Aptitude Assessments
Career aptitude assessments (also known as aptitude tests) are tests given to employees by companies to assess their skills. These tests are usually given during the hiring process, and often, after the initial interview.
The number of tests and their types may vary, depending on the position the candidate is applying for. The candidate may be assessed on company premises, or in an assessment center. If the candidate is sent to an assessment center, they should be ready to spend a whole day on this process.
There are quite a few different aptitude tests, each aimed at testing different skills. Some candidates will get more logic-based tests, while others may get more mathematically focused tests. It is important to learn beforehand what tests may await you. The more you practice, the better your chances are for securing that job position.
What types of tests you'll get really depends on what you've applied for. If, for example, you've applied for customer service positions, then you should know that communication with customers is an important part of the work, and therefore, you may be required to show that you can communicate well via a verbal reasoning test. Other tests will be required for other positions.
There are several different aptitude tests. Each test is focused on a certain aptitude which the position requires. Here's a list of some of the aptitude tests that you may encounter.
- Numerical Reasoning Tests - These tests have to do with numerical reasoning and test the candidate's understanding of mathematics. These tests involve equations, graphs, and other mathematical functions.
- Verbal Reasoning Tests - This sort of test is focused on assessing the candidate's ability to understand written passages. The tests include written passages of various lengths that the candidate needs to read, and then answer questions related to the text.
- Mechanical Reasoning Tests - Mechanical reasoning tests focus on topics that a candidate is required to know very well, given the nature of the job. You will most probably get questions related to gears, electrical circuits, and other similar topics.
- Logical Reasoning Tests - These tests are focused on checking whether the candidate can come to a logical conclusion by solving a problem. Logical reasoning tests often include diagrams with questions that require some logic to answer.
To sum up, there are quite a few different aptitude tests. These tests differ in what they test, depending on what industry you are applying for. Some companies may choose to assess you on several skills simultaneously, while others, will do with a simple assessment. Sometimes the company will do these tests on its premises, while at other times, you may be required to attend an assessment center.