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What is C2 language proficiency featured image

Hiring candidates with C2 language proficiency is non-negotiable for any business that requires extensive communicating, collaborating, presenting, negotiating, or reporting. Even the best skills fall flat if employees can’t understand each other or engage with customers.  Yet, some employers overlook language proficiency in the early stages of hiring – for instance, by placing all their energy on measuring technical aptitude. Then they end up interviewing – or worse, hiring –  candidates who ha

What is C2 language proficiency? A must-have skill for high-stakes roles

What is A2 language proficiency featured image graphic

Hiring for entry-level roles might seem straightforward, but if your new team member can’t communicate clearly from day one, it can lead to costly misunderstandings, slow onboarding, and frustrated colleagues. Language proficiency might seem like a given for entry-level roles, but many employers struggle to assess it accurately in candidates. In this article, we’ll break down what A2 language proficiency means, which roles it suits, and how to test for language proficiency during hiring effectiv

What is A2 language proficiency? Screening entry-level candidates

Blog thumbnail What is B2 language proficiency

Hiring someone who can “speak English” is one thing – hiring someone who can actually communicate with your team and customers is another.  Resumes often list B2 proficiency, but what does it mean for your business? How can you be sure applicants have the language fluency necessary for success in their role?  Below, we break down what B2 language level looks like, why it matters for business communication, how to test it during hiring, and where tools like TestGorilla’s B2 language test can help

What is B2 language proficiency? A guide for hiring managers

Blog thumbnail What is C1 language proficiency

With nine out of 10 employers relying on workers with languages other than English, strong communication skills are a priority when hiring. But how do you know if your candidates’ language skills are up to scratch, especially when hiring for highly technical or high-level roles? In this article, we explain the C1 language level, why it’s essential when hiring for complex roles, and how best to assess candidates’ language skills during the hiring process. 

What is C1 language proficiency? Hiring for complex roles

Blog thumbnail What is B1 language proficiency

Evaluating candidates' language proficiency against the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) – a language skills measurement scale – helps you avoid interviewing or hiring people who can’t communicate in the workplace language. This helps you save interviewing costs, prevent problematic miscommunications, and more. Below, we explore what communication candidates with B1 language proficiency can handle, which jobs suit their language level, and how to use language proficien

What is B1 language proficiency? Hiring intermediate role candidates

Being a team player is one of the most underrated traits in modern workplaces. However, strong teamwork skills aren’t easy to teach. They’re usually an amalgamation of different soft skills like communication, honesty, and problem-solving. These qualities help candidates build strong interpersonal relationships, navigate workplace challenges, and contribute to a positive team dynamic. In this article, we look at the five most important teamwork soft skills. We explain why they’re important, what

5 essential teamwork soft skills

Hiring based on technical skills alone can lead to tension in the workplace, poor teamwork, and costly turnover. Many job applicants seem perfect on paper but lack key soft skills such as communication and teamwork, stopping them from excelling in team environments.  In this article, we cover 11 examples of soft skills that are essential for all businesses – plus we discuss how to evaluate them objectively using methods like soft skills assessments to make smarter, bias-free hiring decisions. 


11 soft skills examples

what are human skills featured image graphic

Great employees do more than just know their job – they communicate well, work with others, and handle change easily. These soft skills help teams run smoothly. However, when hiring focuses only on technical abilities, things can fall apart. Think: misaligned teams, missed deadlines, and new hires who don’t stick around. The missing piece? Essential non-technical skills, aka human skills. So, why do these skills matter, and how can you spot them when hiring? This guide breaks it all down with cl

What are human skills? Everything you need to know

analytical skills examples featured image

Analytical skills cover various types of skills, from data analysis to effective learning and prioritization. That's why the umbrella term can sound nebulous, confusing applicants and hiring managers alike. That said, carefully prioritizing and assessing individual analytical skills can help you find better candidates for your job roles, regardless of industry, specialization, or seniority.  And you're in luck! Below, we break down 12 analytical skills examples and how to assess them.  

Analytical Skills Examples (+ How To Assess Them)

What are soft skills in the workplace featured image

According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Report, almost 90% of employers noted that their bad hires lacked soft skills.  Why were these candidates hired in the first place? Many companies struggle to clearly define, prioritize, and measure soft skills during the hiring process – putting all their energy into technical skills.  The result? Mis-hires who not only won't last but could also hamper team dynamics, customer relationships, and more before they exit.  Want to avoid these problems? We’re her

What are soft skills in the workplace?

logical reasoning examples featured image

It’s easy to assume logical reasoning skills are a given. A resume might look diverse and impressive, but without assessing analytical skills, problem-solving, and adaptability, it could lead to a bad hire.  Someone who struggles with logical thinking can cause missed deadlines, repeated mistakes, and more time spent fixing avoidable problems. No need to stress. We’ve pulled together 11 logical reasoning examples to help you spot candidates who can think on their feet – so you don’t end up with 

11 logical reasoning examples to test candidates with

9 adaptability skills examples to look for in a potential candidate featured image

Adaptability is quickly emerging as one of the most critical skill sets in the workplace. According to LinkedIn 2024 data, adaptability is the top “skill of the moment.”  Given the rise of AI in the workplace, changing political landscapes, and the uncertain future of work, it’s easy to see why. But which specific skills should you look for to identify truly adaptable candidates? Read on to learn about the key traits of adaptable candidates and how to assess them effectively during the hiring pr

9 adaptability skills examples to look for in a potential candidate

11 leadership soft skills to prioritize when hiring top talent featured image

When employees quit because of bad leaders, you lose knowledge, time, and thousands in hiring costs. Finding strong leaders is about protecting your team culture and bottom line. The real challenge? Looking beyond impressive resumes and rehearsed interview answers to spot genuine leadership skills – especially the right leadership soft skills. In this guide, you'll discover which soft skills matter most when hiring leaders and how to spot these qualities in leadership candidates. 


11 leadership soft skills to prioritize when hiring top talent

When new challenges pop up at work and your team lacks the skills to handle them, deadlines slip, customer satisfaction drops, and innovation stalls. A failsafe? Employees with fluid reasoning.  This article explains what fluid reasoning is and why it’s crucial in today’s job market. By getting a handle on this skill, you can make better hires and lead high-performing teams. Key takeaways Fluid reasoning means solving new problems, thinking logically, and adapting quickly. At work, it helps empl

Fluid reasoning: Why it matters & how to assess it

what are hard skills featured image graphic

Hard skills are the teachable, technical skills needed to do a job well. They’re any skills someone can learn, practice, and gain hands-on experience with.  There are broad hard skills – like project management or proficiency in Microsoft Excel – that can apply to many jobs and industries. There are job-specific hard skills, too – such as programming in Python for a software developer or operating heavy machinery for a construction worker.  Hard skills are much easier to measure than soft skills

What are hard skills?

Work-related strengths help candidates succeed across various roles. Know these strengths and how to spot them – and you can hire candidates with the best chance to thrive on the job. But amid endless resumes, gut-feel interviews, and worries about mis-hiring, identifying the right strengths in candidates is no easy task. In this guide, we break down the must-have work-related strengths to look for. You’ll also learn how to spot these strengths to shortlist interview-ready candidates. Key takeaw

16 essential work-related strengths to look for in the ideal candidate

Top 4 alternatives to CCAT featured image

Cognitive aptitude tests are useful for measuring how well candidates can use critical thinking skills to solve problems and learn new information. Employers use them to predict job performance, especially in roles requiring strong analytical skills.  The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) is one of the go-to choices for many companies. It’s useful for a quick snapshot of candidates’ cognitive abilities. However, its one-size-fits-all approach can make it too broad for evaluating key skills

Top 4 alternatives to CCAT 

In a working world that’s becoming more digitized and data-driven by the day, the need for people who can work with abstract concepts like numbers, data, and software is greater than ever.

But why are some people really comfortable working with abstractions, and others are left scratching their heads? It all comes down to abstract reasoning.

In this article, we explain what abstract reasoning is, why it’s crucial for businesses, which jobs need it most, and evidence-based ways to test candidat

Abstract reasoning: Why it matters, and how to test for it

How many programming languages are there graphic

There are more than 8,000 programming languages in existence. Shocking, no? But don't be intimidated – you don't need to master them all to be a coding whiz, and you certainly don't need to understand them all to make good hiring decisions. The secret is knowing which programming languages remain relevant today and which will be used in your projects.  On that note, let's dive in and explore the exciting world of programming languages, shine a light on the crowd favorites, and discover how to sp

How many programming languages are there?

Top Alternatives to a cpi assessment featured image

The California Psychological Inventory (CPI) has been a staple personality assessment for hiring managers since its inception in 1956, but it's far from the only option. The field of personality testing has expanded significantly, offering a variety of tools that provide deep insights into candidates' motivations, work styles, and potential cultural impact. With so many options available, choosing the right test(s) for your hiring needs can be challenging. This guide breaks down six powerful alt

Top 6 alternatives to a CPI assessment

Nikolay software engineer candidate case study

Over the past fifteen years, Nikolay Andreychuk has built an impressive career in the software industry. He’s worked as a staff engineer and an engineering manager. His experience covers both front- and back-end development. Today, he is a senior engineer at TestGorilla. Nikolay’s career path might look linear on paper, but the journey to his current role wasn’t so straightforward. 

Skills assessments help software engineer Nikolay prove his talent to international employers

Poor customer service can lead to customer frustration and damage your brand reputation. When a customer calls for help and receives unprofessional or unhelpful responses, it drives them away. That’s why agents require a range of call center skills, from empathetic listening to problem-solving. The best way to evaluate call center representative skills is to forget about resumes and use talent assessments. In this article, we share useful tips and strategies to help you identify, measure, and im

13 essential call center skills (and how to assess them)

Top 9 must-have consulting skills and how to assess them featured image

Hiring a consultant can be a great force multiplier for your team or a huge headache if you pick the wrong candidate.  With each job posting attracting so many candidates, it can be challenging to sift through the pile of resumes and find the right talent. But with a winning strategy (that kicks resumes to the curb), you can hire for the top consulting skills and set your organization up for success.  In this post, we share the top 9 must-have skills for consulting, show you how to nurture those

Top 9 Must-Have Consulting Skills (and How To Assess Them)

Top 8 Plum alternatives to hire the best talent

Plum is a behavioral assessment platform that helps employers hire the best candidates for each role and identify growth opportunities for their workforce.  It doesn’t feature technical skills tests but aims to predict candidates’ job performance based on their soft skills and traits. Assessments identify ten recurring cognitive and behavioral patterns. To use the platform, you need to perform a job analysis for each role and then invite candidates to take a test measuring their personality trai

Top 8 Plum alternatives to assess applicants’ behavior and cognitive abilities

HR coordinators handle a range of administrative tasks for your HR team. From organizing training to assisting with hiring, supporting employee benefits, and more – they’ve got it all covered so the rest of your HR team can focus on what they do best.   But hiring a good HR coordinator is no walk in the park. It’s so easy to get caught up in checking if candidates are good at the “coordinating” side of things that you forget about HR knowledge, interpersonal skills, and other HR competencies tha

7 essential skills for HR coordinators

How to skills test for jobs: Competitive advantages for recruiters

Communication skills are one of the few skills you can directly observe during the traditional hiring process in the interview. Even then, you may not get the full picture of how a candidate communicates in a team or with those they’re managing. Besides, the interview stage comes after the initial screening, so you may discard people whose communication skills you know little about. You need a way to evaluate candidates’ skills directly before the interview process starts. That’s where a skills 

10 ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR featured image

Your databases are everything. They’re the digital filing systems that contain all the information your business needs, and your database administrator is the person who keeps them secure and functioning. So if you need to hire a database administrator, how do you make sure your candidates are up to the task? The answer: You must check their skills. Knowing the exact skills they need isn’t as simple as it sounds, though, as they require a tricky mix. But failing to understand and assess these sk

10 essential skills for database administrator

12 Essential Skills For Social Media Specialists featured image

Finding a social media specialist with all the skills, qualities, and expertise needed can feel like chasing a moving target. Social media platforms are always changing, and the pressure to churn out fresh, exciting content never lets up. Top-notch social media skills can lead to viral campaigns that elevate your brand’s presence and foster genuine customer connections. But how can you find someone who’s up to the task? This article breaks down everything you need to know about hiring social med

12 essential skills for social media specialists

7 essential skills for seo specialist featured image

It isn’t easy to hire a top SEO specialist. You need someone who understands SEO deeply, keeps up with the latest trends, and can grow your online presence.  They also need to understand your business and adapt your content to evolving search algorithms. The right hire can give your company a competitive edge and significantly boost your online visibility and growth. But the wrong one can really muck up your search rankings and digital strategy. Luckily, we’ve got you covered. This article helps

7 essential skills for an SEO specialist

Vervoe is a popular AI-powered hiring platform which helps you evaluate candidates’ skills through an automated skills-testing and interviewing process.  It aims to predict job performance and help you make data-driven hiring decisions, but like any tool, it comes with its own set of limitations (more on that in a bit), which might lead you to look into other options. To help you make the right decision, we’ve compiled a list of the nine best Vervoe alternatives and analyzed the pros and cons of

9 Vervoe alternatives for a streamlined hiring process

HR assistants are the backbone of any HR department, tackling everything from scheduling meetings and organizing paperwork to producing important reports for senior leaders. It’s a high-stakes job but, unfortunately, one that’s tricky to hire for.  Companies often treat the hiring process for this job like any other administrative assistant role without considering the specific skills needed for HR work. This can lead to major problems, including a chaotic HR team, unhappy employees, and even le

9 essential skills for HR assistants

essential skills for director of operations featured image

Looking for the perfect director of operations? You might want to roll up those sleeves. This role calls for more than run-of-the-mill management skills. But knowing all the skills they need can be tricky.  A director of operations must understand your business inside-out, keep operations efficient, and manage resources – all while smoothing out processes and leading teams toward shared goals. Hiring someone who fits the bill can give your company a leg up in a competitive market and seriously b

7 essential skills for a director of operations

Top 9 HackerEarth alternatives to hire the best developers featured image

Attracting the top tech talent to your recruitment process is a challenge. Somewhere in the sea of resumes, your next all-star developer is waiting – but how do you identify them?  You’ve probably heard that talent assessment platforms such as HackerEarth are the way to go. However, you may be on the fence with HackerEarth itself and are interested in learning about other platforms better suited for your hiring needs. With the right tools in your tech stack, you avoid expensive missteps and grow

Top 9 HackerEarth alternatives to hire the best developers

essential skills for system administrator featured image

Every company relies on a smoothly running IT infrastructure, and behind the scenes, system administrators make this happen. That’s why choosing the right person for this role is critical. But here's the catch: system admins need a wide range of skills. If you're not sure which skills match a system admin’s job description, you might hire the wrong person. Then, you could end up with system downtime, frustrated users, and security weaknesses – a nightmare scenario for any business. No worries, t

10 essential skills for system administrators

9 Essential Skills for Salesforce Administrators featured image

Salesforce admins are like the backbone of a company’s customer relationship management (CRM) system. They handle user requests, set up the system, manage data, and more. But what really makes a great Salesforce admin? Knowing which Salesforce skills to look for in an admin is super important for building a strong team. Get it right, and everything runs smoother, sales go up, and customers are happier. Get it wrong, and you might deal with data problems, frustrated users, and missed chances. No 

9 essential skills for Salesforce administrators

Project managers are some of the hardest-working people around. After all, they juggle deadlines, budgets, and even people. The best project managers are self-starting, organized, confident, and great at communicating. However, that’s not always easy to spot when hiring purely on resumes. Recruiters who test for project management skills are more likely to find creative, proactive talent faster than anyone else. In this guide, we show you: The most important project manager competencies How to t

15 important project management skills (and how to assess them)

7 important observation skills (and how to assess them)

Let’s face it: Without observation skills, even the most talented people turn in poor-quality work. People with good observation skills, on the other hand, pay close attention to detail, think critically, and work well with others.  Luckily, it’s easy to spot perceptive, hard-working employees by testing for observation skills with talent assessments. Keep reading to find out the best personality traits, how to improve observation skills, and how to test observation skills with talent assessment

Skills-based hiring is the future of recruitment – but to build a skills-first hiring process, you need the right talent assessment platform. CodeSignal is a popular choice for many companies, but it might not be the best option for everyone. Maybe you’re looking for a platform that features a wider range of tests, more customization options, or a free trial. Whatever your exact needs are, if you’re looking for the best CodeSignal alternatives, you’ve come to the right place.  In this article, w

Top 10 CodeSignal alternatives to hire top tech talent

Project managers (PMs) are some of the most approachable and innovative people you can hope to work with. Sure, a good PM needs to know how to use certain software, but it’s not all about technical ability – there are many essential soft skills for the role. Project management soft skills help them be more understanding, motivated, and collaborative with others to reach shared goals. Without soft skills in project management, business owners risk missing deadlines, demotivating employees, and di

9 key project management soft skills (and how to assess them)

7 essential skills for a network administrator featured image

Finding a network administrator with a complete skill set can be a bit of a puzzle. That’s because candidates for this role need more than expert technical skills. They need to be able to navigate the maze of network security, troubleshoot software and hardware issues, and be up to date on emerging tech – all while keeping connectivity seamless across platforms.  Getting the right person on board can really push your company forward in today's tech-driven marketplace, supercharging your organiza

7 essential skills for a network administrator

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The skills-based hiring handbook

A comprehensive guide packed with detailed strategies, timelines, and best practices — to help you build a seamless onboarding plan.

How to elevate employee onboarding

A comprehensive guide with in-depth comparisons, key features, and pricing details to help you choose the best talent assessment platform.

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Top talent assessment platforms: A detailed guide

This in-depth guide includes tools, metrics, and a step-by-step plan for tracking and boosting your recruitment ROI.

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The blueprint for boosting your recruitment ROI

A step-by-step blueprint that will help you maximize the benefits of skills-based hiring from faster time-to-hire to improved employee retention.

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The skills-based hiring checklist

With our onboarding email templates, you'll reduce first-day jitters, boost confidence, and create a seamless experience for your new hires.

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Essential onboarding email templates

 Get all the essentials of HR in one place! This cheat sheet covers KPIs, roles, talent acquisition, compliance, performance management, and more to boost your HR expertise.

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The HR cheat sheet

Onboarding employees can be a challenge. This checklist provides detailed best practices broken down by days, weeks, and months after joining.

Employee onboarding checklist

Track all the critical calculations that contribute to your recruitment process and find out how to optimize them with this cheat sheet.

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Key hiring metrics cheat sheet

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