In today's competitive job market and with all the legal precautions that employers must take in the work environment, employers are faced with the challenge of attracting, develop and retain the best employees. Personnel assessment is a systematic approach to gathering information about individuals (Dessler, 2011). This information is used to make employment or career-related decisions about applicants and employees. Any test or procedure used to measure an individual's employment or career-related qualifications and interests can be considered a personnel assessment tool (Dessler, 2011). There are many types of personnel assessment tools that make the selection process easier. Human resource management and employers can use various tests as well as personal interview to facilitate the employee selection process. There are hundreds of job tests on the market that measure attributes, from basic personality traits to specific skills, such as analytical, clerical, and technical skills. General cognitive aptitude tests measure a candidate's aptitude or ability to quickly acquire job knowledge and perform job-related tasks (Barclay, 1999). Personality and reasoning tests measure an individual's way of thinking, feeling, and behaving (Barclay, 1999). Pre-employment integrity tests are designed to identify applicants who may steal, lie, or use illicit substances (Barclay, 1999). Management tests predict a person's potential for success as a supervisor, middle manager, or senior manager. (Barclay, 1999). All of these tests serve a basic purpose for the employer in the selection process. There are many tests that are used by employers in an effort to ensure that they are adding a beneficial addition to their workforce...... middle of paper. .....fair assessment, it is essential to take into account all assessment tools. No candidate should be hired solely based on the results of one of these tools but a combination of all of them. Works Cited Barclay, J.M. (1999). Employee selection: a question of structure. Staff Review, 28(1/2), 134-151. Retrieved February 24, 2011 from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 116360242). Dessler, G. (2011). A framework for human resource management (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Lombardi, L. (2009, October). A LEARNING LESSON IN TALENT SELECTION. LIMRA MarketFacts Quarterly, 28(4), 69.77. Retrieved February 28, 2011 from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1949104241). McGinn, D. (June 2003). Tests, tests: the new job search. Newsweek, 141(23), 36-37. Retrieved February 25, 2011 from ABI/INFORM Global. (document ID: 349514251).