Skills Testing for Employment
Confirm practical workplace skills before you hire.
Fermion helps employers assess whether a candidate has the practical skills required for the role, including computer literacy, Microsoft Office skills, English proficiency, spelling, grammar, numeracy and basic workplace competency
Microsoft Office skills
Computer literacy
English language proficiency
Spelling, grammar and literacy
Numeracy and workplace skills
Role-relevant practical testing
Know Whether a Candidate Can Do the Practical Parts of the Job
Fermion provides skills testing for employment to help employers confirm whether a candidate has the practical abilities required for the role.
Skills testing can assess areas such as Microsoft Office skills, computer literacy, English proficiency, spelling, grammar, numeracy and basic workplace competency.
A candidate may present well in an interview or have relevant experience on their CV, but employers may still need confidence that they can complete the practical tasks required in the role.
Skills testing is especially useful for administration roles, entry-level positions, overseas-trained applicants, migrant candidates, mature-aged applicants returning to work and roles where job-readiness needs to be confirmed before hiring.
Practical job-readiness
Skills testing gives employers clearer evidence about a candidate’s practical ability before making a final hiring decision.
What Skills Testing Can Help You Understand
Skills testing can help employers confirm whether a candidate has the practical skills required to perform the role.
Depending on the position and testing requirements, Fermion can help assess:
Computer literacy and internet knowledge
Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills
English language proficiency
Reading comprehension and written communication
Spelling, grammar and basic literacy
Basic numeracy and workplace calculations
Administration and office-based skills
General workplace competency
Practical job-readiness before hiring
This can help employers reduce uncertainty and avoid relying only on interview answers or CV claims.
TESTING PACKAGES
Skills Testing Package
Fermion’s C-Suite Profiling Package is designed for executive, senior leadership and high-responsibility appointments.
Skill Testing
$120 + GST
per test
Duration: 5–20 minutes per test
Delivery: Self-paced online
Format: Tests selected individually or combined
Ideal when you need to confirm whether a candidate has the practical skills required for the role. Especially useful for applicants who have trained or worked overseas, candidates new to the Australian workforce, mature-aged applicants returning to work, or roles where English, computer literacy or workplace competency needs to be confirmed.
Ideal For
Administration and reception roles
Entry-level and overseas-trained applicants
Migrant and mature-aged candidates
Bulk hiring where practical skills need confirming
Available Tests Include
Microsoft Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft PowerPoint
Computer Literacy & Internet Knowledge
English Language Proficiency
Literacy & Basic Skills
Spelling, grammar and numeracy
Independent. Psychologist-led. Evidence-based.
What Fermion Can Assess
Confirm Practical Job-Readiness
Skills testing helps employers confirm whether a candidate has the practical workplace skills required for the role before they are hired.
Microsoft Office Skills
Assess whether a candidate can use common workplace software such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Computer Literacy
Confirm whether a candidate has the basic digital skills needed for everyday workplace tasks.
English Language Proficiency
Assess whether a candidate has the reading, writing and comprehension skills required for the role.
Spelling, Grammar & Literacy
Understand whether a candidate can communicate clearly and accurately in written workplace tasks.
Numeracy & Basic Workplace Skills
Assess practical numeracy, everyday calculations and other basic competencies required for the role.
Book a free 30-minute chat
Not sure which skills tests are needed? Book a free chat to discuss the role, the candidate and the practical skills you need to confirm.
When Is Skills Testing Useful?
Skills testing is especially useful when the role requires clear, practical capability from day one.
It can be helpful when:
The role requires Microsoft Office skills
The candidate needs to use computers, email or internet-based systems
Written communication, spelling or grammar matters
English proficiency needs to be confirmed
The candidate has trained or worked overseas
The applicant is new to the Australian workforce
The candidate is returning to work after a career break
The role is entry-level, administration-based or practical-skills-based
You want independent evidence before making a final decision
Skills testing does not replace interviews or reference checks. It provides employers with additional evidence of a candidate's ability to complete the practical tasks required for the role.
Who Benefits from Skills Testing?
Skills testing can support hiring decisions across roles where practical workplace skills, computer literacy, English proficiency, accuracy and job-readiness matter.
Administration
Administration & Office Support
For roles requiring Microsoft Office skills, computer literacy, written communication, organisation and attention to detail.
Reception
Reception & Customer Service
For roles where communication, computer use, accuracy and professional interaction are important.
Data Entry
Data Entry & Clerical Roles
For positions requiring accuracy, basic computer skills, information handling and consistent task completion.
Operations
Operations Support Roles
For roles involving practical workplace tasks, process-following, documentation and everyday problem-solving.
Finance Admin
Accounts & Finance Administration
For roles where basic numeracy, data accuracy, spreadsheet use and attention to detail are important.
Returning Applicants
Migrant, Overseas-Trained & Returning Applicants
For candidates who need to demonstrate practical workplace skills, English proficiency or job-readiness for Australian role expectations.
For roles requiring deeper insight into reasoning ability, personality, emotional intelligence or behavioural fit, Fermion may recommend Premium Psychometric Testing.
The Fermion Difference
More Than a Generic Online Skills Test
Skills testing is most useful when tests are selected in relation to the role. Fermion provides a structured testing process that focuses on the practical competencies employers need to confirm before hiring.
Generic online skills testing
Generic tests only
Tests may not match the practical requirements of the role.
Results without context
Employers are left to interpret scores without clear role relevance.
One-size-fits-all approach
Testing may not consider the candidate, workplace tasks or required competencies.
Limited hiring insight
Results may not explain whether the candidate can perform the specific practical tasks required.
No structured guidance
Employers may need to choose tests without support or role-based advice.
FERMION
Role-relevant testing
Skills tests are selected based on the practical abilities required for the role.
Practical insight
Employers receive clear information about the skills being assessed.
Structured testing process
Candidates can be briefed face-to-face, either in person or via Zoom or Microsoft Teams.
Useful for diverse candidate backgrounds
Testing can help confirm job-readiness for overseas-trained, migrant, mature-aged or returning applicants.
Flexible delivery
Testing can be completed remotely and tailored to the practical skills that need to be confirmed.
Reviews
Trusted by Employers Making Important Hiring Decisions
"I'm so impressed with the accuracy of your testing. You have nailed it every time. We have never had such a strong and effective team as we do now."
Leanne Gavellas
Program Manager
Wesley Out of School Hours Care & Wesley Operation Hope
“Saved us many a time from hiring the wrong person.”
“Informative, insightful and quality analysis of the testing results.”
“The psychometric testing results were very helpful in my recruitment campaigns.”
“Professional, helpful and extremely efficient.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Skills Testing for Employment
What is skills testing for employment?
Skills testing for employment helps employers confirm whether a candidate has the practical abilities required for the role.
This may include Microsoft Office skills, computer literacy, English proficiency, spelling, grammar, numeracy and basic workplace competency.
When should I use skills testing?
Skills testing is useful when practical job-readiness needs to be confirmed before hiring.
It is especially helpful for administration roles, entry-level positions, office support roles, overseas-trained applicants, migrant candidates, mature-aged applicants returning to work and candidates new to the Australian workforce.
What types of skills can Fermion test?
Fermion can provide skills testing in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, computer literacy, internet knowledge, English language proficiency, spelling, grammar, basic numeracy and other workplace competency areas.
Is skills testing different from psychometric testing?
Yes. Skills testing focuses on practical job-readiness, such as proficiency in Microsoft Office, English proficiency, computer literacy and basic workplace competencies.
Psychometric testing focuses on areas such as reasoning ability, personality, emotional intelligence, behavioural fit and communication style.
Can skills testing help with overseas-trained or migrant applicants?
Yes. Skills testing can help employers confirm practical job-readiness for candidates who have trained or worked overseas, are new to the Australian workforce, or need to demonstrate specific workplace skills.
It provides a fair, structured way to assess the skills required for the role.
Can skills testing be completed remotely?
Yes. Most skills testing can be completed remotely.
Candidates can be briefed face-to-face, either in person or via Zoom or Microsoft Teams as appropriate, then complete testing through a structured process.
How long does skills testing take?
Most skills tests take approximately 5–20 minutes per test, depending on the skill being assessed.
The total time will depend on how many tests are selected for the role.
Can I order skills testing only?
Yes. Skills testing can be used as a standalone service to confirm practical competency before hiring.
It can also be combined with psychometric testing where broader insight into reasoning ability, personality, emotional intelligence or behavioural fit is needed.
How much does skills testing cost?
Skills testing starts from $120 + GST per test.
Tests typically take 5–20 minutes and can be completed remotely. Multiple tests can be ordered depending on the role and the practical skills that need to be confirmed.
Can Fermion recommend which skills tests are needed?
Yes. If you are unsure which skills to test, Fermion can recommend suitable options based on the role, candidate and required practical capabilities.
You can book a free 30-minute no-obligation chat to discuss the role and the most suitable testing pathway.
Confirm Practical Skills Before You Hire
Make your next hiring decision with clearer evidence about a candidate’s job-readiness.
Book a free 30-minute no-obligation chat to discuss the role, the candidate and the practical skills you need to confirm.
