Take out the surprise factor and get one step ahead of those nasty ability tests
In almost all recruitment situations, employers use one or more electronic or paper
based tests which measure your abilities in relation to the skills that are important
for the job. So, if you were to apply for work in an industry where numbers rule,
such as banking and finance, you might get to sit the ever popular numerical reasoning
test. If engineering or architecture is your chosen path, then you might also get
a chance to complete an abstract reasoning test. Similarly, if it was your goal
to move into journalism, many lucky contenders are given a verbal reasoning test
to complete. The materials below help you to get a heads up on the stuff you might
face in the most common tests, and you can get a feel for how you might be doing
if you were to meet Mr. Real Deal.
Talking of which, if you want to peek into your own psychometric tests results before
your potential future employer does, then check out our selection of real psychometric
tests which you can complete online. Click the 'Get Your Real Test' pdf on the right
or email info@urbangrads.co.uk
Verbal Reasoning tests assess ability to understand complex verbal scenarios, grasp
different shades of meaning and draw conclusions. [pdf]
Numerical Reasoning tests assess your ability to deal with numerical data, and analyse
and interpret the data correctly. [pdf]
Abstract Reasoning tests explore your talent for identifying abstract connections
between related parts in a given scenario. [pdf]
Personality Tests do not test your abilities but explore your behavioural preferences
for relating to others, processing information, or making decisions. Check out the
MBTI and JTI
[pdf] and the HBDI
[pdf] to get a feel for these kind of tests.
You might have spotted the odd one out: Personality Tests actually don’t test any
of your abilities, but try to establish a picture of your behavioural preferences.
Read this article for extra tips for how to deal with personality tests. [pdf]