Some companies will use a variety of tests to establish suitability.
Why use tests
On occasion tests will aid an employer to decide whether the candidate has the basic skills required to discharge the required duties of the role.
Can Tests help you?
They can show you where your strengths lie.
Tests are used because within the role that you are applying for, some of the skills tested are closely required.
The testing process is fair to all candidates.
(However, not all companies will offer you the feedback that will show the above don't forget to ask)
What sort of Tests will you have to do?
Spelling, Grammar, understanding of written texts.
Maths calculations, quickly and accurately.
Checking data and answering questions about the material.
Understanding of rules and instructions.
The above testing will more than likely be done under time constraints, this enables the company to understand how you operate under pressure.
How to get the best out of your experience?
Read books, magazines and newspapers. Do puzzles, crosswords and play word games. Browse a Thesaurus.
Practice simple arithmetic both with and without a calculator. Number puzzles. Check change at speed measure accuracy. Score at darts.
Use timetables e.g. rail etc. football tables and results. Play games that demand that you check numbers and letters. The racing Post for example.
Before and During Session.
Get a good night's sleep
Make sure you arrive in good time
Listen carefully to instructions
Do exactly what you are told
Please ask questions if you do not understand or are not sure.
Read each question carefully
Work quickly and accurately because most tests are timed and there may be a lot of questions
If you do not immediately know the answer to a question miss and go to the next one and come back at the end
Always do your best
Sample Questions
Numbers Based
31 ADD 57=
16 TIMES 5=
32 DIVIDED BY 8=
68 MINUS 31=84 MINUS ?
144 DIVIDED BY ? =12
24 ADD 37 = ? PLUS 30
Some of the Numbers tests will have 10 or 20 questions the above are just examples.
Each of the above may give multiple choice answers and will be timed.
It may be that a mathematic calculation is written out and you will have to answer it or there may be a number of answers and you will have to choose once again this will be done under time constraints.
You may be asked to look a graphs or a series of numbers and you will then be asked questions or you will be asked to make a choice from a number of answers that are shown. Again timed.
Verbal Based
The competitor had the -------- to beat his/her nearest -----.
OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTUNITY, OPPORTOUNITY, OPORTUNITY
RIVEL. RIVAL RIVAL RIVEL
Costs are to be -------- by ---------
REPAYED, REPAYED, REPAID, REPAID.
INSTALMANTS INSTALMENTS INSTALMANTS INSTALMENTS
The above are only examples you may be asked to do 10 or 20 within a given time.
Verbal understanding
You will be asked to read a paragraph and answer some questions about it to test your understanding.
Or you may be asked to read a paragraph and make a choice of an answer that is already written down. The answers could number up to 4 or 5. This again will test understanding.
There will be a number of paragraphs and again this test will be done under a time limit.
Checking
This may be a series of numbers or letters that could be grouped together and you will be asked to find similar groups and circle them. this will be timed.
The idea is to test your undestanding of the written word as well as numbers based questions the timed element will test accuracy and speed under a little bit of pressure. Equally the role may encompass some of the above skills so it is useful to see how candidates do.
The testing however should form only a part of the interviewing structure unless the tesing is designed to target a specific skill. If the latter is the case you should be made aware of this.
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