
Aptitude Testing Pesewa Presentations
What are aptitude tests? • Tests of specific abilities such as verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning or diagrammatic reasoning. • Fixed time limits • Challenging • Related to the skills you need to do the kind of job for which you’ve applied.
Why do employers use them? • To provide an independent source of information about candidates. • As a first stage of selection to decide which candidates to interview • In the later stages of selection to add to their store of information about a candidate • To determine training needs or provide research material for the company
On-line tests • May be part of an application or at an early stage in the process. • Candidates are trusted to complete the test themselves, but will often sit more tests at a later stage to confirm the result. • More sophisticated systems ensure that each candidate gets a unique set of questions.
Pen and paper tests • Company representative present to answer questions and invigilate the tests. • Example questions • Exam conditions • Time limited
Marking / Scoring • Absolute scores • Norm referencing • Percentiles • Negative marking
Practice • To make sure you’re performing to the best of your ability rather than improve your level of ability. • Familiarity • Reference books • Internet Sources
Personality Questionnaires • Usually based on using your responses to determine where various features of your personality sit on a number of scales. • Examples might be: • Extravert…….………………………...…Intravert • Team player……………..Preference for working solo • No position is correct – simply represent different features of your personality • Difficult to practice – best advice is to answer honestly.