Other selection tests and assessment types

You may be asked to undertake a test as part of a selection process. There are 3 main types of assessments that employers might use to complement their interviewing activity. These are:

Work Simulations: A practical test, based on the type of work you’re likely to encounter in the role. This might be used to assess a range of different skills, for example you might have to assemble something in order to demonstrate manual dexterity, or you might need to proof-read a document in order to illustrate attention to detail.

Personality tests: Sometimes referred to as psychometrics. These are typically online tests, and tend to involve multiple questions, where you have to express whether you agree or disagree with statements about who you are and what you like. The firms who make these tests then analyse your scores to help predict how you might perform at work. These tests can be difficult to answer, as they’re often multiple choice and force you to express preferences for things that might not seem comparable. You should be aware that there are no right answers for these tests, you should pick the answer that feels the best to you. They tend to be used for managerial roles, and employers should only use them in conjunction with other interview and assessment methods.

Cognitive Ability tests: Sometimes referred to as reasoning tests, the most common are verbal and numeric reasoning, which test your ability to understand and comprehend written text or your mathematical ability respectively.