Skills Assessments
Practical measures of the skills people actually use at work — typing, data entry, digital literacy, grammar, spelling and more.
Unlike self-reported skills on a CV, these assessments measure what candidates can really do — giving you a clear, objective picture of job-ready capability.
Measure What Candidates Can Actually Do
Most skills are easy to claim and hard to verify. Skills assessments replace guesswork with evidence — candidates demonstrate the capability rather than describe it.
Evidence, Not Claims
Replace "proficient in Excel" on a CV with demonstrated capability — candidates show what they can do, not what they say they can do.
Speed + Accuracy
Most measures combine both dimensions — so you see fluency under real-world pace, not just whether someone eventually gets it right.
Reduce Training Cost
Identify candidates who already have the skills the role requires — lower ramp-up time and less remedial training.
Targeted Development
Item-level detail surfaces specific skill gaps — turning selection data into a development roadmap, not just a pass/fail score.
Fair & Consistent
Standardised tasks and scoring mean every candidate is measured the same way — cleaner than subjective skill checks.
Role-Specific Screening
Pick the skills that matter for the role — typing for a legal secretary, spelling for a content team, checking for a data role.
Real Tasks, Real Evidence
Our skills assessments — delivered through Podium Skills — put candidates into realistic task environments rather than asking them to rate themselves. Whether it's using Word and Excel in a simulated Windows 11 environment, transcribing text in a dual-pane interface or spotting errors under time pressure, every measure captures real behaviour against real workplace tasks.
Results combine accuracy with efficiency — so you see not just whether a candidate can do something, but how fluently they do it under the pace real work demands.
Use them individually to screen for a specific skill, or combine them for a broader view of workplace readiness.
Where Skills Testing Earns Its Place
Selection & Screening
Verify job-ready skills before interview or offer
Targeted Development
Identify specific skill gaps to inform training
Role Fit
Match skill profiles to the tasks a role actually requires
Bespoke Batteries
Combine measures to screen for a specific job profile
Onboarding
Baseline new hires and plan their first-90-days support
Remote Hiring
Assess skills fairly regardless of candidate location
Nine Assessments Across Four Skill Areas
Grouped by the type of work each supports — from digital proficiency and data input through to literacy and attention-to-detail tasks.
Digital Proficiency
Office365 Simulations
Word & Excel Practical Skills
Hands-on assessment of Microsoft Word and Excel skills inside a fully replicated Windows 11 environment — measuring what candidates can actually do across 25+ tasks per application.
Digital Literacy
Workplace Digital Skills
A five-domain measure of digital literacy covering general computer skills, internet use, software, security awareness and technical knowledge — plus a digital confidence score.
Data & Input
Data Entry
Alphanumerical Input
Realistic data-entry scenario measuring speed, accuracy, navigation efficiency and source-to-form transfer — reporting adjusted KPH, error rate and more.
Typing
Typing Speed & Accuracy
Dual-pane transcription exercise reporting raw WPM, adjusted WPM and error counts — a focused, timed measure of typing proficiency.
Literacy
Reading Comprehension
Understand & Analyse Text
Passage-based assessment of how well candidates extract, interpret and apply written information — pitched accessibly for a broad workforce.
Grammar
Spot Grammar Errors
Focused on the grammatical errors that appear most frequently in real workplace writing — a practical measure of written accuracy and attention to detail.
Spelling
Identify Correctly Spelled Words
Spot-the-correct-word format across everyday and specialised vocabulary — a fast, reliable indicator of written accuracy and language fluency.
Attention & Precision
Checking
Spot Errors & Differences
Targeted visual-accuracy measure — spotting subtle differences and inconsistencies under time pressure. Directly simulates clerical, data and QA checking work.
Understanding Instructions
Read, Interpret & Act
Tests whether candidates can correctly read and act on instructions across written text, diagrams and tables — critical in operational, technical and safety-conscious roles.
Need Help Choosing the Right Skills Battery?
Pick an individual skill to screen for, or combine several into a bespoke battery for a specific role. We'll help you choose the right combination for the decision you're making.