Professional Pre Employment Screening Interview Questions & Answers:

1. What are pre-employment tests?

Pre-employment tests are used to screen job applicants and can include testing of cognitive abilities, knowledge, work skills, physical and motor abilities, personality, emotional intelligence, language proficiency, and even integrity. Drug testing can also be utilized as part of the pre-employment process. Companies use testing to find the candidates most likely to succeed in the open positions and to screen out those who are unqualified.

2. What is Integrity Employment Test?

Employee theft and fraud costs a company on average $9 per day per employee in the US. Pre employment testing often includes integrity or honesty tests. These are used to evaluate an applicant's honesty and trustworthiness including attitudes towards risky workplace behavior, theft, lying and unethical behavior.

Questions are designed to examine the applicant's attitude and approach towards misuse of company resources, email and internet abuse, use of drugs and alcohol, trust with confidential information and personal responsibility.

3. Do you know what are the key issues in using pre-employment tests?

While there can be dramatic benefits gained from using testing in the employee selection process, there are potential issues companies need to understand prior to implementing any tests. The first issue is validity; whether or not the test measures the specific criterion it is supposed to measure and can predict future job performance or success. An employer should be able to demonstrate that those who do well on the test do well in performing the job and those who score poorly on the test perform poorly on the job. For example, if an employer can demonstrate that a typing test and skills tests using Microsoft Office software products constitute a fair sample of the content of an administrative assistant job, then the tests will probably be considered content valid.

4. Why are Pre Employment Screening tests used?

By helping companies identify the candidates most likely to perform well on the job, pre-employment testing can lead to additional company benefits, such as saving time and cost in the selection process, decreasing turnover, and even improving morale. According to a survey by the American Management Association, "Almost 90 percent of firms that test job applicants say they will not hire job seekers when pre-employment testing finds them to be deficient in basic skills" (Greenberg, 1996, p. 24).

5. How to handle difficult situations regarding Pre Employment Screening?

Some interview questions are looking for indications of problems you may have had in the past. Never lie about it if you were fired from a previous job, since such information is often uncovered before you are hired. It's best to give an honest answer that minimizes any problems you may have had. When asked "Why did you leave your last job?" you could answer that you and your old boss did not see eye to eye, and then move on to how eager you are to gain a fresh start. Never badmouth a previous employer or co-workers.

6. Pre Employment Screening Common Questions:

You may be asked almost anything in an interview, but some types of questions are more common than others. Be prepared to respond to questions such as "What would you do if your best friend stole something and he asked you not to tell?" or "What brings you joy?" Other common questions are "How would you handle it if you were asked to do something you know is unethical, but is not illegal?" or "How important do you think it is to be on time to work every day?" or "Do you think it creates a problem for others if you miss work?"

7. What is Employment Drug Test?

These are becoming more and more frequent as employers are encouraged to establish drug-free workplaces.

8. What is Employment Aptitude Test?

These tests are designed to determine that the applicant has the ability to perform the job successfully. They are usually written or oral and include evaluation of reasoning ability, numerical, written and verbal skills.

They differ from skills tests in that the aptitude test determines the applicant's potential ability to perform the job functions when trained (the applicant's capacity for learning the required skills) while the skills tests determines the applicant's current or existing level of skill.

9. Tell me what people, team, and leadership skills are your strongest?

It's important that we know which people, team and leadership skills you are most proficient at, in order to ensure that this job fits your skill profile. Referring to the job skills and knowledge areas listed in the job description for this job (if it is not available, just list the skills that you utilize in your current job) rank the people and leadership skills that you excel at (in descending order). People, team and leadership skills that you excel at

10. Tell me do you have any supplemental skills, knowledge areas or experiences that we should know about?

We like to provide candidates with an opportunity to highlight any skills, knowledge areas, or experiences that, although they are not directly utilized in your current job, may provide value in our organization. Examples might include language skills, knowledge of equipment, sales or leadership skills, etc.