If you are currently applying for a job then the chances
are that you will need to sit a recruitment and selection test as
part of the process. These tests aim to provide a potential
employer with an insight into how well you
work with other people,
how well you
handle stress, and whether you will be able to cope
with the intellectual demands of the job.
Recruitment and selection tests are only part of the selection
process and you will still be asked to complete an application
form, send in a copy of your resume and attend at least one
interview. All of these things will tell the employer something
about you and help them to choose the most appropriate candidate
for the vacancy. Recruitment and selection tests can be split into
personality tests and
aptitude/ability tests.
The
principle behind personality tests is that it is possible to
quantify your
personality characteristics by asking you about your
feelings, thoughts and behavior. Personality has a significant
role to play in deciding whether you have the
enthusiasm and motivation that the employer is looking for and whether you going
to fit in to the organization, in terms of your
personality,
attitude and
general work style? Personality tests can be applied
in a straightforward way at the early stages of selection to
screen-out candidates who are likely to be unsuitable for the job.
Aptitude and ability tests are designed to assess your
intellectual performance. These types of test can be broadly
classified onto the groups shown and you may be asked to sit a
test which consists only of ‘numerical’ questions or these may
form part of a test which consists of questions of different
types.
This will depend very much on the job you are applying for. For
example, jobs that require you to handle figures on a day to day
basis may have a higher proportion of
numerical reasoning questions, whereas tests used for information technology jobs tend
to have a higher proportion of
abstract reasoning questions.
You may be asked to answer the questions either on paper or using
a PC or palm-top, as online testing is becoming increasingly
popular. The advantage of online testing is that once the test is
completed, an analysis of the results can be calculated straight
away. This means that the organization can continue with the
selection process with the results ‘in hand’ rather than keep you
waiting or send you home and call you back in at a later date.
Another advantage is that you can take the test at a recruitment
agency or even in your own home. Online testing is particularly
suitable for initial screening as it is very cost-effective.
Whichever type of test you are given, the questions are almost
always presented in multiple-choice format and have definite
correct and incorrect answers. As you proceed through the test,
the questions may become more difficult and you will usually find
that there are more questions than you can comfortably complete in
the time allowed. Very few people manage to finish these tests and
the object is simply to give as many correct answers as you can.
Your
test score is then compared with the results of a
control
group which has taken the tests in the past. This control group
could consist of other graduates, current job holders or a sample
of the population as a whole. Your reasoning skills can then be
assessed in relation to this control group and judgments made
about your ability.
Remember, recruitment and selection tests are only part of the
overall assessment procedure. Employers will use them alongside
interviews, application forms, academic results and other
selection methods, so your
Your test result
won't be the only information looked at.
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