by Martin Yate
21. July 2009 10:34
| Many employers now use testing as part of the pre-employment selection process, known variously as aptitude tests, personality profiles, personnel selection tests, skills, or integrity tests.
You can be asked to answer "a few routine questions" that end up being anything but routine. These testing instruments are frequently used as a litmus test to rule people into or out of consideration. If one of these tests is in your future, you should understand what you are likely to face so that you can present yourself as a consummate professional, without compromising your integrity.
Understanding The Different Tests
There are five different types of tests:
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Personality
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Personnel Selection
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Aptitude
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Skills
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Integrity
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Personality Tests. Are you a people person? Do you get upset easily? Are you quick to anger? Employers are using tests of general personality more frequently these days to screen job candidates because they believe that certain personality traits are required for success in a particular position.
There are two basic kinds of personality tests: projective and objective.
Projective personality tests ask you to tell a story, finish a sentence, or describe what you see in a blob of ink. In an employment selection context, these tests are generally looking for leaders, achievers and winners. They search for analytical and system thinking skills, and look at decision making and consensus building styles.
Objective personality tests ask dozens, sometimes hundreds, of questions using a rating scale, for example strongly agree to strongly disagree, true/false, or just yes/no.
Personnel selection. Personnel selection tests are personality tests designed specifically to screen job candidates. These tests measure psychological behaviors such as trustworthiness, reliability and conscientiousness. Some of them also psychologically screen you for potential alcohol or substance abuse............Read More About Test Preparation
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Martin Yate CPC
NY Times Business Bestseller
10 books in 25 languages
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