APTITUDE, ABILITY AND INTELLIGENCE TESTS

* Administered under timed examination conditions. These tests assess your logical reasoning and become increasingly difficult throughout the test. They commonly take the form of multiple choice with right and wrong answers.

* You are not expected to finish the tests, although of course you may do so. Your score relates your performance to a ‘normed’ group. So, your aptitude, ability or intelligence has a relative value to it. This is important to an employer who may want to know how well you can do something in relation to other applicants, the general population or people already doing the job.

* Your score can be used in different ways. There may be a pass mark, which, by achieving, you get the job. Or the employer may have planned to interview a certain number of candidates and provided your score puts you in this group you will continue on to the next stage of selection. Alternatively, your score could simply be a further measure considered by an employer alongside a variety of other measures, such as interviews etc.

SOME PREPARATION TIPS

*Practice makes perfect. Evidence suggests that some practice of similar tests may improve your performance slightly on actual tests. However, don’t spend too long practising. It may be wise to brush up on your exam technique and perhaps become more familiar with the types of test you may face. Even basic word and number puzzles may help you become used to the comprehension and arithmetic aspects of some tests.

* Treat it as you would any other occasion when you visit an employer. Plan your journey to the test site, arrive on time and appropriately dressed. Listen to the instructions you are given and follow them precisely.

* Before the actual test, you will be given practice examples to try – make sure you ask questions if anything is unclear at this stage.

* Work quickly during the test, but pay attention to your accuracy. Try not to get bogged down on any one question, but remember that questions may get harder as you proceed. You can only score points for questions you answer, not for those you don’t.

* Educated guesses are worthwhile. In math’s tests you may be able to use the technique of estimating the answer rather than working it out exactly, to save time.

* If you have a numerical test coming up and haven’t done any maths since school then brush up on your numeracy – Stop using a calculator for everyday calculations, practice your multiplication and division, ability to calculate percentages, and to read graphs and tables. Similarly if your English is weak brush up on this.

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