Practical Tips for Passing an Assessment (2024)

Aptitude tests or psychometric tests are often used during the recruitment process. Many companies use these tests to check a person’s capability by measuring different skills, and your personal results will be compared to other applicants. The test will give an indication of how candidates respond to challenges they face during the application process.

The tests are created by a variety of providers. The most common providers are Saville, SHL, Kenexa, Talent Q and Cubiks.

What Kind of Aptitude Tests are There?

There are a lot of different aptitudes out there. Here is a selection of 10 most commonly used:

• Numerical reasoning: A numerical reasoning test is a standardized psychometric assessment test that provides the employing organization with information about a candidate’s general numeracy skills. These tests are used to check if a person is capable of working with numerical information in everyday business activities.

• Verbal reasoning: The verbal reasoning test is a type of test where you are provided with a passage of text followed by one or more statements. It may be employed to gauge your understanding of written texts and how you draw factual conclusions from the written material.

• Situational judgement: The Situational Judgement Test (SJT) is a type of aptitude test that usually aims to gauge your understanding in a given work-place scenario. It critically assesses your judgment in making the most appropriate approach to solving problems. The scenarios are realistic and hypothetical, and you must identify the most appropriate response.

• Logical reasoning: Logical reasoning tests are standardized psychometric assessment tests and are a fundamental part of almost any assessment. The test provides the employing organization with information about a candidate’s general problem-solving ability.

• Inductive reasoning: Inductive reasoning tests are one of the most commonly used aptitude tests that come up during a job applications.These tests are also known as cause and effect reasoning.

• Mechanical reasoning test: Mechanical reasoning tests usually target and assess your depth of ability and competency with mechanical concepts. These tests are often being used for occupations that requires basic mechanical knowledge.

• Diagrammatic reasoning test: These tests assess your reasoning ability and are also known as abstract reasoning tests. It is about how fast can you observe or extract rules from illustrations and apply them to new samples to come up with the correct answer.

• Spatial reasoning test: Spatial reasoning tests are also called spatial awareness tests and may be used to measure your innate ability to clearly manipulate and remember shapes. Often you will see still images and you have to extract possible patterns that govern their sequence or their order (mostly in 3D). This test is very common during an assessment.

• Number sequences: Number sequence tests, also called number series, are standardized psychometric assessment tests that provide the employing organization with information about a candidate’s general ability to logically reason with numbers.This test is often used not only as an aptitude test but for an IQ test as well.

• Syllogism: Syllogism tests are standardized psychometric assessment tests that provide the employing organization with information about a candidate’s deductive and logical reasoning skills.

• Watson Glaser Critical thinking test: The Watson Glaser critical thinking test, also referred to as critical reasoning test, is a commonly used aptitude tests that comes up during a job application. It helps to predict how to solve different problems.

How to Pass an Aptitude Test

Anyone can develop and improve their skills to prepare for their assessment. Use these following tips to get the best result possible.

1. Practice the test daily.

Practice makes perfect. If you practice assessments regularly you get familiar with the probable question types and the different subjects. You will recognize your strengths and have a chance to improve your weaknesses. You will also get faster at answering the tests. Through practice, candidates will improve their chance of a high score and will be more confident during the assessment.

2. Make sure you know the test format.

The format of the recruitment test should be known so you have a better understanding of how to prepare for the test and what to expect. What sections the tests will be divided into, the number of questions and the time during for the test are important factors to know. Exclude any misinformation.

3. Read the instructions carefully.

This seems a no-brainer but make sure you read the given instructions in the test very carefully. Make sure you know how much time you have and, if there is something unclear, ask the professor. Reading the test carefully will help to manage your time far more efficiently.

4. Be sure that you practice tests specific to your niche, market or industry.

There are a lot of different aptitude tests used in recruitment and assessment centres may use different methods. Make sure you know what kind of aptitude test will be used or ask for sample questions so that you can identify areas of weakness and target specific areas for improvement.

5. Manage your time well

Aptitude tests are often stressful, and you feel in a hurry to complete all questions. This is where proper time managing comes in to play. Learn to pace yourself by practicing the test beforehand.

On the day of the assessment, start with the easiest questions first as this will give you more time for the harder questions. Prioritize the sections of the assessment worth the most points, and make sure that you wear a watch so you can keep an eye on the time.

Getting nervous is one problem many people face so sip water, take a breath between sections, and try to relax.