Tools by Use Case: When You Have No Time but Still Want a Valid Selection

The Situation

You’re hiring. You need to make a good decision, fast. No time for long assessments, no in-house psychologist, but also no interest in gambling on gut feeling.

What you need: a tool that’s quick, valid, and gives you a clear output without hours of analysis.

So what works when time is short, but quality still matters?

What matters in this scenario?

When you’re under time pressure, good tools have to meet three criteria:

1. Short time to complete (ideally under 30 minutes)

2. Automated scoring with clear, interpretable results

3. At least moderate to high predictive validity (no fluff, no gimmicks)

👉 Plus: no complex setup, no interpretation workshops, and no steep learning curve.

What works – and what doesn’t

✅ Good fits:

1. Short Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs)

Tools like Ixly or the adaptive SJT from Prevue assess decision-making in realistic job scenarios.

• Time: 15–25 minutes
• Strengths: especially helpful when candidates have little job experienceValidity: moderate to high, depending on the design
• Use case: great for entry to mid-level roles, including leadership

2. Structured screening tools with scientific foundations

Examples: Aivy, Cyquest - They combine short, validated modules (e.g. cognitive ability, interests, personality) and give an overall summary or ranking.

• Time: mostly under 30 minutes
• Validity: promising – Aivy is based on research from Humboldt University; Cyquest uses standardized tools
• Use case: ideal for early-stage filtering or hiring in growing SMEs

3. Automated assessment combinations (e.g. XLNC Tools)

These tools combine personality, work styles, and problem-solving ability into one streamlined process.

• Time: ~25 minutes
• Bonus: matching score based on job requirements – no need to interpret individual scales
• Validity: good, especially in small companies without internal diagnostics expertise

❌ Not suitable:

1. Full-length personality profiles (like BIP, NEO-PI-R, LINC)

Too long, too complex, and need trained interpretation. Not worth it in fast-paced settings.

2. Assessment centers or structured interviews

They’re valid, yes – but completely impractical here due to time and resource demands.

3. Free online personality quizzes

No validity, no structure, and often misleading. Worse than nothing.

Need help choosing the right tool?

Check out our expert-reviewed shortlist of the top 5 leadership assessment tools — tested, compared, and ready to use.

See the shortlist →

Cheat Sheet: When to use what?