What You Need to Know about Interview Assessments
So, you have crafted the perfect resume, and sent it out. Now what? I’ll tell you one thing, sitting by your phone and waiting to receive a phone call, never helped anyone. Ask yourself, what is the best way to use my time? The answer is easy, start readying yourself for the interview process. The earlier you begin to prepare, the more confident you will feel on your interview day.The interview process is not as easy as it used to be. In the current job market, it is becoming increasingly harder to get hired. Employers have wizened up and invested in more complex hiring processes. By vetting out the correct candidate before they start working, employers save valuable time and resources in the long run. This is great for them. But, it certainly makes your life harder.
It is becoming increasingly more common for employers to screen future employees using job assessment test. Job assessment tests vary based on employer and profession.
Before you start preparing, it is essential to know which test you are going to be given. Some employers may not want to release this information. They don’t want you seeing the types of questions on the assessments in advance.
Don’t worry, chances are that information about the type of tests you will receive is probably out there, especially if you are interviewing at a large company. Do some personal research, and if you get an interview, make sure to ask HR if you are expected to complete any assessments. If so, which test? There are two main types of assessments: aptitude tests and behavioural tests.
Aptitude tests
The main purpose of the aptitude test is to test your cognitive and critical thinking skills. Aptitude tests usually test your numeracy, literacy, and spatial awareness skills.
Numeracy tests consist of two types of questions: numerical literacy and numerical reasoning. Numerical literacy questions asses your ability to perform basic calculations. Numerical reasoning questions require you to analyze, interpret, and use more real-life application.
The verbal tests, can be either verbal reasoning tests, or language tests. Verbal Reasoning tests are usually made up of two types of questions: linguistic based questions and text analysis. English Language Tests are primarily used for service positions, government roles, admissions to universities, and entry level positions at big companies. They have four main sections; spelling, grammar, reading comprehension and vocabulary.
Behavioural tests
Behavioural tests, as behavioural interviews, are aimed at assessing a candidate’s dominant personality traits. Different employers, or professions seek a certain personality profile, and they may use various tools to gather this information.
Behavioural tests can take many different forms including: Personality tests, motivation and leadership questionnaires, or Situational judgement tests. The most popular form of behavioural test is the personality test. The personality test is used to assess an individual’s strengths and weakness.
Another popular type of behavioural exam is the Situational Judgement Test. The Situational Judgement Test tests your ability to react to various work-related situations. It may seem that you cannot prepare for behavioural exams, and that there are no “right” or “wrong” answers. This is not true! There are most certainly answers that highlight certain desirable personality traits. Preparing for behavioural exams is equally as important as preparing for aptitude tests. By taking online preparation tests, you can differentiate yourself from your competition.
