Psychometric testing. Read on below to find an explanation of, and sample questions for, each of these test types.

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1 The main types of psychometric tests used in occupational settings are: Personality inventories. General intelligence, abilities and aptitude tests. Motivation, attitude and/or work-related belief scales. Occupational interests inventories. Read on below to find an explanation of, and sample questions for, each of these test types. How will I be tested? Tests are conducted using three main methods: Group testing - simultaneously screening large numbers of potential recruits. Individual assessments - more commonly conducted for executive positions. Assessment centres - commonly used for graduate selection and promotion purposes. This process usually requires a small number of shortlisted applicants to complete a number of tasks that may include role playing or simulation games as well as interviews and personality, motivation and intellectual ability tests. Can psychological tests be faked? Self-report inventories are particularly prone to deliberate attempts at misrepresentation but most tests contain inconsistency scales to detect such events. High scores on these scales may result in you being asked to take another test or, n the worst case scenario, your application being rejected. Tips Do: pay attention to instructions; ask for clarification if you don't understand the examples; work quickly and accurately; practice working without a calculator; get a good night s sleep before the day. skip the questions you get stuck on and come back to them later; make sure your answers are recorded in the correct boxes; try a process of elimination to get the correct answer if it s not obvious; Don't: lie; spend too much time on one question; be overcome by nerves; Panic; skim through to seek easy answers; forget to tell the instructor if you have a disability.

2 Personality inventories Personality inventories are designed to assess personal traits that may affect your job performance and work behaviour. Personality traits are a collection of characteristics and tendencies to behave in a consistent way; they remain relatively stable over time but may be modified by your current personal and environmental situation. Example personality questions: 1. I prefer people who are: (a) lively (b) serious (c) genuine. 2. I prefer to take my time with important decisions: (a) always (b) sometimes (c) never. 3. I usually prefer things: (a) just pencilled in (b) decided and confirmed. 4. I enjoy the challenge of trying new things. General intelligence and abilities Cognitive ability tests are considered good predictors of your academic and occupational success. Tests used during the selection process are usually assessing your general intelligence or specific ability. Example general intelligence questions: 1. Which of the following five makes the best comparison? Daughter is to mother as niece is to: (a) nephew (b) cousin (c) aunt (d) father (e) sister. 2. Find the missing number in the following sequence: 1, 7, 3, (?), 5, 35, 7, 49 Example numerical reasoning questions: This is a test of your skill at reasoning with numbers. First you are given some information in a variety of forms - text, tables or graphs - followed by related questions. For each question, you should choose what you think is the correct answer. An insurance scheme pays gross salary benefits to its members who are sick for extended periods of time at the following rates: First month: nil; second to fourth months: 50% of normal salary; fifth and succeeding months: 25% of normal salary on the first $24,000 per annum of salary of each month in which the member is sick and is not paid by the employer. How much does the scheme pay to: 1: Will, who is off work for two months, whose salary is $12,000 p.a., and who gets no sick pay? 2: Carlton, who is ill for six months, but who is paid normally for the first two months and whose salary is $18,000 p.a.? 3: Hilary, whose salary is $30,000 p.a., who gets three months sick pay from her employer, and who has to take nine months off?

3 (a) $250 (b) $500 (b) $750 (d) $1,000 (e) $1,125 (f) $1,500 (g) $1,765 (h) $2,125 (i) $2,250 (j) $2,350 (k) $2,500 (l) $3,125 (m) $3,750 (n) $4,000 (o) $5,000 (p) $5,625 Example verbal reasoning examples: This is a test of your skill at making sense of reports which cannot be relied on to be objective, truthful, or even consistent. The example test consists of a series of short passage; each includes a number of short statements intended to convey information or persuade you of a certain point of view. Each passage is accompanied by four statements relating to the information or arguments it contains. Assume that what is stated is true, even if it contradicts what you know or believe to be the case in reality. In recent years it has become clear that man's use of fossil fuels is likely to have a major impact on the world's climate. As a result of this, increased concentrations of "greenhouse" gases such as carbon dioxide and methane will lead to global warming; an overall small increase in average temperatures, whose impact is difficult to predict. Whilst some scientists predict melting of the polar icecaps, and so a rise in sea levels, others think this will be balanced by increased precipitation at the poles. 1. If we go on using fossil fuels at the present rate, we must expect climatic change. (a) True (b) False (c) Can't tell and need more information 2. Depletion of the ozone layer will result in global warming. (a) True (b) False (c) Can't tell and need more information 3. Scientists are all agreed that use of fossil fuels will eventually lead to a rise in sea levels. (a) True (b) False (c) Can't tell and need more information 4. The burning of fossil fuels increases the concentration of methane in the atmosphere. (a) True (b) False (c) Can't tell need more information

4 Examples specific aptitude question: These tests may be targeted toward managerial, technical, technological, trade or a variety of other aptitudes considered important for the position on offer. The majority of questions contained within these tests are targeted specifically to the competencies required for the job. A typical managerial aptitude test may, for example, give a series of graphs, a list of criteria, or a set of employee statistics and data that you will be expected to analyse and interpret. On the basis of this information, a number of specific questions testing your management skills may then be asked. You have decided to introduce a new budgeting process for your area (after much argument and dissatisfaction about the efficiency and accuracy of the old one).you would: A) Prepare a background paper or report on the new approach you are proposing and why you have chosen it (and circulate it to all team members). B) Gather input from every individual on your team on what they would like to see in the new approach before finalizing your thinking by yourself and then presenting your new system in a group meeting. C) Talk to other supervisors about which budgeting approaches have tended to work best in their teams (and why) before holding a group brainstorming session on what should be done with your own team. D) Ask your own manager what he or she would like to see in place. Answer = B Option B is considered to be the most appropriate here because a budgeting process has to be meaningful to your team members most of all (as well as having high relevance to their work). The team s input and feedback is therefore critical. Option C is second best because other areas of the enterprise may have some useful feedback to offer to help you to improve your own approach. However, your budgeting approach will not be the same and should always relate entirely to the work of your team. Option A is not an ideal response because this would be to impose a set of methods or systems on your team without their input or comment (which may cause them to feel very uncommitted to them). Option D is also not an ideal response (the above question was taken from Worldwide Center for Organizational Development, 2005) Motivation, attitude and work beliefs This kind of test is designed to explore your beliefs and motivations as they pertain to the workplace. They are utilised to help predict the match between your behavioural style and values, and that of the organisation. There are no right or wrong answers to these scales, only your honest opinion. In some circumstances, integrity tests may also be utilised. These assess your honesty and ethics surrounding particular issues and may consist of short vignettes followed by a series of questions. A candidate's profile is then matched to the organisation's needs.

5 Example motivation, attitude and work beliefs questions: 1. If I achieve a poor result, I feel less upset if I know that I had not tried my hardest. 2. I need to set my own pace if I am going to achieve my best result. 3. Please rate each statement according to how it would affect your motivation to work, by circling the appropriate option, where: a = Greatly reduces my motivation to work b = Tends to reduce my motivation to work c = Has no effect on my motivation to work d = Tends to increase my motivation to work e = Greatly increases my motivation to work 1: Being expected to take responsibility for tasks. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) 2: Having to train new members of staff. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) 3: Being under constant pressure to meet deadlines. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) 4. I will not be happy at work unless I find the perfect occupation. 5. My opinion about what would be the best occupation for me changes often. Example occupational interests questions Typically, these scales seek to uncover those qualities of a job that you consider important. The format varies according to the test but you will usually be asked to rank the degree of importance an aspect of work holds for you. 1. Work where I can help others: 2. Work where I am not required to work in my spare time: 3. Work where I can use my computing skills: 4. Work where I am free to create innovative solutions to my problems:

6 5. Work where I am required to give presentations: (a) holds no interest for me (b) holds little interest for me (c) holds moderate interest for me (d) is interesting to me (e) holds excitement for me. More sample questions You can drop into our office to complete the simulation tests we have available to help you practice. You ll also find questions to test yourself on the following external sites: Psychometric Success SHL Test Partnership Assessment Day Also pop into our office (CB ) as we have a simulation test to help you practice.