By T. J. Ripley, AIRS Staff Writer

When a candidate needs a skill in order to perform a job, how can you tell if he or she has what it takes?

For some positions, you might be able to ask a pointed question or two that will give you the answer. But for many positions, especially in technical fields, you're left relying on the resume.

Wouldn't it be nice if there was a more reliable way to tell if a candidate has the right stuff? One that proved that she does indeed know how to write a Perl script or create a spreadsheet.

Well, that's what pre-employment tests are designed to do...give you a sense of a candidate's proficiency with a particular application, programming language or core competency.

You obviously can't use such tests to find candidates, but they can be helpful for getting a handle on how much someone knows.

And there are lots of tests available in a variety of pricing structures. Some tests are Web-based and others are computer-based applications. Some test complex technical skills, such as AS400, Java or C, and others test basic clerical skills. There are tests for software applications, such as word processing or spreadsheets, and tests for call center practices.

We've sorted through what's available and gathered links to sites that provide some of the most useful such programs. You can take a look at them at Skills Testing in the Hire the Best section of the AIRS Directory.

Many of these sites offer demos you can try. So go ahead...test them out and see if they measure up to the job.