Communication Skills Assessment

The communication skills assessment below is designed to help you add objective data to your hiring process while slashing the risk of bias. Feel free to copy and paste directly. Or — use The Hire Talent’s prepackaged online test to shine an X-ray on your candidates’ skills.

1. Your team must complete a project under an extremely tight deadline. What’s the best way to go about getting the work done?

1. Take a stab at your portion of the project, then come back to the group for their feedback.
2. Host a kickoff meeting, invite the proper stakeholders, and create a comprehensive project plan.
3. Tell your manager the work is impossible under the current time constraints.
4. Ask your team to determine what tasks are critical to success, then assign roles to get those tasks done.
5. Redesign the project and its goals so you can get it done on time.

Answer: D. This question measures a candidate’s understanding of the importance of effective teamwork, scope management, and role responsibility.

2. You’re having trouble working with a peer. What’s the best resolution?

1. Tell your manager you’d like to work with someone else.
2. Confront the individual and ask why they’re being difficult.
3. Have a candid conversation and try to find common ground.
4. Work independently, only looping in the peer when necessary.
5. Ask another co-worker if they’ve experienced similar issues.

Answer: C. This question gauges an applicant’s interpersonal skills. The more they’re willing to work with an individual — not run away from them — the better their communication skills tend to be.

3. You have a great idea for a new product, but you’re feeling pushback from the rest of your team. What do you do?

1. Tell everyone they should trust you, and that this is a golden idea.
2. Listen to what your peers have to say, and use their feedback to refine your idea.
3. Come prepared with so much data, your team would look silly if they disagreed.
4. Circumvent the team and pitch the idea to a senior leader at the organization.
5. Start from scratch and come up with an even stronger idea for the team.

Answer: B. Communication isn’t just about speaking; it’s also about listening. This question assesses whether candidates value active listening and are willing to compromise with others to ensure a positive outcome.

4. You’re feeling overworked in your role. What’s an effective way to bring this up?

1. Discuss your workload with your manager, prioritizing items that are most critical.
2. Go above your manager and raise the issue with a higher-up. 
3. Take initiative and reduce your workload to a healthy amount.
4. Vent to your co-workers and ask if they’re feeling similar pressure.
5. Threaten to leave the organization unless your workload improves.

Answer: A. It’s natural for an employee to feel stress in their role. Effective communicators are those who will raise their hand for help and work with their manager to prioritize accordingly.

5. You have to break some bad news to a key stakeholder in your organization. How do you go about it?

1. Send the person an email and plainly state what’s happening.
2. Lessen the impact by complimenting them before delivering the news.
3. Be honest about the bad news, then propose solutions and offer guidance.
4. Try to fix the situation yourself, even if it means delaying the bad news.
5. Ask your manager if they’ll break the news instead.

Answer: C. Setbacks are unavoidable in the workplace. What separates good communicators from bad ones is the ability to problem-solve and offer timely solutions.

6. What’s the most effective way to ensure you’re sending high-quality emails?