In today’s competitive job market, pre-employment testing is an essential part of the hiring process.
It can help you find the best candidate for your open role by objectively evaluating their hard and soft skills – without risk of bias.
Pre-employment testing software gives employers insight into candidates beyond their resumes, revealing job-specific skills, cognitive abilities, and even personality traits.
But with so many options out there, selecting the right software for your business can feel like a daunting task. Here we take a look at two industry leaders, TestGorilla and Equip.
TestGorilla is a comprehensive pre-employment screening tool that conducts fair, objective, and detailed assessments of candidates to help you find and hire the most qualified person.
TestGorilla offers over 300 different tests to determine candidates:
Enneagram personality type
Culture-add
Cognitive ability
Programming skills
Language skills
Job-specific skills
Situational judgment skills
Choose up to five tests to combine into a custom assessment. You have complete control over the wording and answer format of every question, so you can craft the perfect assessment for each open position in your organization.
TestGorilla performs an extensive series of quality-control checks on each test before publication. This combines with in-built anti-cheating measures to guarantee you can trust the results.
TestGorilla makes it simple to evaluate and shortlist applicants based on their test scores. With detailed, insightful, and shareable reports, all members of your team can contribute to the evaluation process.
Equip’s pre-employment assessments enable employers to take a broad look at a potential employee by performing multiple skill and competency tests.
Whether your company is looking to hire developers, sales staff, or data analysts, Equip aims to simplify the recruitment process.
Both TestGorilla and Equip’s tests assess a wide range of areas, such as a candidate’s language and job-specific skills. They also provide the opportunity to customize assessments to meet your specific needs.
There are currently more than 280 tests in TestGorilla’s library, available on websites that can be viewed in 11 popular languages.
TestGorilla develops each test in line with tried-and-true principles of test theory, in collaboration with subject-matter experts, psychometricians, and peer reviewers.
Our focus is on ensuring that all candidates’ abilities are evaluated accurately and fairly. Employers can collect, analyze, and distribute the results in real time.
We continuously update all tests in response to client feedback to ensure they reliably predict how applicants would perform in a given role.
Equip’s test library evaluates job-specific roles like:
Customer support staff
Business development manager
Digital marketer
Software engineer
Data analyst
The platform also measures soft skills like cognitive ability and culture-add. However, there are no tests on situational judgment or motivation.
In addition, there’s no information available to indicate whether Equip can perform a job analysis to determine the most appropriate position for a candidate.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
Cognitive ability tests | Yes | Yes |
Situational judgment tests | Yes | No |
Job-specific tests | Yes | Yes |
Software tests | Yes | Yes |
Programming tests (including coding challenges) | Yes | Yes |
Language tests | Yes | Yes |
Personality tests | Yes | No |
Culture-add test | Yes | Yes |
Motivation test | Yes | No |
Typing test | Yes | No |
Customizable tests | Yes | Yes |
Common questions (with a variety of question types) | Yes | Yes |
Job analysis and recommendation | Yes | No |
Experienced, skilled developers and programmers are in high demand. Each company and team requires a unique set of specific skills, so you need to identify the best candidates to interview.
Look out for pre-employment screening software that can test a candidate’s technical expertise in areas such as debugging, programming languages, and algorithmic thinking.
With TestGorilla, you can evaluate a candidate’s knowledge of a wide variety of programming languages with just a few clicks, including:
Javascript
Java
Python
PHP
C
C#
C++
SQL
Kotlin
You can also test candidates’ familiarity with development frameworks like React Native, with the help of the Solidity-based Smart Contracts test.
TestGorilla automatically grades candidates’ coding tests, which not only saves time but also ensures the results are objective.
In addition, you can record and play back candidates’ responses to observe their process step-by-step and evaluate their efficiency.
Equip offers tests that users can combine to assess many desired skills for a developer.
Users can create an assessment tailored to the Python Developer role they’re seeking to fill, which will also test a candidate’s communication skills and CSS experience.
At the time of writing, there were no tests available to assess a candidate’s skill in mobile-development frameworks or programming languages like Ruby, Scala, or Swift.
We were also unable to determine if Equip can automatically score coding and developer tests.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
Coding languages | JavaScript, Java, Python, PHP, C, C#, C++, SQL, Kotlin, Ruby, TypeScript, Go, R, Scala, and Swift | Java, Python, C, C++, SQL, Frontend, Backend, Full Stack, ReactJS, MERN |
Web-development frameworks | Yes | Yes |
Mobile-development frameworks | Yes | No |
Debugging challenges | Yes | Yes |
Live peer coding (e.g. Hackathons) | Yes | N/A |
Code-playback function | Yes | Yes |
Automated scoring | Yes | N/A |
Algorithmic-thinking challenges | Yes | No |
Language-specific concept challenges | Yes | No |
Code originality check | Yes | Yes |
Conducting one-way video interviews can be an efficient way to streamline the hiring process and save considerable time, especially when hiring at scale.
Other features, like recorded video answers to customized questions, enable recruiters to get an idea of the candidate’s personality and problem-solving skills.
TestGorilla’s range of video features is the perfect way to get more in-depth insights into your candidates.
TestGorilla gives you the option to create customized or individualized test questions for candidates to respond to via video recordings.
You also have the option to set a maximum response length and add comments to a candidate’s video, which can then be shared with the hiring team.
You can also use TestGorilla to conduct one-way video interviews with candidates to swiftly determine who has the right balance of personality and soft skills to proceed to in-person interviews. This feature is particularly useful for international recruitment campaigns.
Equip does support one-way video interviews and customized video questions, but its website offers extremely limited information on how these features work within the platform.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
One-way video interviews | Yes | Yes |
Customized video questions | Yes | Yes |
Restrict candidates’ recording attempts per question | Yes | N/A |
Restrict maximum answer length | Yes | N/A |
Recording and playback on any device | Yes | N/A |
Comment and rate on video answers | Yes | N/A |
Creating a positive experience for candidates can significantly improve the overall success of your pre-employment assessments.
One way of achieving this is by applying consistent branding throughout the assessment process, to reinforce your company image and reassure candidates of your professionalism.
You should also be able to create and deliver assessments on any device for a more convenient experience for candidates, especially those who mainly use their phones for work.
TestGorilla’s assessments are easy to navigate and use. The majority of our assessments take under an hour to complete, and candidates can use any device to access them.
TestGorilla also offers a wide range of branding options to further enhance the candidate experience. You can add your company logo, brand colors, and custom intro and outro emails to the assessment and all supporting correspondence with candidates.
Candidates don’t even need a separate user account with TestGorilla, so getting set up is as simple as clicking the link!
Much like TestGorilla, Equip pays careful attention to the candidate experience to create a positive impression of the hiring company.
This is done by giving companies the ability to brand assessments with individualized company options. No information could be located on whether users can limit assessment length.
Users also can’t set knockout questions on assessments with Equip, which is an effective pre-screening tool that avoids unnecessary time spent testing unqualified candidates.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
Customized videos | Yes | Yes |
Add logo and colors to assessment | Yes | Yes |
Customized email invitations and rejections | Yes | Yes |
Open assessments | Yes | N/A |
Mobile friendly | Yes | Yes |
Ability to limit assessment length | Yes | N/A |
Knockout questions | Yes | No |
Every company’s recruitment procedure is unique and ever-evolving, so your pre-employment screening software should be scalable to accommodate your changing needs.
At a minimum, your product needs to be compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS), have an API, and adhere to GDPR.
Businesses of all sizes trust TestGorilla with their pre-employment testing requirements.
Our affordable Pay as you go and free plans support the hiring needs of startups and small businesses in particular, helping them expand their workforce with the peace of mind of full GDPR compliance.
For larger companies, ATS integrations, simple file sharing, and multiple user controls are just a few of the features that make it simple to recruit with TestGorilla.
With these, you can track every step of the process, from first contact to final job offer.
The majority of Equip’s clients are small and medium businesses, but the company also serves large enterprises and government agencies.
Equip supports API access and is fully GDPR compliant, but it only integrates with a small subset of ATSs.
It’s also unclear if the software enables users to upload and manage candidates in bulk.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
ATS integration | Yes | Yes |
Multiple users and role-based rights management | Yes | N/A |
GDPR compliant | Yes | Yes |
Multiple candidate invitation options | Yes | Yes |
Public link to invite candidates | Yes | Yes |
White labeling | Yes | N/A |
Bulk invite candidates (CSV/XLSX upload) | Yes | N/A |
Track candidate stages from invited to hired | Yes | Yes |
API access | Yes | Yes |
Bulk actions to manage candidates | Yes | N/A |
You can only trust the results of your assessments if your pre-employment testing software implements a rigorous quality control procedure.
Top platforms will have features such as extensive quality checks, incorporation of user feedback, and registration with official bodies to guarantee their assessments’ accuracy, fairness, and suitability.
Only the most high quality and reliable tests make it into TestGorilla’s library. Each test undergoes a 28-step quality-control process in collaboration with:
Subject-matter experts
Psychometricians
Peer-reviewers
Copywriters
Sample testers
We also regularly conduct audits of our test content to update their clarity and relevance in line with the evolving nature of the hiring market.
Plus, we continuously solicit and implement feedback from both users and applicants to improve the quality of service we offer.
Equip is proud of its highly competent tech team, which has been conducting online assessments for many years. Its platform has seen more than 10,000 simultaneous test takers.
Equip draws on subject-matter experts like university professors and senior technological executives to create content and vet all questions.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
Proprietary algorithms that continuously improve the quality of each test | Yes | No |
Extensive quality check before tests go live | Yes | Yes |
Questions replaced after reaching exposure limit | Yes | N/A |
Customer feedback used to improve tests | Yes | Yes |
Test-taker feedback used to improve tests | Yes | Yes |
According to a survey conducted by TopSurvey, 77% of all recruiters, HR professionals, and hiring managers have come across a candidate who has lied on their resume.
Pre-employment screening assessments can eliminate the risk of falling for these exaggerations by revealing a candidate’s true abilities – but not if it’s possible to cheat on them.
Software with strong anti-cheating safeguards, such as question randomization, time limits, and candidate verification, is essential for creating a fair testing environment.
TestGorilla takes steps to prevent candidates from carrying out prior research or using other sources for help during the assessments. These include:
Disabling copy-and-paste functionality
Full-screen detection
Time limits for tests
TestGorilla also uses a wide range of candidate monitoring tools, such as logging IP addresses and capturing screenshots of the candidate’s webcam and screen (with their permission).
Equip was built by AutoProctor, an automated proctoring solution that actively monitors a candidate’s test-taking environment and behaviors to determine potential cheating.
The software presents a different set of questions to every test taker and uses anti-cheating tools like disabling copy-paste and taking regular webcam snapshots with the permission of the candidate.
There is, however, no option to log a candidate’s IP address or location throughout the assessment.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
IP-address logging (to avoid multiple attempts by the same candidate) | Yes | No |
Logging of candidate location | Yes | No |
Webcam snapshots (with the option to turn on/off) | Yes | Yes |
Full-screen mode detection (to avoid research during the test) | Yes | Yes |
Randomized questions per test | Yes | Yes |
Large question pool for each test | Yes | Yes |
Questions and answers not visible to employers to protect test integrity | Yes | N/A |
Time limit on tests | Yes | N/A |
Copy-paste disabled | Yes | Yes |
Mouse tracking | Yes | No |
Analytics and reports are invaluable to the pre-employment testing process, enabling you to learn more about each candidate’s performance and make an informed, confident hiring decision.
You can even use your test results to help manage and motivate your candidates once they become employees, by shedding light on their drive and personality.
TestGorilla makes it easy to understand both the overview and finer details of your candidates’ performance.
You can use a scoring benchmark to quickly compare candidates’ results and find the most qualified applicants for an interview.
Add notes and ratings to individual candidate reports and easily share these with your team by exporting the report as a PDF, XLSX, or CSV file and then importing it into your ATS.
Equip offers detailed reports and analytics – but only if users use their own unique assessment content.
If using any of Equip’s questions, however, users won’t see these in reports, in an effort to protect the privacy and integrity of the questions.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
PDF reports of assessments and individual candidates | Yes | Yes |
Excel and CSV reports of assessments and individual candidates | Yes | Excel only |
Comprehensive overview of all current and past candidates | Yes | No |
Scoring benchmarks for candidates (including percentile rank scoring) | Yes | No |
Add your ratings and personal notes for candidates | Yes | No |
Detailed candidate analytics | Yes | Yes |
Give your candidates a testing experience that minimizes stress and maximizes productivity by ensuring your pre-employment testing platform includes dependable customer support.
Candidates will find it easier to navigate the assessment process and resolve any issues they encounter, and you and your team will feel more confident in your ability to use the software to its full potential.
The majority of online testing platforms offer users and candidates at least one method of customer support, usually via email, live chat, or phone.
TestGorilla’s customer support is available via live chat, email, and phone (for Business plan customers).
In addition, our comprehensive online help center is stocked with how-to guides, FAQs, and troubleshooting articles to support both employers and job seekers. Our blog covers helpful topics such as remote work, advancements in technology, and new assessment tools for hiring managers.
TestGorilla even goes a step further and offers a free onboarding tour to help all new customers feel confident using the platform and features.
Equip’s customer support is available via live chat and email. It’s unclear if phone support is an option.
There’s also an FAQ section and a blog with articles on various aspects of the assessment process, including tips and tricks to deliver the highest quality assessment possible.
TestGorilla | Equip | |
Live chat | Yes | Yes |
Help center | Yes | Yes |
Email support | Yes | Yes |
Training and onboarding tour | Yes | N/A |
Phone assistance | No | N/A |
The pricing models of pre-employment testing services typically range from monthly subscriptions to pay-as-you-go options.
Research your options carefully, because the plan you select will determine the features available and how many applicants you can test.
Some services offer free trials or platform demos to help you choose, while others even provide a completely free plan – perfect for startups and small businesses.
TestGorilla offers three pricing plans (billed annually/monthly):
Free forever at $0: Full access to 10 free tests, including all personality tests.
Depending on the size of your company, paid plans begin with:
Starter from $75 USD per month ($900 per year paid upfront) - start with skills-based hiring for all roles. There is also the option to pay monthly, starting from $85 USD per month.
Pro from $115 USD per month ($1,380 per year paid upfront) - maximize your hiring with advanced features. There is also the option to pay monthly, starting from $130 USD per month.
Equip offers four pricing tiers:
Lite: $24 per month with 15 assessment credits
Standard: $48 per month 50 assessment credits
Premium: $96 per month with 100 assessment credits
Equip also offers a 14-day free trial that provides access to all features of the Standard plan, with no credit card required.
With Equip’s system, one credit is equal to one candidate attempting an assessment. Each additional credit costs $1. Any unused credits roll over to the next month.
TestGorilla | Equip | ||
Plan | Price (billed annually) | Plan | Price |
Free | $0 | Lite | $24 monthly |
Starter | From $75 USD per month ($900 per year paid upfront) The pay monthly plan starts from $85 USD per month | Standard | $48 monthly |
Pro | From $115 USD per month ($1,380 per year paid upfront) The pay monthly plan starts from $130 USD per month | Premium | $96 monthly |
The effectiveness of an assessment tool relies on its usability and convenience for both the recruiter and the candidate.
Candidates should find it quick and easy to access and complete tests. Then, recruiters need to interpret the results with ease and identify the best candidates.
Whether you’re a hiring manager or a potential employee, you’ll find TestGorilla intuitive and simple to use.
Account creation is simple, as is creating and sending out assessments to potential hires. You’ll be up and running in just a few minutes.
With its flexible pricing options, TestGorilla is a great fit for businesses of any size.
It was hard to locate information about Equip’s usability from the company, but it does rate a 9.4 out of 10 for ease of use on the website G2.
Customers report having an exceptional user experience with clear and easy-to-understand setup and instructions.
Both TestGorilla and Equip offer a wide range of cognitive, personality, culture-add, and job-specific tests to help hiring managers find the perfect candidate for their role.
While TestGorilla offers detailed analytical reports, with the option to add notes and display all questions, Equip doesn’t display any content native to the company in its reports – only your own custom questions.
TesGorilla also excels in its anti-cheating measures, like IP-address logging and candidate location. In comparison, Equip doesn’t employ IP-address logging or mouse tracking, which makes TestGorilla the clear frontrunner in this race.
Pre-employment testing is the most reliable method to determine whether or not a candidate possesses the necessary skills for your position.
The screening process is significantly more reliable than reviewing resumes, which may exaggerate an applicant’s abilities or omit important details.
TestGorilla is committed to eliminating bias and streamlining the hiring process. Want to learn more about how we can help your company? Register for a free 30-minute live demo with one of our staff, or sign up for our totally free plan to get started today.
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