|
TESTS TO EXPECT
Employees are seen to be a company's most valuable asset. It is generally
accepted that there can be few mistakes as costly in time, money and lost
business as taking on the wrong person.
Therefore, improving the predictive validity of the selection process is
critical and an organisation must maintain it's competitive edge by recruiting
and keeping the right staff.
Interviews tend to be subjective and consequently are considered to have poor
predictive validity while tests are objective and provide more information
about a candidate than is available from just an interview. However, it is
important to stress that tests are best used as complementing the interview
process and not replacing it.
There are two types of test that you may encounter:
-
Test of ability or aptitude
-
Test of personality
These are common at the initial screening level and many companies now employ
them as an aid when recruiting.
Tests of Ability/Aptitude
These are multiple choice and test for:
-
Verbal reasoning
-
Numerical reasoning
-
Diagrammatic aptitude
-
Mechanical aptitude
-
Spatial awareness
-
Clerical aptitude
-
Dexterity
-
Specific ability tests relating to specific skills, e.g. C programming.
Verbal and numerical reasoning are the most common, and in essence they check
that an applicant can understand and interpret English language statements and
typical extensions of the language and that they are able to use and manipulate
numbers. These questions have right and wrong answers.
Tests of personality can have many answers - wholly multiple choice and with no
right or wrong answers. Different profiles will be sought by the interviewer
depending on the job in question.
|
