Communication skills test: Pre-employment screening assessment to hire the best candidates

Summary of the Communication test

This online communication skills test assesses your candidates’ skills in communicating clearly and effectively using professional etiquette. This English communication skills test assesses candidates in both written and verbal communication, as well as non-verbal cues and active listening.

This pre-employment communication skills assessment is designed by a subject matter expert to screen candidates who have excellent workplace communication skills. You can send this online communication skills test to your prospective job applicants before inviting them to an interview. With data-driven results, now you can hire quality communicators, sales executives, etc., for all your customer-facing roles.

Covered skills

Understanding and interpreting written communication
Listening actively and interpreting non-verbal cues
Clarifying next steps and summarizing messages effectively
Using professional communication etiquette

Use the Communication test to hire

Any role that requires good communication skills to facilitate effective collaboration with others.

You can use this test for free when you sign up for a free plan.

Type

Situational judgment

Time

10 min

Languages

English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese

Level

Intermediate

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About the Communication test

Good communication is the foundation of good relationships. And good relationships are key to building A-teams that will take your organization from good to great. Good communication among the members of a team builds trust, resolves (and even prevents) problems, provides clarity and direction, improves productivity, and increases engagement.

This communication test evaluates candidates' skills in understanding, using, and interpreting written communication and assesses their verbal communication skills (both in an in-person and virtual environment) along with active listening and the interpretation of non-verbal cues. The communication test also evaluates candidates' ability to clarify next steps, summarize messages effectively, and use professional communication etiquette.

Candidates who perform well on this screening test can listen attentively to others, communicate with confidence and open-mindedness, and can offer both empathy and feedback in the appropriate scenarios and in the appropriate manner.

The test is made by a subject-matter expert

Sarah E.

Storyteller, communication coach, author and professional musician, Sarah offers workshops and coaching packages that reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension in the workplace. With nearly 20 years’ experience working in public sector agencies, Sarah has completed an MBA and achieved the StrengthsFinder certification, both of which she uses to improve professional environments and guide teams to communicate in a way that increases satisfaction and happiness at work and at home.

Crafted with expert knowledge

TestGorilla’s tests are created by subject matter experts. We assess potential subject-matter experts based on their knowledge, ability, and reputation. Before being published, each test is peer-reviewed by another expert, then calibrated using hundreds of test takers with relevant experience in the subject. Our feedback mechanisms and unique algorithms allow our subject-matter experts to constantly improve their tests.

What our customers are saying

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Our short, customizable assessments and easy-to-use interface can be accessed from any device, with no login required.

Add your company logo, color theme, and more to leave a lasting impression that candidates will appreciate.

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Watch how you can use the Communication test

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Create high-quality job assessments, fast

Building assessments is quick and easy with TestGorilla. Just pick a name, select the tests you need, then add your own custom questions.

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Invite candidates your way

Send email invites directly from TestGorilla, straight from your ATS, or connect with candidates by sharing a direct link.

Have a long list of candidates? Easily send multiple invites with a single click. You can also customize your email invites.

See the best candidates, ranked

Discover your strongest candidates with TestGorilla’s easy-to-read output reports, rankings, and analytics.

Easily switch from a comprehensive overview to a detailed analysis of your candidates. Then, go beyond the data by watching personalized candidate videos.

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View a sample report

The Communication test will be included in a PDF report along with the other tests from your assessment. You can easily download and share this report with colleagues and candidates.

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Communication skills test: Its importance in the workplace

You may already know that communication is a skill that contributes to an individual’s success within a team and in the workplace. Effective communication determines how people share messages and ideas, how individuals understand their roles and workplace requirements, and how they communicate updates around projects and task delivery. Essentially, communication is the key to efficiency.

But did you know that communication has four distinct forms that contribute to its effectiveness? The four communication types are:

• Verbal: How people interact using spoken words, online or in person, is verbal communication. If candidates can express themselves with clarity, confidence, and empathy, they are skilled in this form of communication.

• Non-verbal: This is a communication type commonly known as body language. It is how people express their feelings through posture and expression. It is a way to understand a person's thoughts or feelings and is important for applicants who will work in teams.

• Written: Typing has become more common than writing and is the prevailing method of sharing information. Whether it is an email, an article, or an instant message, skill in written communication means the candidate can convey a message simply and effectively.

• Visual: Visual communication has many guises, but in the workplace, it can be represented through graphs, videos, and designs. As a method of making information more digestible, this type of communication is commonly used by those who need to simplify information for others to understand.

Communication affects the relationships employees have with those around them, from co-workers to customers. For recruiters, this means that identifying candidates with good communication skills is important. So let's see how we do this.

Recruiting with a communication test

For recruiters, determining whether candidates can communicate effectively may be difficult. Although some people may be good at corresponding in emails, they may not give instructions as clearly. And for others, the stress of interviews may affect their natural ability to communicate well.

A communication test can evaluate each applicant's skills and subsequently help you overcome the challenge of reviewing dozens – if not hundreds –of CVs. When you use a communication test as part of a pre-employment assessment, you can simplify your hiring process by only focusing on the candidates who fit the position's requirements.

Which roles can a communication skills test be used for?

Most job roles require interaction with others in one form or another. Even if some positions need communication in writing more than speaking, or vice versa, there is an element of communication bound to every job.

We recommend the communication test for any role where strong communication skills are needed to effectively collaborate with others. Some notable roles include:

• Sales: Sales representatives, who have possibly the best-known communication roles, need to communicate with clients and prospects to explain how products or services work while relaying information to colleagues to manage clients’ expectations.

• Media: People who work in the media are storytellers. Whether they're writers or designers, they should be able to understand briefs and communicate with readers via messages and graphics on various platforms.

• Customer service and support: Whether people in these roles are serving customers or helping them with problems, the jobs of customer service and support staff rely on their ability to clearly and effectively communicate with customers.

• Information technology: Although this industry is rife with jargon, IT workers often need to share technical information with team members or break down specialized language so that non-technical staff and clients can understand it.

• Managerial: Regardless of the industry, managers are regularly required to relay and convey information and messages to employees and stakeholders. They often need to communicate organizational information in a way that is easy to understand.

• Administrative: Assistants, receptionists, financial administrators, and others often work with various departments and teams. To succeed in these positions, they need to be able to relay, co-ordinate and manage information from people in an organization.

• Analysts: From the start to the end of a project, an analyst needs to understand, interpret and relay information around requirements, updates, mitigation, opportunities, and project delivery. Because projects often hinge on analysts’ ability to effectively communicate with various people, this skill is invaluable to the role.

How does this communication skills test work?

Communication skills are more than a person’s ability to send and interpret a message: It’s about their ability to communicate details in a way that enables others to understand them. Additionally, candidates should be able to comprehend the information they receive.

Our communication test evaluates candidates through a series of questions designed to:

• Evaluate their understanding and interpretation of written communication
• Test their active listening ability and interpretation of non-verbal cues
• Establish if applicants can clarify the next steps and summarize messages effectively
• Find out if candidates can use professional communication etiquette

Candidates who do well in this communication test can pay attention to others, speak with confidence and openness, and offer empathy and feedback in various scenarios in the appropriate style.

In summary

A communication test is a simple yet effective way to evaluate job applicants’ skills. With the data gathered from TestGorilla’s pre-employment assessments, you can determine which applicants would be most successful in the position. And as a bonus, you don’t even need to look at a CV! This means that your recruitment process will be faster, and you'll be able to fill the position with minimal delays.

FAQs

What is the difference between an assessment and a test?

An assessment is the total package of tests and custom questions that you put together to evaluate your candidates. Each individual test within an assessment is designed to test something specific, such as a job skill or language. An assessment can consist of up to 5 tests and 20 custom questions. You can have candidates respond to your custom questions in several ways, such as with a personalized video.

Can I add my own questions to an assessment?

Yes! Custom questions are great for testing candidates in your own unique way. We support the following question types: video, multiple-choice, coding, file upload, and essay. Besides adding your own custom questions, you can also create your own tests.

How do video questions work?

A video question is a specific type of custom question you can add to your assessment. Video questions let you create a question and have your candidates use their webcam to record a video response. This is an excellent way to see how a candidate would conduct themselves in a live interview, and is especially useful for sales and hospitality roles. Some good examples of things to ask for video questions would be "Why do you want to work for our company?" or "Try to sell me an item you have on your desk right now." You can learn more about video questions here.

Can you explain how the other custom question types work?

Besides video questions, you can also add the following types of custom questions: multiple-choice, coding, file upload, and essay. Multiple-choice lets your candidates choose from a list of answers that you provide, coding lets you create a coding problem for them to solve, file upload allows your candidates to upload a file that you request (such as a resume or portfolio), and essay allows an open-ended text response to your question. You can learn more about different custom question types here.

Can I customize an assessment with my company logo and color theme?

Yes! You can add your own logo and company color theme to your assessments. This is a great way to leave a positive and lasting brand impression on your candidates.

What type of support do you offer?

Our team is always here to help. After you sign up, we’ll reach out to guide you through the first steps of setting up your TestGorilla account. If you have any further questions, you can contact our support team via email, chat or call. We also offer detailed guides in our extensive Help & Inspiration Center.

What is the cost for using the Communication test?

You can find our pricing packages here. Sign up here to try TestGorilla today.

Can I combine the Communication test with other tests?

Yes. You can add up to five tests to each assessment.

Where in my recruitment process should I use the Communication test?

We recommend using our assessment software as a pre-screening tool at the beginning of your recruitment process. You can add a link to the assessment in your job post or directly invite candidates by email.
TestGorilla replaces traditional CV screening with a much more reliable and efficient process, designed to find the most skilled candidates earlier and faster.

Which situational judgment tests do you offer?

We offer the following situational judgment tests: Leadership & People Management, Business Ethics & Compliance, Business Judgment, and Negotiation.

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Communication skills test: Pre-employment screening assessment to hire the best candidates

Summary of the Communication test

Covered skills

Use the Communication test to hire

About the Communication test

The test is made by a subject-matter expert

Sarah E.

Crafted with expert knowledge

What our customers are saying

Hunter G.

Michiel S.

Sam C.

Kristel K.

Use TestGorilla to hire the best faster, easier and bias-free

Predict job performance

Hire without bias

Offer a positive candidate experience

Watch how you can use the Communication test

Create high-quality assessments, fast

Create high-quality job assessments, fast

Invite candidates your way

See the best candidates, ranked

View a sample report

Communication skills test: Its importance in the workplace

Recruiting with a communication test

Which roles can a communication skills test be used for?

How does this communication skills test work?

In summary

FAQs

Related tests