Hiring the right people has always been one of the hardest challenges for businesses. Resumes tell only part of the story, and interviews can be biased or inconsistent. That’s why more companies rely on hiring assessments – structured ways to evaluate candidates before making a final decision.

In this guide, we’ll cover what hiring assessments are, the different types you can use, and the best practices to make them fair, effective, and scalable.

What Are Hiring Assessments?

A hiring assessment is any standardized tool or process designed to evaluate a candidate’s skills, knowledge, or personality traits during the recruitment process.

Unlike traditional interviews, hiring assessments give recruiters measurable insights into how a candidate will actually perform on the job. And as of 2025, 82% of companies consider data critical for talent acquisition decisions, showing a clear shift toward evidence over gut feeling when it comes to hiring .

Why Hiring Assessments Matter

• Reduce hiring mistakes – bad hires are costly, both financially and culturally. A bad hire can cost employers 1.5 to 4 times the employee’s annual salary. For example, a mid-manager earning £42,000 could cost over £132,000 due to recruitment, onboarding, and lost productivity . The U.S. Department of Labor estimates a bad hire can cost up to 30% of the employee’s first-year salary .
• Faster screening – organizations using asynchronous video interviews report a 50–70% reduction in screening time .
• Lower costs – async hiring can also deliver a 30–40% reduction in cost-per-hire .
• Higher quality hires – companies see a 25–35% improvement in quality of hire when adding video-based assessments .
• Better candidate experience – clear, transparent evaluation processes build trust.

Types of Hiring Assessments

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. The best mix depends on your role, industry, and company culture.

1. Skills Assessments

• Technical tests (coding challenges, Excel tasks, writing samples).
• Practical exercises relevant to the job.
• Often automated and easy to scale.

2. Cognitive Ability Tests

• Measure problem-solving, critical thinking, and logical reasoning.
• Strong predictors of future job performance.

3. Personality & Behavioral Assessments

• Evaluate cultural fit and soft skills.
• Examples: communication style, adaptability, teamwork.
• Often combined with situational judgment tests.

4. Async Video Assessments

• Candidates record answers to structured questions.
• Recruiters can review responses at any time.
• Benefits: reduces scheduling headaches, captures communication skills, adds context beyond a CV.

👉 With tools like Videolink, recruiters can request candidates to record short videos explaining how they solved a problem, walking through past projects, or showcasing interpersonal skills.

Best Practices for Effective Hiring Assessments

1. Match the assessment to the role
   • Technical roles → coding/skills tests.
   • Customer-facing roles → video-based scenario assessments.
2. Keep it short & engaging
   • Long, tedious tests drive away strong candidates.
   • Aim for 20–40 minutes total.
3. Be transparent
   • Explain what you’re measuring and how results are used.
   • Builds trust with candidates.
4. Combine multiple methods
   • A skills test + async video response often gives a complete picture.
5. Mind the hiring timeline
   • The average time to hire ranges between 24 to 36 days, depending on industry. Public sector roles average around 42 days, while retail is significantly faster .
   • Efficient assessments help you stay competitive in securing top talent.

The Future of Hiring Assessments

Hiring is moving toward a more data-driven, async-first model. Recruiters want tools that save time, remove bias, and give deeper insights into candidates.

With AI-powered summaries, translations, and captions, video assessments are becoming even more powerful. Recruiters can quickly scan key takeaways while still reviewing raw video when needed.

Final Thoughts

Hiring assessments are no longer a “nice to have” – they’re essential for modern recruitment. From technical skills tests to async video interviews, they help organizations find the right people faster and more fairly.

If you’re looking to improve your hiring process, consider integrating video-based assessments with tools like Videolink. You’ll get richer insights, reduce scheduling stress, and create a better experience for both candidates and recruiters.

Sources

1. inFeedo: Data-backed hiring metrics 2025
2. Hirevire: Evaluating skills through asynchronous video interviews
3. Testlify: Average time to hire calculator
4. LinkedIn Pulse: The true cost of a bad hire (UK)