7 best aptitude tests available online

When hiring for an open position, it’s important to cut through all the resumes and objectively evaluate each candidate to choose the right individual. After all, there’s a lot at stake. A mis-hire can hurt team morale, affect productivity, waste time, and even harm your bottom line.

The good news is that aptitude tests provide valuable data about every candidate. They reduce human bias and help you make the right hire. 

In this article, we'll give you the inside scoop on the seven best aptitude tests available online so you can save yourself the pain of a mis-hire.

What is an aptitude test?

An aptitude assessment is like a sneak peek into a candidate's talents, potential knowledge, and abilities in particular areas or performing specific tasks.

The test presents candidates with engaging questions, and they get a chance to shine by showcasing their innate strengths when answering. Conducting aptitude tests also gives you insights into the potential drawbacks of each applicant so you can make a balanced, informed choice.

What are the different types of aptitude tests for hiring?

Organizational aptitude tests reveal whether a candidate can blend into your team's dynamics and if they have the skills to help your company run smoothly.

Workplace aptitude tests can include the following types of assessments.

1. Skills tests

These tests evaluate specific proficiencies, from coding and writing to project management. They help ensure candidates have the practical abilities to excel in a role.

Examples include technical aptitude tests, tests that evaluate proficiency with specific software, coding aptitude tests, and more.

2. Reasoning tests

These assessments look at how well candidates can evaluate and interpret information. Reasoning tests can include:

• A numerical reasoning test to measure applicants’ ability to see patterns in numbers, work with charts and graphs, and correctly interpret simple mathematical data.

• A mechanical reasoning test to evaluate how well candidates understand basic mechanical concepts, such as velocity and pulleys.

• A spatial reasoning test that determines whether individuals can analyze 2-D and 3-D objects. This test is ideal for evaluating candidates for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) positions. 

• A reading comprehension test to measure an individual’s ability to draw conclusions from written passages and identify key information in the text.

• A verbal reasoning test to determine whether candidates can interpret written data and draw logical conclusions from what they read.

3. Situational judgment tests

The two main types of situational judgment tests are decision-making and problem-solving tests. 

Decision-making tests look at how effectively applicants can evaluate information to make the best choice among multiple options. 

Problem-solving tests, meanwhile, assess candidates’ ability to interpret data, apply logic, organize information according to a set of rules, and respond appropriately to complex situations.

4. Personality tests

While not always included in assessments, personality tests help you understand how a candidate might fit within your team. These tests also measure the positive and negative parts of an individual’s personality so you can assign roles effectively.

In addition to personality tests such as DISC assessments and the Enneagram, consider the following two options when evaluating candidates.

• Values tests that assess a candidate's beliefs and ethical principles, helping you ensure that they share the same core values as your organization.

• Interests tests that delve into an applicant’s interests and preferences so you can find someone who’s genuinely enthusiastic about their job.

Curious to know more? TestGorilla has a free guide to the types of aptitude tests to explore.

Why use aptitude tests in hiring?

Aptitude tests offer a host of benefits for your hiring process. These include:

1. Reduced turnover

Aptitude tests increase the chances of hiring candidates who fit the role, reducing turnover rates and the high costs of finding someone new.

2. Improved decision-making

With pre-employment assessments like aptitude tests, you're not relying on gut feelings or what a candidate says about themselves on their resume. Instead, you gain data-driven insights to make informed hiring decisions.

3. Time savings

Scanning through countless resumes and conducting multiple interviews can be time-consuming. Cognitive tests help you narrow your options faster by focusing on candidates with the right skills and potential.

4. Reduced bias

Hiring teams are sometimes dazzled by candidates’ past employers, prestigious schools, or their charm in interviews. Aptitude assessments offer a fair and unbiased way to evaluate candidates based on their abilities. They also make it easy to compare candidates objectively, as you’ll evaluate them based on the same criteria.

5. Better, more productive teams

When you conduct aptitude tests, you can more easily find candidates who align with your existing teams and have the right skills to work effectively. This sets the stage for harmonious team dynamics and increased productivity.

7 best aptitude tests for hiring

1. TestGorilla

TestGorilla is among the top pre-employment assessment providers available today. Our test library contains more than 300 tests, all developed by subject matter experts. 

Combine up to five individual tests for a bespoke assessment, and add custom questions – including those requiring a video reply – to any test. Most individual tests take about 10 minutes to complete, with full assessments taking under an hour.

Candidates can complete their assessments on their mobile devices. You’ll then get easy-to-understand candidate reports that display the results. 

In addition to testing cognitive ability, you can evaluate job-specific skills, situational judgment, language fluency, culture fit, soft skills, personality traits, and more.

2. Truity

Truity has pre-employment tests for individuals who want to learn more about their skills  – and for businesses who want to screen candidates.

The platform focuses on personality tests, including the Briggs Myers’, DISC, Big Five, and Enneagram assessments. There are no options for other types of testing.

3. Criteria Corp

Criteria Corp is a platform offering nine aptitude assessments measuring four areas: problem-solving, critical thinking, attention to detail, and learning ability.

Its mobile-ready aptitude tests include cognitive tests and assessments to measure how well candidates can maintain, install, operate, and repair machinery. The platform also has a language-independent cognitive assessment for candidates whose first language isn’t English.

4. TalentLens

Developed by educational publisher Pearson, TalentLens is an online platform offering pre-employment tests that are accessible to candidates through their mobile devices.

Tests include cognitive assessments to measure adaptability, critical reasoning, problem-solving, and learning ability. The platform’s personality assessments evaluate work style, behaviors, and motivators, while its language skills assessments examine how fluent candidates are in English, Spanish, French, or Dutch.

5. ThriveMap

ThriveMap is an online aptitude and pre-employment assessment provider specializing in high-volume hiring environments, such as manufacturing and call centers. Assessments are always based on the industry the candidate is applying for.

ThriveMap creates custom assessments for every role to measure applicants based on what they’ll do on the job. The drawback is that developing an assessment for an open position can take 4-6 weeks.

6. PI Hire

PI Hire is a pre-employment assessment solution available on The Predictive Index online platform. Companies create a behavioral target for each position, listing the personality traits best suited for that role.

The assessments then evaluate each applicant based on this target, visually displaying which job-seekers are a match. You can test for traits such as collaboration, patience, and extroversion, to name a few. Job-specific skills testing isn’t available.

7. Prevue

Prevue is a solution for companies who want to measure each applicant's cognitive ability, personality, and motivation. It starts with a job profile that sets benchmarks for the position. Candidates are then invited to the assessments.

On the Prevue dashboard, you can see a visual representation of how close each applicant comes to the benchmark. For example, Prevue will show how each candidate lands on a scale between “highly cooperative” and “very competitive.”

Unlock the power of aptitude tests in hiring

Aptitude tests offer a window into candidates' potential, helping you uncover the skills and traits that might make them a perfect fit for your open roles. By embracing these tests, you can benefit from unbiased evaluations, better hiring decisions, enhanced team dynamics, and more.

There are many great aptitude tests for hiring, and we recommend TestGorilla as the top option. With 300+ tests to evaluate all kinds of aptitudes, skills, and traits, TestGorilla can help you make the perfect hire every time. 

Take our quick product tour, sign up for a free live demo, or create your free TestGorilla account today to see how our platform can improve your hiring process.