Montana staff will be glad to assist you with this.