Frequently Asked General Questions
For your convenience, we've compiled the answers to the questions most frequently asked by our customers. If you still have questions after reviewing this document, please send an email to SkillCheck support. You will generally receive an answer within one business day.
Also, refer to TechTips in the Resources | Technical Tips section.
General Questions about SkillCheck
- What is SkillCheck testing software?
- How is SkillCheck testing software packaged and sold?
- What kind of test-making capability is available with SkillCheck testing software?
- How is SkillCheck different from other testing software products?
- What is TalentScout?
- How can TalentScout save me time and money?
- Don't shorter tests mean less accuracy and detail?
- How does TalentScout determine so much information so quickly?
- What is adaptive testing?
- For what jobs and skills is TalentScout available?
- Can TalentScout be delivered over the Internet? How about on my company PCs and networks?
- Do I need to use SkillCheck's other testing products to take advantage of TalentScout?
- What SkillCheck tests are on the Internet?
- Are SkillCheck's Web-based tests available only in multiple-choice format?
- How are SkillCheck tests delivered over the Internet?
- How is SkillCheck's Web-based testing different from other testing available on the Internet?
- I have a training curriculum and would like to pre-assess training candidates before they are scheduled for class. What are my options with SkillCheck's Internet testing solutions?
- I run a staffing service that needs to assess job candidates before they arrive at my office. Can I do this with SkillCheck's Internet testing system?
- What are the security issues involved with having job candidates test at home?
The Answers
General Questions about SkillCheck
SkillCheck testing software is the world's most advanced skills assessment system. SkillCheck offers advanced performance-based tests for assessing skills on key software products such as desktop applications from Microsoft, Lotus and WordPerfect. SkillCheck also offers automated assessments in other key areas of clerical, computer and professional skills.
In addition to providing the world's most sophisticated testing content, SkillCheck's testing system includes advanced test development features, allowing test administrators to create their own tests using questions from SkillCheck's databases of thousands of questions.
Administrators can also create their own test items to include in any SkillCheck tests, as well as create their own typing and data entry tests.
SkillCheck offers a wide variety of tests, available individually or as part of money-saving testing packages. For example, SkillCheck testing on Microsoft Word 2003 can be purchased as an individual test, as part of a Microsoft Office 2003 testing package that also includes tests on Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Outlook, or as part of SkillCheck's Master or Staffing Test Packages that also include tests on other software, clerical and professional skills.
All SkillCheck testing packages include the advanced test management and reporting features available as part of the SkillCheck system. Some packages also include test-making capability, allowing you to create your own tests using different test-development tools available with different packages.
The SkillCheck system offers a number of products for creating your own custom tests. The SkillCheck Typing and Data Entry tests, for example, allow you to create your own typing tests from your own documents, or your own data-entry tests that can simulate your own data-entry forms.
Some SkillCheck packages also allow you to create your own custom software tests (covering Word, Excel, PowerPoint and many other software products) or tests on other professional skills (Accounting, Computer Programming, etc.) by selecting questions from SkillCheck's databases of hundreds of performance-based or knowledge-based items or test items you create.
TheItemWriter test making utility, can be included with SkillCheck Version 4 and above. This utility allows test administrators to create their own test questions and include those items in tests that also include questions from SkillCheck's databases of thousands of interactive and knowledge-based test questions.
Click here for more information on SkillCheck test-making options.
Only SkillCheck offers the wide variety of test creation and management capabilities available in its SkillCheck testing software. Using SkillCheck's testing software, test administrators can create their own test on Microsoft Word, for example, that includes questions from SkillCheck's database of over 200 test items on virtually all Microsoft Word features.
The powerful test-making capabilities of SkillCheck testing software allows administrators to draw from multiple product databases, creating a Microsoft Office test that includes questions on Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access, for example. An administrator can also combine questions from SkillCheck's Excel and Accounting test to cover the exact skills needed for a computer-literate accountant or bookkeeper.
In addition, SkillCheck allows administrators to create their own test items and include those in tests along with SkillCheck's own performance-based or knowledge-based test items. No other testing system offers this wide variety of test development features.
Each SkillCheck test item is fully validated and only SkillCheck products allow the examinee to use any correct method to answer questions, including toolbar buttons, drop-down menus and shortcut keys. The "any correct method" approach to performance-base skill testing is the best and for more accurate way to measure true skills of examinees.
SkillCheck's powerful test management and reporting system also allows administrators to easily manage testing and generate attractive and meaningful reports. Reports can provide information on a single test, on multiple tests taken by a single candidate or on all candidates who have taken a specific test.
Click here for information on SkillCheck test-making features.
The Answers
TalentScout Questions
TalentScout is a revolutionary new testing system that allows you to determine if a job candidate has all of the skills needed for a job in a single, fast, efficient, accurate assessment. Using TalentScout, you can, in half the time of traditional testing, determine if a candidate has the knowledge, skills and abilities to handle a job. To learn more about TalentScout, click here.
- How can TalentScout save me time and money?
By making use of Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) and other advanced testing technologies, TalentScout can shrink test time in your office by more than 50%. This means more candidates can be tested in the same number of hours (saving you the cost of additional testing computers). It also means that testing can take a smaller share of the recruitment process, giving you more time for in-depth interviewing of candidates or more time for in-depth testing on additional important skills.
How much more efficient and effective would your service be if you could promise job candidates that they could get through the entire screening process in well under an hour? How many more candidates could you recruit and place? How much faster could you get candidates into jobs? The revolutionary new TalentScout system brings these and other benefits to your staffing organization.
- Don't shorter tests mean less accuracy and detail?
As you can see in the sample TalentScout report, a TalentScout exam can provide you with more information about a candidate's abilities in a shorter amount of time.
- How does TalentScout determine so much information
so quickly?
TalentScout makes use of Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) which allows a test to adapt or change based on a candidate's response to a particular question. Using adaptive testing, a candidate's skill level can be determined in the shortest amount of time. TalentScout also bundles all of the most job-critical assessments into a single TalentScout test to create a broader profile of a candidate with all interrelated skills required for the job.
- What is adaptive testing?
An adaptive test automatically mimics a wise examiner who asks questions based on test takers' responses. Specifically, if an examiner asks a question that is too difficult for the test taker, the next question asked should be easier. If the question turns out to be too easy, a more difficult question should be asked.
We learn more when we accurately direct our questions at the same level as the test taker's proficiency.
- For what jobs and skills is TalentScout available?
TalentScout assessments are currently available for the following jobs:
- Accounting-Bookkeeping
- Call Center
- Clerical
- Computer and Internet User
- Legal Office
- Light Industrial
- Medical Office
- Office 2000
- Office 2000 Power User
- Office XP/2002
- Office XP/2002 Power User
- Office 2003
- Office 2003 Power User
- Can TalentScout be delivered over the Internet?
How about on my company PCs and networks?
TalentScout is available for both Internet and PC/network delivery.
- Do I need to use SkillCheck's other testing products
to take advantage of TalentScout?
TalentScout can be customized to produce reports tailored to users of SkillCheck, Qwiz, PreValuate and Prove It software as well as online solutions. Regardless of what you're using for your current testing system, TalentScout can
help you get the most out of your testing and training programs.
To learn more about TalentScout, click here.
The Answers
Internet Questions
- What SkillCheck tests are on the Internet?
Any SkillCheck software simulation test, knowledge-based skills test (on Accounting, IT, Call Center or other skills) or Identity Series behavioral test can be delivered over the Internet. See SkillCheck's Product pages for a complete description of tests available through the Internet.
To set up a testing account through SkillCheck's powerful Internet test management system, contact SkillCheck Sales. You can assign any of SkillCheck's hundreds of testing titles to your account for delivery world wide via the Internet.
- Are SkillCheck's Web-based tests available only in
multiple-choice format?
No. SkillCheck's interactive assessments, the highest-quality, most-accurate performance-based assessments in the world, are all available over the Internet. SkillCheck also maintains a broad range of knowledge-based tests in areas such as accounting and computer programming, as well as behavioral assessments that use a variety of question types, including interactive performance-based, multiple choice, matching and other question types.
- How are SkillCheck tests delivered over the Internet?
If you set up a testing account for your organization using SkillCheck's advanced Internet test-management system, you can deliver tests in two ways:
- Turn any PC with Internet access into a testing workstation with access to all SkillCheck tests assigned to your account.
- Send eTickets to test candidates, who can take a test assigned to the eTicket on a computer with Internet access.
Click here for more information on SkillCheck's Internet testing solutions or contact SkillCheck Sales to set up an Internet testing account.
- How is SkillCheck's Web-based testing different from
other testing available on the Internet?
Most Internet-based testing systems only offer linear testing (multiple choice, true-false, fill-in-the-blank, etc.) testing. In contrast, SkillCheck offers high-quality, performance-based assessments over the Internet without gigantic application downloads and other complicated installation procedures. And only SkillCheck offers the ability to create custom tests that can exactly match an organization's testing and training needs.
In addition, SkillCheck's unique, powerful Internet test-management system allows a test administrator to control a multi-tier network of testing stations across the country or around the world, with the capability of controlling testing, reporting and billing from a central location. With its comprehensive and flexible test content, SkillCheck provides an organization the ability to create and deliver tests and manage a testing program anywhere in the world via the World Wide Web.
- I have a training curriculum and would like to pre-assess
training candidates before they are scheduled for class. What are
my options with SkillCheck's Internet testing solutions?
Only SkillCheck allows you to create custom assessments that exactly match the objectives of your training curriculum. And once custom assessments have been created, they can be deployed via a custom SkillCheck site that includes just your tests. Contact SkillCheck Sales for more information.
- I run a staffing service that needs to assess job
candidates before they arrive at my office. Can I do this with
SkillCheck's Internet testing system?
Any SkillCheck assessment that is available to run on your office's PCs or network can be run over the Internet. Once online, those tests can be taken by job candidates at job fairs, at home or from anywhere that Internet access is available to provide you with tested candidates before they arrive at your office.
- What are the security issues involved with having
job candidates test at home?
Obviously any assessment given outside of a proctored environment (like a staffing company's office) opens up the risk of cheating. Most SkillCheck customers who use SkillCheck's Internet testing solutions for home-based testing also maintain an in-office assessment system for re-testing applications as a security backup to ensure that candidates did not use unauthorized help material while being tested at home. If candidates are warned that they may be re-tested when they show up at your office, the risk of cheating is greatly reduced.
Also, certain SkillCheck tests are less susceptible to improper use. SkillCheck's behavioral testing products, for example, ask job candidates to provide honest answers to questions regarding attitudes and aptitudes. There is no greater risk in giving these types of assessments over the Internet than there is giving them in any other environment.
In addition, SkillCheck's TalentScout adaptive tests have additional built-in test security since an adaptive test will vary for each test taker, depending on his or her skill level. Adaptive testing does not eliminate the risk of job candidates using documentation or other unauthorized help material when taking a test at home. It does, however, add a new layer of security to both PC and Internet-based performance testing.
I still have questions. What should I do?
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If you have a technical question that isn't answered above, you may contact SkillCheck Technical Support staff via email at SkillCheck Support.
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If your question is sales related you may contact SkillCheck's Sales and Marketing department via email at SkillCheck Sales.