Aptitude Tests Blog

When push comes to shove, how do you know which candidates to call for an interview and which ones to politely dismiss?

What is your time worth? Some employers have given up altogether on actively recruiting and have passed on the task to greedy employment agencies.

Did you know the internet provides useful tools to make your choice more impartial? Knowledge appraisal is what it's all about. If your inbox has been flooded with 50, 100, 200 applicants for the one position you just advertised - how do you know who is telling the truth about their background and abilities?

Despite popular belief you do not have to be a specialist in every field of expertise to produce a meaningful test of knowledge and abilities. All is required is some decent course material which can be turned around into a set of multiple or free text questions. If you are concerned that people answering questions randomly might get away with an average score - it is not so. The same question can be presented couched in two different ways. Chances of guessing your way through the test are much lower.

What about the accreditation racket? You and only you are the judge of who is fit to work on your team. Why should you pay extra in recognition of qualifications you do not really need? Are people's mindsets being affected by what government think you should do or not do in your private enterprise? What you are really after is your procedures manual turned around into an aptitude test. Therefore you can screen people on really the issues that are important to you as an employer - not what some academic or some government boffin thinks.

Aptitude tests are despised by people who perceive them as another unfair selection criteria. Others assume their usefulness is degraded if taken online - just google away the answers you need! For the first issue you can provide a sample test to minimize the effect of surprise and give time for people to adjust to the software. Secondly tests have a time limit. If people are able to check an answer online - why not? Wouldn't you like people working for you to be pro-active? But if it means getting their qualifications while being paid on company time to do something else - of course not.

What if people cheat and get a professional to do the test online on their behalf? Simple - get them to do the test again when they arrive for the interview. Questions are presented in random order. They won't have time to memorise everything.

In this world people unashamedly lie about their qualifications and work history. Aptitude tests are being used to screen candidates worth calling for an interview.

Psychometric tests can be taken online wherever you can log onto the internet. Make sure you are not being distracted and that your laptop battery will not run out.

On the positive side you can see that it is a fairer system where all candidates are judged on the same criteria. On the negative side it can be a humbling experience to fail a set of 50 or 100 questions administered by some computer out there in cyberspace.

Young adults would be accustomed with the practice as IQ tests or others are being routinely administered on campuses. Mature workers can stand at a disadvantage for being exposed to this type of selection. Do not despair. There is hope. Like everything else in life, you can prepare yourself for such an encounter.

We live in an increasingly categorised world where even the most mundane of tasks have been documented and it won't be long before you can apply to study at the Advanced Tertiary Institution of Performing Janitors.

Aptitude tests are here to stay - so just get over it! It is a game of mental gymnastics and with the appropriate preparation you will be able to demonstrate your aptitude - no more no less.

A well written test will get cheats undone by repeating the same question in slightly different ways to cancel out random right answers.

Tests can be used to assess your problem solving skills, your behaviour under pressure (tests must be completed within a given amount of time). Other tests can check your knowledge of procedure manuals and regulations. Tests can check your fluency in a foreign language, your grasp of computer programming, your math skills and a whole range of abilities.

Tests are only as good as the person who wrote the test in the first place. Of itself a test can be questionable but when the performance of many candidates is rated the results are obvious. You can tell those who understood the questions from those who fudged their answers. You can tell those who have a relevant background from those who stumble along.

Whether you get the job or not you should ask for the results of your test if possible. How you rated across the batch of other candidates that day can also be helpful information.

Aptitude Tests is an online service to prepare yourself for aptitude, knowledge and IQ tests.

Resume Digest is an online service to customize your application for each job you are responding to.