Assessing Problem-Solving Skills in Your Potential Hires

Written By Neha Ahmed

What are problem-solving skills?

According to CCMIT,

“Problem solving is the process of identifying a problem, developing possible solution paths, and taking the appropriate course of action.”

Considered as one the most important skills that employers look for in job applicants, problem-solving refers to an individual’s ability to tackle difficult or unanticipated situation and find solutions to tough business challenges.

Some key problem-solving skills include:

  • Decision-making
  • Creativity
  • Team-building
  • Analysis
  • Research
  • Communication

How to Gauge Problem-Solving Skills in Your Prospective Employees

Different tests that employers could set to gauge a candidate’s problem-solving skills include:

Online aptitude, psychometric and ability tests.

These are normally taken as part of the application stage, although they may be repeated at an assessment center. The tests that are most likely to assess your problem-solving skills are situational judgement tests and any that assess your reasoning, such as inductive reasoning or diagrammatic reasoning tests.

Video ‘immersive experiences’, game-based recruitment exercises or virtual reality assessments.

Not all of these methods are widely used yet but they are becoming more common. They are usually the recruitment stage before a face-to-face interview or assessment center.

Case study exercises.

These are common assessment center tasks. You’d be set a business problem, typically related to the sector in which you’d be working, and asked to make recommendations for solving it, either individually or in groups. You’ll also usually be asked to outline your recommendations in either a presentation or in written form, a task that assesses your ability to explain your problem-solving approach.

In-tray (or e-tray) exercises.

These always used to be set at an assessment center but nowadays can also be part of the online testing stage. In-tray exercises primarily test your time management skills, but also assess your ability to identify a potential problem and take actions to solve it.

Job-specific or task-specific exercises, given at an assessment center or at an interview.

If set, these will be related to the role you are applying for and will either require you to devise a solution to a problem or to spot errors. Civil and structural engineering candidates, for example, will often be required to sketch a design in answer to a client’s brief and answer questions on it, while candidates for editorial roles may be asked to proofread copy or spot errors in page proofs (fully designed pages about to be published).

AWARD-WINNING GAMIFIED RECRUITMENT PLATFORM

Take a free demo of our award-winning gamified recruitment platform.

Stay Connected

Get more news or tips about HR technology, specifically gamified recruitment
by subscribing to our bi-weekly newsletter.


There’s more to read

  • LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW: HR Digital Today Features The Talent Games

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    December 13, 2019

  • The Talent Games Shines Bright at HR Vendors of the Year 2023...

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    December 19, 2023

  • Full Cycle Recruiting: The Modern Recruiter’s Guide

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    October 31, 2021

  • Measuring Emotional Intelligence in Recruitment

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    February 14, 2021

  • ROI of Gamified Assessments For Recruiters [Infographic]

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    March 29, 2020

  • How to Use Gamified Assessments as a Candidate Screening Tool

    Written By admin

    November 27, 2019

  • Situational Judgement Tests 2024: Most Strategic Hiring Approach

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    September 5, 2023

  • INFOGRAPHIC: Evolving Your Campus Recruitment with Gamified Assessments

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    November 20, 2021

  • Hiring Gen Z? Here’s What You Need to Keep in Mind

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    June 2, 2021

  • Innovative Ways of Recruiting Graduates In 2023

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    January 9, 2023

  • Campus Recruiting with Online Gamified Talent Assessments

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    April 4, 2020

  • Realistic Job Preview: Giving Candidates Insight into the Role

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    November 28, 2021

  • Top 6 Skills Employers Look for in Fresh Graduates

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    August 21, 2021

  • INFOGRAPHIC: Source, Track, Hire from Home During COVID-19 Crisis

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    June 30, 2020

  • Forbes Article: What To Look For In A Gamified Recruitment Platform

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    July 3, 2020

  • How to Maximize Hiring Impact with Cognitive Ability Testing

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    September 18, 2023

  • The Talent Games Accepted into ventureLAB’s Accelerate AI Cohort 3

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    February 9, 2024

  • YEAR IN REVIEW: A Glimpse at Milestones achieved in 2022

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    January 12, 2023

  • News: The Talent Games gets featured in the Singapore HR Tech Market...

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    May 22, 2021

  • Ultimate Candidate Experience Checklist For Recruiters

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    October 26, 2020

  • Case Study Interviews – How to Crack the Code

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    June 2, 2022

  • PRESS RELEASE: The Talent Games wins 5 prestigious awards in 3 categories...

    Written By admin

    December 7, 2022

  • Psychometric Assessments for Hiring in 2024

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    April 3, 2023

  • Pre-Employment Testing & Screening Assessments: A Comprehensive Guide

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    March 13, 2020

  • Black History Month: How to Reduce Racial Bias in Hiring

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    February 19, 2022

  • Millennial Recruitment: Use of Gamified Assessments [Infographic]

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    November 12, 2019

  • Podcast: Paul Keijzer talks about gamified assessments on The Adrian Tan Show

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    February 10, 2022

  • How to Leverage a Full Spectrum of Talent Assessments

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    August 13, 2020

  • Nurture Future Leaders for Long Term Success in 2024

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    August 28, 2023

  • Soft Skills in the Workplace — All You Need to Know

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    April 9, 2021

  • 7 top Reasons to Gamify Work Performance Evaluation

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    February 2, 2024

  • Embracing Equity: Celebrating Women’s Day at the Workplace

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    March 8, 2023

  • Tips & Tricks to Ace Your Video Interview

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    April 25, 2021

  • Diversity Hiring: How to Build Your Company’s Diverse Talent Pipeline

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    July 11, 2020

  • How To Prevent Cheating In Online Assessments

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    July 24, 2020

  • Press Release: Paul Keijzer – CEO of The Talent Games accepted into...

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    April 20, 2020

  • INFOGRAPHIC: Unconscious Bias in Recruitment

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    April 24, 2020

  • Labor Day Reflections: HR Initiatives for a Positive Workplace Culture

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    September 4, 2023

  • 7 Benefits of Gamified Hiring for Candidates in 2024 and Beyond

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    August 8, 2023

  • How to Give Graduate Recruitment a New Spin with Gamification

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    March 24, 2022

  • How Gamified Assessments Help Facilitate Hiring of Differently-Abled Employees

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    December 9, 2021

  • Surviving the Great Resignation: How Gamified Assessments Can Help Attract Top Talent

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    November 12, 2021

  • Why Gender Diversity in the Workplace Is Important

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    October 29, 2020

  • Why Hiring Multiskilled Employees is the Need of the Hour

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    September 20, 2021

  • Use of AI to Eliminate Bias from the Recruitment Process

    Written By admin

    November 26, 2019

  • Press Release: The Talent Games Embarks on Cloud Journey with SAP

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    October 14, 2021

  • Forbes Article: Boosting Your Employer Brand To Fuel Talent Acquisition

    Written By admin

    February 24, 2021

  • The Talent Games to Host a Workshop at the Largest Independent TA...

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    September 22, 2020

  • Digitizing the Recruitment Process amid COVID-19 Outbreak

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    March 18, 2020

  • C-Factor Gamified Assessment Platform

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    June 12, 2020

  • Data-Driven Talent Acquisition

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    June 22, 2020

  • How to Use AI for Bulk Recruitment

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    October 1, 2020

  • 11 Dumbest Mistakes Candidates Make During Online Assessments

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    March 6, 2020

  • Building & Maintaining Your Employer Brand on Social Media

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    March 12, 2021

  • The Staggering Cost of a Bad Hire (And How to Avoid It)

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    June 28, 2021

  • Why Pre-Employment Critical Thinking Tests are So Important

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    September 28, 2021

  • How to Create More Successful Entry-Level Hiring with Gamification

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    April 22, 2022

  • Global Talent Shortage 2024: Recruiters Guide to Attract Top Talent

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    March 6, 2023

  • Gamification in Recruiting: Everything You Need to Know

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    April 11, 2020

  • 10 Ways Recruitment Games Can Improve Your Candidate Experience

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    November 29, 2019

  • News: The Talent Games featured in the Singapore HR Tech Market Map...

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    April 2, 2020

  • Does ‘Culture Fit’ Perpetuate Bias in Hiring?

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    November 11, 2020

  • Global Diversity Awareness: Impact on Team Collaboration

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    October 16, 2023

  • Using ChatGPT for Recruitment and Insights from HR Experts

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    February 10, 2023

  • Combating the She-Cession: How to Attract and Hire More Women

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    July 9, 2021

  • Attract, Engage and Hire Millennials with Gamified Hiring Platform

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    November 27, 2020

  • Contactless Hiring: The New Normal in Talent Acquisition

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    August 31, 2020

  • Building the Future Workforce: How Internship Awareness Month Can Help

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    April 18, 2023

  • 2020 Year-In-Review – Our Milestones & Accomplishments

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    February 17, 2021

  • Why Gamified Assessments Can Be Your Best Employer Branding Weapon in 2022

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    January 14, 2022

  • How to Make Better Talent Decisions with AI-Driven Predictive Analytics

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    September 9, 2020

  • Recruitment in Metaverse — Necessity, not an option

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    January 6, 2023

  • Candidate Experience: Everything You Need To Know

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    June 6, 2020

  • How Recruitment Marketing Can Transform Your Hiring Process

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    June 11, 2021

  • Building Your Millennial Employer Brand with Gamified Assessments

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    November 28, 2019

  • Neuroscience in Hiring: How to Tap Directly into the Candidate Brain

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    April 12, 2022

  • Recruitment Technology Roadmap: Picking the Right Tool

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    March 19, 2022

  • Recruiting and Hiring in Today’s Ever-Evolving World of Work

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    June 23, 2022

  • 2022 HR Trends: What to Watch Out for

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    December 31, 2021

  • Finding the Right Candidate in an Employer-Driven Market

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    July 24, 2021

  • Socially Distanced, Virtually Engaged: Recruitment in the Age of COVID-19

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    May 8, 2020

  • Press Release: The Talent Games Winning The “Best Candidate Experience” Award

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    July 27, 2020

  • INFOGRAPHIC: How to Raise Your Hiring Game with a Robust Employer Brand

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    May 12, 2022

  • Top HR Trends That Will Rule 2021 And Beyond

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    January 28, 2021

  • INFOGRAPHIC: Neurodiversity in the Workplace

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    March 18, 2023

  • Digital Assessment Tools: The Special Sauce for Hiring Millennials

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    April 18, 2020

  • Year-in-Review 2023: Our Milestones & Achievements

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    January 17, 2024

  • Why Ghosting Job Candidates Damages Your Employer Brand

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    April 16, 2021

  • 8 Effective Tips For Reducing Recruitment Cost

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    February 6, 2023

  • HIRING CANDIDATES USING HR TECHNOLOGY INCREASES ROI – SURVEY REPORT 2019

    Written By admin

    November 25, 2019

  • Tech Tiptoes into HR – The Rise of HR Tech

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    February 27, 2020

  • Invest in Women: Your Key to Building High-Performing Teams

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    March 7, 2024

  • Top HR Tech Trends 2024 to take your Recruitment to Next Level

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    January 1, 2023

  • Why a Mobile-First Recruitment Strategy is Critical for Hiring Millennials

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    May 18, 2020

  • Why Creating a Great Recruiter Experience Matters

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    August 7, 2021

  • Employee Wellbeing: From Burnout to Flourishing in the Modern Workplace

    Written By Jawad Junejo

    July 27, 2023

  • How to Survive the Era of Digital Darwinism with HR Technology

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    October 20, 2021

  • Recruiting during the Pandemic: How to Engage Passive Candidates

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    November 23, 2020

  • How Recruitment Technology Can Keep Your Unconscious Biases Aside

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    August 7, 2020

  • The Talent Games’ Gamified Assessments Now Available on SAP® Store

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    March 3, 2023

  • How Companies Are Nailing Social Media For Recruiting Millennial Talent

    Written By Daniyal Wali

    February 21, 2020

  • How Cognitive Ability Tests Can Help You Accurately Predict Job Performance

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    September 3, 2021

  • Forbes: How Gamification Can Enhance Your Candidate Experience

    Written By The Talent Games Marketing Team

    May 29, 2020

  • Celebrating Women’s Day at Workplace

    Written By Neha Ahmed

    March 4, 2022

Leave a Reply

avatar
  Subscribe  
Notify of