As if getting a job interview wasn’t hard enough, now employers frequently like to use an aptitude test to further narrow down their selection before you even get to this stage. As the name suggests, they are used to measure a candidate’s aptitude towards different tasks and sometimes they take place between first and second interview, but now they are more often used to select candidates for a first interview. For the latter, online aptitude tests are usually employed, as this is the most cost-effective solution now that vacancies tend to receive hundreds of applications each time. Although there is a chance that candidates could effectively cheat during online aptitude tests, there is usually a time limit to prevent this from happening. Nevertheless, this time limit can sometimes be off-putting for candidates and they might feel rushed or panicked and just press any old answer rather than thinking about the question.
One way to get an advantage over the other candidates is to do some practice. Just as you would research the company to gain a thorough knowledge of what they do and practise answering standard interview questions and presenting your skills set, so too is it a good idea to practise taking an aptitude test. Doing some practice tests and learning where and how you went wrong will help you perform well when the time comes and evidence shows that, while practice doesn’t necessarily make perfect, it certainly helps! Candidates who have practised will feel more relaxed, as they know what to expect and have an idea of what are ‘good’ answers. AssessmentDay provide such practice tests for jobseekers in all three different formats: numerical, verbal and inductive reasoning. They use real questions and also give tips on how to improve speed and accuracy following the test.
