The University of Kent Careers and Employability Service How to pass Employer Aptitude Tests

1. You can download a copy of this presentation at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm The University of KentCareers and Employability ServiceHow to pass Employer Aptitude Tests

2. Aptitude Tests • Mainly used by larger organisations • Often now given on-line when you apply • Test your numerical, verbal and non-verbal reasoning • Multiple choice answers • Also personality tests!

3. NON-VERBAL TESTSSPATIAL OR DIAGRAMMATIC REASONINGWhich is the next shape in the sequence: a, b, c, d or e? 1. d 2. b

4. 1) 15

6. Numerical aptitude test • 22 questions • 25 minutes • Very similar to the tests used by employers when recruiting graduates • Can use calculator and scrap paper • Work quickly!

7. Tips • Increasingly tests are on-line.Try our on-line practice tests to gain familiarity. Make sure you are in a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and in a good frame of mind. • If the test was taken unsupervised on the web you may be asked to sit a short test at interview to check you didn't get someone else to do it for you! • Listen to the instructions and follow them precisely.Many people make errors because they've misunderstood what they have to do. • Check the time limit and the number of questions you have to answer in that time. Often there will be a lot of questions in a short time. • Work quickly but pay attention to accuracy. Try not to get bogged down on one question: leave it until the end of the test, but remember that questions often get harder as you proceed. Don't panic if you can't complete the test as not everyone will be able to: most candidates find these tests hard! Do try to answer as many questions as possible though: you can only score points for questions you answer! If you have time left at the end, check your answers. • Don't worry about worrying: you'll do your best if your adrenalin is flowing! But try to stay calm and focused and try to enjoy the experience.

8. More tips! • Practice makes perfect.Some practice of similar tests may improve your performance by 5% on actual tests but don't spend too long practising. Brush up on your exam technique and become familiar with the types of test you may face. • Before the actual test, you will be given practice examples to try: study these carefully and ask questions if anything is unclear . • Get a good night's sleep, plan your journey to the test site, arrive on time and appropriately dressed. Tiredness and alcohol can affect your ability to do well! Take a calculator with you: many maths tests now allow a calculator. If so you will be given one, but may be allowed to use your own. • Educated guesses are worthwhile if you are running out of time. In multiple choice tests, you may be able to quickly rule out obviously wrong answers and concentrate on those that are left. In maths tests you may be able to estimate the answer rather than working it out precisely, to save time. • If you haven't done any maths since school then brush up on your numeracy .Try BBC SkillswisePractice your multiplication and division, ability to calculate percentages and rations, and to read graphs and tables. Similarly if your English is weak brush up on this.

9. If you’re poor at tests …. • Remember that few employers will look at test results on their own and will also look at you academic performance and personality. • Some large companies and most smaller companies don’t use tests – apply to these! • Numerical scores can sometimes be much improved by practice. Others are harder to improve significantly. • Aptitude Test Web Page Many practice numerical and verbal reasoning tests plus answers, working out and links to more online tests www.kent.ac.uk/careers/psychotests.htm

10. Careers Employability Award on Moodle www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm

11. Moodle Careers Employability Award www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm#subject

12. The amount of time put into this is astounding! I actually spoke to friends from other universities who said they wished they had something like this. I enjoyed the depth of the module. It went far beyond some general tips on how to write a good CV and prepare for an interview. Rather it went in to detail about the whole process of graduate job search from the beginning to the end. It was very instructive . The module is very, very useful! I really love how it makes you to think about your personality and helps you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Comments from students who have completed the award It really blew my mind with some ideas I’ve never known before, such as portfolio working and working from home. I never thought about obtaining happiness from my work before. It was so easy, quick and I learned a lot. I found the module to be highly thought-provoking as it really encouraged me to consider how my degree will benefit my future and what I can be doing now to improve my graduate employment prospects. You get a really nice certificate! Without realising, you have finished the course and have already put together a very good CV and covering letter. It has made me feel a lot more confident when it comes to applications and interviews and has also made me think about skills that I didn't think I had before. It would be mad to apply for a job or attend an interview without doing it! Before the course I had only a vague idea of my career path and opportunities. Now I am applying for summer internships and know how to effectively sell my skills to a prospective employer and have a much more focused plan for my future. I recently had a very successful interview largely because I put the advice on the module into practice.

13. Links Multimedia/Digital Arts careers www.kent.ac.uk/careers/multimedia.htm Electronics careers www.kent.ac.uk/careers/electronics.htm Assessment Centres www.kent.ac.uk/careers/selection.htm Assessment Centre Videos www.kent.ac.uk/careers/IntVid.htm

14. Bruce Woodcock • A careers adviser is on duty for short (15 minute) consultations in the Careers and Employability Service any weekday morning 10.30-12.30 or afternoon from 2 pm to 4 pm. You don't need an appointment to see the duty adviser at these times. Just ask at Careers Reception to see them. • Email:bw@kent.ac.uk • Monday careers events and vacancy emails

15. Location of the Careers Service

16. You can download a copy of this presentation at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm The University of KentCareers and Employability Service

17. Programming Tests • Some computing firms may give you a programming aptitude test. • Some of these use "pseudocode",flowcharting, or assembler language.

18. VERBAL REASONING Cardiovascular disease is so prevalent that virtually all businesses are likely to have employees who suffer from, or may develop, this condition. Research shows that between 50-80% of all people who suffer a heart attack are able to return to work. However, this may not be possible if they have previously been involved in heavy physical work. In such cases, it may be possible to move the employee to lighter duties, with appropriate retraining where necessary. Similarly, high-pressure, stressful work, even where it does not involve physical activity, should also be avoided. Human Resources managers should be aware of the implications of job roles for employees with a cardiac condition. A) The majority of people who have suffered a heart attack can later return to work. B) Heart disease can affect people of any age. ANSWER TRUE, FALSE or CANNOT SAY A) TRUE B) CANNOT SAY

19. Personality Tests Which of the following fours words is a) most like you and b) least like you? Gentle Persuasive Humble Original Attractive Dutiful Stubborn Pleasant Easily Led Bold Loyal Charming etc. • Used in order to determine your reactions and attitudes to situations: how well you get on with others, reaction to stressful situations or feelings about the kind of people you like to work with. • Unlikely to be timed or have right or wrong answers • Unwise to fake answers. Questionnaires may have internal checking where the same question is asked with different wording early and late in the test. Little point in pretending to be the kind of employee a firm is looking for if you are not right for them. Find something else you enjoy doing! • May be used as a basis for interview questions

20. Situational Judgement Tests (SJT) Allows recruiters to gain an insight into the candidates decision-making within the relevant environment. SJTs also give candidates clear understanding of the role and kind of work situations they may encounter. There is usually a minimum cut-off score. A typical question may ask "If you saw your line manager stealing at work, what would you do?" and then there would be three options to choose from. Becoming increasingly common and are used by Accenture, PWC, McDonald's and many others. Practice situational judgement test www.assessmentday.co.uk/situational-judgement-test

21. Practice test books Several books on tests, with practice examples, are available for reference in the Careers Service: ask at Reception. These include: • Succeed at Psychometric Testing • The Graduate Psychometric Test Workbook • Ultimate Psychometric Tests • How to Pass Numeracy Tests • How to Pass Graduate Psychometric Tests • Plus many more

22. Numerical Examples Which is the missing number in the sequence? 2 ? 8 16 A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6 E. 7 ? 14 12 11 11 A. 13 B. 15 C. 16 D. 17 E. 28 ANSWERS Q1. 4 Q2. 17