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Coping with tests
Psychometric or aptitude assessments are often used by employers to gain a better understanding of what candidates can do and how they might fit into an organisation. They can also help you to identify and develop your own skills to match the demands of the jobs you are applying for.
There are a huge number of different tests and assessments but they tend to fall into two broad categories:
Ability and aptitude tests– these measure specific skill sets and give employers an idea of your existing ability and potential to learn skills required for the job.
Personality assessments – often known as psychometric tests, these assess your motivation, interests and values, as well as your behaviour and attitudes. They give the employer an insight into how you see yourself that is not always available through interviews alone. If your preferences for behaving in certain ways, such as working in a team, match the working culture of the potential employer, you are likely to feel happier and perform more effectively in your job.
Graduates and managers at all levels are likely to come across all sorts of assessments when applying for jobs. Much of the personality profiling, and verbal and numerical reasoning traditionally used in graduate recruitment is moving online. They provide a further means of screening candidates and employers find it useful to have this information before candidates come for interview. Some smaller employers use job sites or a third party to do this for them.
The good news is that psychometric results –especially personality questionnaires –are never taken in isolation. They are just one part of the recruitment process. For an idea of what to expect from these tests, give yourself a Career Health Check.
Here are some top tips to ensure you’re ready for any test:
- Try to find out what assessments to expect in advance.
- Practise doing things to a time limit.
- Don’t worry if you can’t finish in the allotted time as some tests are designed that way.
- Tell the organisation if you have any impairments that might affect your performance, such as dyslexia or poor hearing, so the process can be adapted to accommodate you.
- Consider what skills and abilities the test assessors and recruiters are looking for and try to demonstrate them.
Motivation is critical for success in tests, so try to remain positive throughout. Keep these pointers at the front of your mind:
- Keep calm and read instructions carefully.
- Don’t ‘skim read’ instructions. It is important to be clear about how to answer the questions.
- Always complete the practice questions at the start of any assessment and ask your test administrator to clarify anything you don’t understand before you begin.
- Plan your time effectively by allocating each section a set period.
- Ensure that the question number being completed matches the one on the answer sheet.
- When assessing difficult multiple-choice questions, start by ruling out those possible answers that are most unlikely to be correct.
- If you change an answer, make sure it is clear.
- If in doubt, give your best estimate.
- If you finish early, use the remaining time to go back and review your answers.
After your interview and tests are over, ask the recruiter what feedback you can expect and when. Employers are obliged to give you your results, even if you do not get the job.
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