Types of tests Psychometric and aptitude tests
There are many different types of tests. The information below will give you an idea of what each test involves and how you can prepare and practice.
Aptitude and ability tests
Numeracy tests
Some organisations test for basic numeracy. It's expected that you to do the following, at a reasonable speed:
- addition, subtraction, long division and multiplication
- calculate percentages and ratios
- deal with fractions
- extract information from charts and graphs.
You may or may not be allowed to use a calculator. If you're worried about your numeracy skills, you can brush up your maths skills with a GCSE text book or resources on the web such as BBC Skillswise.
Verbal reasoning
These skills are more difficult to practise than numeracy skills. The tests can take various forms. You may be asked, among other things, to do the following:
- assess verbal logic and how effectively you're able to work out the correct meaning from complex written material
- arrange sentences in a logical order (more difficult than it seems, at speed)
- review statements provided and evaluate the rationality of the information.
Diagrammatic and spatial reasoning
These tests measure your ability to interpret data and solve problems. The questions involve finding connections between symbols and / or diagrams, and can include:
- multiple-choice questions, where you're required to choose the correct diagram to complete a sequence correctly
- tests where you need to estimate lengths and angles
- exercises where you need to follow specific coded instructions given
- the aptitude to understand the correlation between two and three dimensional shapes
- an ability to rotate shapes mentally.
Personality tests
Personality tests enable employers to evaluate how you're likely to handle relevant work-related activities, such as working as part of / or leading a team, problem solving, adhering to rules and processes, handling stakeholder requests, working in teams, coping with work pressures, deadlines and stress.
Organisations are also likely to look for personality traits in you that match the job requirements. For example:
- A salesperson could be expected to be able to thrive under pressure, be competitive in nature and be motivated by results.
- It could be anticipated that a nurse would be calm, compassionate, diligent, adaptable to change and resilient in difficult and upsetting situations.
There are many different types of personality tests, but they are all created with the intention of discovering your personal qualities and the way in which you react to various circumstances.
What can be expected in a personality test?
Normally untimed, they use multiple choice questions to find out:
- how you look at life
- your emotions
- your working style
- how you relate to others.
How to approach a personality test
You can’t practice for a personality test beforehand, but the following tips might help you prepare.
See our career self-assessment guidance for help on knowing and understanding yourself better.
Online games/gamification
You may come across gamification in the application process as a way to determine your suitability for further interviews, or as part of an assessment centre.
Gamification, or games based assessments, are a relatively new part of the assessment process and are a way to getting an insight on your personality and cognitive processes as a candidate.
You don’t need any specific prior knowledge as there’s no focus on knowledge or skills, and it’s a way of assessing individuals from all backgrounds. Gamification can be fun and engaging and as you can’t be certain what skill or quality the employer is assessing it’s important to play the game naturally rather than trying to second guess what the employer is looking for.
Employers that use gamification as part of their assessment process include Deloitte, Shell, RBS, FDM and Network Rail.
Deloitte used the game, Firefly Freedom to test candidates on their innovation, creativity and problem solving abilities. Candidates play different games to try to catch fireflies in order to provide light for their families over the winter.
How to approach a gamification test
Also see TargetJobs - The graduate job hunter’s guide to gamification.
Group exercises
Sometimes, an employer will look to test you in a group exercise. This is where candidates work together on a given project, situation or problem. The group is observed and each contribution is assessed.
Different types of exercise
- Case study or business case - you're briefed on a typical business problem. Often the aim is for the group to reach a consensus.
- Group discussion - often involves solving a problem as a group or discussing a topic.
- Business task - often based on working in teams and competing to come up with a solution to a business problem, such as a take-over bid.
- Games - board games or jigsaw puzzles, working in a team.
Types of skills assessed in group exercises
- Your ability to work collaboratively, as part of a team.
- Leadership and influencing traits.
- The methods you utilise and traits you show while working under pressure.
- How you approach decision making and critical thinking.
- Communications and social skills.
- Soft skills, e.g. persuasion, negotiation, diplomacy, mediation.
- Compatibility of your abilities to the role you're interviewing for.
Common group roles
Researchers have identified the different roles people tend to adopt when in groups. Which are you?
- Organiser - Provides focus and order, wants to get through the agenda.
- Facilitator - Inclusive and ensures all contributions are acknowledged.
- Recorder - Notes key decisions and reminds the group of them.
- Time keeper - Aware of and reminds group about time constraints.
- Co-ordinator - Sees the big picture and provides the strategic overview.
- Lookout - Considers future issues, potential threats.
- Encourager - People person, boosts morale and diffuses tensions.
How to make a good impression
- Listen to the ideas of others.
- Don't ignore other people's ideas.
- Build on or adapt others ideas.
- Demonstrate business or commercial awareness.
Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence (also known as emotional quotient, or EQ) relates to your ability to manage your emotions effectively, to relate to others, to read and adapt to a cultural environment and influence other people positively. Studies suggest that people with a higher emotional intelligence tend to make better decisions, which is obviously appealing to employers.
What traits are indicators of high emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence involves self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skills. Indicators that you have high emotional intelligence include:
- a natural and genuine curiosity about people
- being a good judge of character
- self-awareness and understanding how what you do and say impacts those around you
- happily embracing change
- not holding grudges towards others and being able to easily get over and learn from mistakes you’ve made
- the ability to recognise emotions accurately, not just in yourself, but in other people as well
- you’re able to take a balanced and pragmatic view and approach to situations.
What sort of questions are asked to assess emotional intelligence?
Questions will be asked of you that make you think about yourself and how you approach and deal with specific scenarios.
Here are some examples of the sorts of questions you might get asked when your emotional intelligence is being assessed:
- What has been your proudest moment in your career?
- Describe the last time you embarrassed yourself and how did you handle the situation?
- What makes you laugh?
- Provide an example of when you've made a positive impact on someone and when you've made a negative impact on someone.
- Talk about a time when you've resolved a conflict in the workplace.
- What makes you angry?
- How do you have fun?
How should I approach an emotional intelligence test?
Sometimes the questions can catch you off-guard, so repeat the question out loud to allow you some time to contemplate your answer. Also consider the following:
Technical assessment
A technical assessment is an opportunity for a prospective employer to put your technical (and sometimes specialist) skills to the test and to determine that you meet the required level of practical knowledge needed for you to carry out the job.
What sort of questions are asked in technical assessments?
The most-likely scenario is that most of the technical questions will relate directly to the job role. Therefore, you may be able to gauge what kind of questions could be asked of you from the job description. The questions asked usually relate to:
- understanding the technical work required to be completed in the day-to-day task of the role you're applying for
- knowledge about the company's technical activities
- any work completed as part of a qualification that you possess that relates to the job
- actual technical problems that you would be likely to encounter if you were working in the role.
How can I prepare for a technical assessment?
It can be hard to predict or try to second-guess what questions might be asked in a technical assessment, but the following considerations should help.
