Top Remote Work Assessment

The Best Remote Work Assessments Right Now

If you are looking for the quick answer on which tool to use, here is the breakdown. TestGorilla is my go-to recommendation for most small to mid-sized businesses because their library is huge and specific. If you need something heavy-duty for a Fortune 500 type situation, look at Mercer Mettl.

But finding the right fit is actually a bit more complicated than just picking a brand name. Remote work isn't just about whether someone can use Zoom. It's about if they can function without a manager breathing down their neck.

Here is a detailed look at the top contenders and what makes them actually work.

1. TestGorilla

Honestly, these guys have taken over the market for a reason. They have a specific test literally called "Remote Work Proficiency."

What it checks: It looks at time management, procrastination, communication, and focus. It’s pretty hard to fake your way through it because the questions are situational. They ask, "If X happens, what do you do?" rather than "Are you a hard worker?" (because everyone says yes to that).

Why I like it: It's modular. You can stack a remote work test on top of a coding test and a personality test. It creates a single link for the candidate. Plus, the interface is super clean.

2. Mercer Mettl

This is the heavy hitter. If you are worried about compliance, legality, and intense proctoring, this is who you use. Wikipedia even lists Mercer as one of the largest HR consulting firms in the world so they have the data to back up their tests.

The Remote Work Assessment: They break it down into three buckets: Personality traits, Cognitive ability, and Technical readiness. Their "Remote Work Potential" report is incredibly detailed. It gives you a score on things like "Resourcefulness" which is surprisingly hard to measure.

3. Vervoe

Vervoe is cool because it uses AI to grade open-ended answers. Most tests are multiple choice, which is kinda boring and easy to guess. Vervoe lets you ask, "Write an email to a angry client explaining why the project is late."

The AI then reads the response and grades it based on tone, grammar, and empathy. For remote roles, written communication is everything. If they can't write clearly, they can't work remotely. Period.

4. Criteria Corp (HireSelect)

Criteria is famous for their cognitive aptitude tests (CCAT). For remote work, they pair this with their Employee Personality Profile (EPP). They have done studies showing that traits like "Conscientiousness" correlate directly to remote work success.

This one is a bit more expensive usually, but if you want to know if someone is smart and reliable, this is the gold standard.

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Why You Can't Just Use a Normal Interview

Here is the thing about remote hiring. It is dangerous. When you hire someone to work in an office, you can see if they show up late. You can see if they are scrolling TikTok at their desk. When they are remote, you are blind.

You need an assessment because charisma doesn't equal productivity. I've seen so many people ace a Zoom interview because they are charming, but then they get the job and ghost everyone for three days straight. Assessments strip away the charm and show you the raw traits.

The "Big Five" Personality Traits

You will hear this term a lot if you dig into HR science. According to pretty much every psychology textbook, personality is broken down into five main buckets:

• Openness
• Conscientiousness
• Extraversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism

For remote work, you are looking for high Conscientiousness. This is the single biggest predictor of performance. It means the person is organized, dependable and disciplined. If they score low on this, do not hire them for a remote role. They will struggle to motivate themselves without a boss in the room.

What Specifically Should You Test For?

Okay, so you bought the tool. Now what tests do you actually send the candidate? Do not just send a generic "IQ test." You need to target the pain points of working from home.

1. Asynchronous Communication

This is a big word for "doesn't need a meeting to understand stuff." In an office, you can tap someone on the shoulder. Remotely, you have to write it down.

Look for assessments that require the candidate to read instructions and execute a task without asking for help. If they email you three times asking for clarification on simple instructions, that is a red flag. The assessment itself is a filter. If they can't figure out the login, they probably aren't tech-savvy enough for the job.

2. Autonomy and Initiative

You want to find out what they do when they get stuck. Ask situational questions like:

"You are working on a project and the internet goes down. You can't reach your manager. What do you do?"

A bad answer is "Wait for the internet to come back." A good answer is "Use my phone hotspot, or draft the work offline in a text editor so I can upload it later." You need problem solvers, not waiters.

3. Tech Readiness

Some assessments, like the ones from Mercer Mettl or Harver, actually check the user's computer. They check upload speed, download speed, and if the webcam works.

It sounds invasive, but it saves you a headache later. I once hired a guy who claimed to have high-speed internet, but it turned out he was stealing wifi from a coffee shop next door. His video froze every 30 seconds. A simple tech-check assessment would have caught that.

How to Read the Results (The Secret Sauce)

Getting a score of 80% doesn't always mean "hire this person." You have to look at the sub-scores.

Let's say a candidate scores high on "skills" but low on "agreeableness." In an office, that might be okay. You can manage a grump if they are talented. But remotely? A grumpy, rude person destroys culture fast because text messages have no tone. If they are blunt in Slack, people will start to hate working with them.

Watch out for the "Socially Desirable" answers.

Candidates aren't stupid. They know what you want to hear. If a question asks, "I prefer to work hard," everyone clicks "Strongly Agree."

Good assessments (like TestGorilla) use "ipsative" questions. This forces the candidate to choose between two good things. For example:

"Which is more like you?"
A) I always finish tasks on time.
B) I always help my teammates.

Both are good! But they have to pick one. This tells you if they prioritize results or people. For a remote sales role, you want A. For a remote customer support lead, you might want B.

The Candidate Experience: Don't Be Annoying

Here is where a lot of companies mess up. They send a 3-hour assessment before they even interview the person. That is disrespectful.

If you are hiring for a high-level role, do not make them jump through hoops just to say hello. Use the assessment after the first screening call. If you are hiring for entry-level roles where you get 500 applications, then sure, use the assessment first to filter people out.

Keep it under 45 minutes.

Data shows that drop-off rates skyrocket after 45 minutes. If your test is too long, the best candidates (who have other job offers) will just close the tab. Only the desperate ones will finish it.

Cheating: Can They Fake It?

Short answer: Yes, sometimes. Long answer: It's harder than you think.

With tools like ChatGPT, everyone is worried about cheating. If you give a writing prompt, they can just paste it into AI. This is why timed assessments are crucial.

If you give someone 2 minutes to answer a complex logic question, they don't have time to type it into ChatGPT and read the answer. They have to know it.

Also, many platforms like TestGorilla take snapshots of the candidate (with their permission) every minute. It prevents them from having their smart cousin take the test for them. It sounds intense, but it ensures fairness.

Cost vs. Value

You might be thinking, "Why pay for this when I can just ask questions myself?"

Think about the cost of a bad hire. The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) says a bad hire can cost up to 50% - 200% of the employee's annual salary. That is thousands of dollars lost.

A subscription to a testing platform might cost you $300 a month. If it stops you from hiring one person who quits after two weeks, it paid for itself for the next five years. It's an insurance policy.

My Final Verdict

If you are just starting out and need something easy, sign up for TestGorilla. It's user-friendly and the "Remote Work Proficiency" test is exactly what you need.

If you want to simulate real work (like answering emails), look at Vervoe.

But whatever you do, stop relying on your "gut feeling." Your gut doesn't know if someone has the discipline to work from their bedroom for three years without burning out. Let the data decide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can candidates use AI to pass these assessments?

It is becoming more common, yes. However, good platforms use anti-cheating measures. They disable copy-paste, use proctoring (webcam snapshots), and enforce strict time limits. Also, personality tests are hard to "cheat" with AI because there aren't necessarily wrong answers, just answers that don't fit the profile you want.

Are these tests legal?

generally, yes. But you have to be careful. In the US, the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) requires that tests be relevant to the job and non-discriminatory. You can't give a physical strength test for a remote typing job. Stick to verified platforms like Criteria or Mercer and they usually handle the validation studies for you.

How much do these tools cost?

It varies wildly. TestGorilla has a free tier, but their paid plans start around $26/month for small businesses. Enterprise tools like Mercer Mettl or Criteria Corp usually require a custom quote and can run into the thousands per year, but they offer unlimited testing.

Which personality trait is most important for remote work?

Conscientiousness. Studies consistently show that people who score high in conscientiousness (organized, dependable, dutiful) perform best in remote environments because they don't need external motivation to get started.

Should I test current employees?

You can, but be careful. It can feel like you don't trust them. It is better to use these assessments for development rather than evaluation for current staff. Frame it as, "We want to see what your working style is so we can support you better," not "We want to see if you are good at your job."