eSkill Tests – A Comprehensive Guide [2024]

eSkill tests are online tests produced by eSkill Corporation. The company provides both general aptitude tests in topics like English and Mathematics, as well as more specific testing in professional fields, such as the MS Office Skills Assessment Test and the Call Center Assessment Test.

These tests are almost always composed of a selection of multiple-choice questions, which the candidate must answer over a short period of time.

Typically, eSkill tests are composed of 40 questions, which are either all on a particular subject (such as Reading Comprehension) or divided into a varied assortment of questions about different subjects, so as to create a professional aptitude profile for applicants to a specific job (such as Call Center Operator).

eSkill tests are used to evaluate candidates for some of the leading employers in the market, such as Western Union, Federal Express, General Electric, and General Dynamics, as well as the governments of Canada and the United States and universities around the world (Stanford, Fordham, and Michigan State University all use eSkill tests to skill employees).

Below you will see explanations and sample questions of the most common eSkill tests.

The eSkill Mathematics Test (also known as the eSkill Mathematical Reasoning test or the eSkill Math Test) is used to evaluate candidates' mathematics skills as well as their overall mathematical reasoning capability. It consists of a series of multiple-choice mathematics and logic questions reflecting real-world workplace mathematics skills.

A pen, paper, and calculator may be used – the test evaluates your general mathematical thinking, not your ability to crunch numbers.

The eSkill English test uses multiple-choice questions where a candidate is asked to complete a missing word in a sentence or paragraph, or answer questions about a brief passage, to demonstrate their English comprehension and grammar skills. Here, too, the test typically consists of 40 questions, but some companies may use a shorter or longer test.

eSkill offers a variety of tests that evaluate a candidate’s knowledge of Microsoft Office software. These can cover a selection of Office programs or a specific Office application such as MS Word or Excel. They are composed of multiple-choice questions where the candidate is asked which of a number of methods is the right way to complete a given task in an Office app.

Call Center Operator tests are what eSkill refers to as ‘employment aptitude tests’. Rather than test for a specific skill, they will have a selection of questions (typically 40, but sometimes the employer will want a test that features more – in some cases as many as 200) covering a range of subjects, from logical thinking to data entry or Office software use.

The questions on the Call Center Operator test are almost invariably multiple-choice, but some employers may also require typing tasks to evaluate the candidate’s data entry skills. You will need to check with the company or government agency where you’re applying to find out what subjects are included it in its eSkill operator tests.

Assessments like the eSkill tests are typically named  ‘Aptitude’ tests, rather than ‘Knowledge’ tests. This means that you don’t need to memorize heaps of information to succeed in them. On the other hand, it does mean that you need to practice a lot – if you practice for the same kind of questions that you’ll see on the eSkill test, you will get better at answering similar questions, even if they’re not exactly the same. In this case, practice makes perfect.