problem solving in assessment

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How to assess problem-solving skills

Human beings have been fascinated and motivated by problem-solving for as long as time. Let’s start with the classic ancient legend of Oedipus. The Sphinx aggressively addressed anyone who dared to enter Thebes by posing a riddle. If the traveler failed to answer the riddle correctly, the result was death. However, the Sphinx would be destroyed when the answer was finally correct.

Alas, along came Oedipus. He answered correctly. He unlocked this complex riddle and killed the Sphinx.

However, rationality was hardly defined at that time. Today, though, most people assume that it simply takes raw intelligence to be a great problem solver. However, it’s not the only crucial element.

Introduction to key problem-solving skills

You’ve surely noticed that many of the skills listed in the problem-solving process are repeated. This is because having these abilities and talents are so crucial to the entire course of getting a problem solved. Let’s look at some key problem-solving skills that are essential in the workplace.

Communication, listening, and customer service skills

In all the stages of problem-solving, you need to listen and engage to understand what the problem is and come to a conclusion as to what the solution may be. Another challenge is being able to communicate effectively so that people understand what you’re saying. It further rolls into interpersonal communication and customer service skills, which really are all about listening and responding appropriately.

Data analysis, research, and topic understanding skills

To produce the best solutions, employees must be able to understand the problem thoroughly. This is possible when the workforce studies the topic and the process correctly. In the workplace, this knowledge comes from years of relevant experience.

Dependability, believability, trustworthiness, and follow-through

To make change happen and take the following steps towards problem-solving, the qualities of dependability, trustworthiness, and diligence are a must. For example, if a person is known for not keeping their word, laziness, and committing blunders, that is not someone you’ll depend on when they provide you with a solution, will you?

Leadership, team-building, and decision-making

A true leader can learn and grow from the problems that arise in their jobs and utilize each challenge to hone their leadership skills. Problem-solving is an important skill for leaders who want to eliminate challenges that can otherwise hinder their people’s or their business’ growth. Let’s take a look at some statistics that prove just how important these skills are:

A Harvard Business Review study states that of all the skills that influence a leader’s success, problem-solving ranked third out of 16.

According to a survey by Goremotely.net, only 10% of CEOs are leaders who guide staff by example .

Another study at Havard Business Review found a direct link between teambuilding as a social activity and employee motivation.

Are you looking for a holistic way to develop leaders in your workplace?

Numerous skills and attributes define a successful one from a rookie when it comes to leaders. Our leadership development plan (with examples!) can help HR leaders identify potential leaders that are in sync with your company’s future goals.

Why is problem solving important in the workplace?

As a business leader, when too much of your time is spent managing escalations, the lack of problem-solving skills may hurt your business. While you may be hiring talented and capable employees and paying them well, it is only when you harness their full potential and translate that into business value that it is considered a successful hire.

The impact of continuing with poor problem-solving skills may show up in your organization as operational inefficiencies that may also manifest in product quality issues, defects, re-work and non-conformance to design specifications. When the product is defective, or the service is not up to the mark, it directly affects your customer’s experience and consequently reflects on the company’s profile.

At times, poor problem-solving skills could lead to missed market opportunities, slow time to market, customer dissatisfaction, regulatory compliance issues, and declining employee morale.

Problem-solving skills are important for individual business leaders as well. Suppose you’re busy responding to frequent incidents that have the same variables. In that case, this prevents you from focusing your time and effort on improving the future success of business outcomes.

Proven methods to assess and improve problem-solving skills

Pre-employment problem-solving skill assessment .

Recent research indicates that up to 85% of resumes contain misleading statements. Similarly, interviews are subjective and ultimately serve as poor predictors of job performance .

To provide a reliable and objective means of gathering job-related information on candidates, you must validate and develop pre-employment problem-solving assessments. You can further use the data from pre-employment tests to make informed and defensible hiring decisions.

Depending on the job profile, below are examples of pre-employment problem-solving assessment tests:

Personality tests: The rise of personality testing in the 20th century was an endeavor to maximize employee potential. Personality tests help to identify workplace patterns, relevant characteristics, and traits, and to assess how people may respond to different situations.

Examples of personality tests include the Big five personality traits test and Mercer | Mettl’s Dark Personality Inventory .

Cognitive ability test: A pre-employment aptitude test assesses individuals’ abilities such as critical thinking, verbal reasoning, numerical ability, problem-solving, decision-making, etc., which are indicators of a person’s intelligence quotient (IQ). The test results provide data about on-the-job performance. It also assesses current and potential employees for different job levels.

Criteria Cognitive Aptitude test , McQuaig Mental Agility Test , and Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory are commonly used cognitive ability assessment tests.

Convergent and divergent thinking methods

American psychologist JP Guilford coined the terms “convergent thinking” and “divergent thinking” in the 1950s.

Convergent thinking involves starting with pieces of information and then converging around a solution. An example would be determining the correct answer to a multiple-choice question.

The nature of the question does not demand creativity but rather inherently encourages a person to consider the veracity of each answer provided before selecting the single correct one.

Divergent thinking, on the other hand, starts with a prompt that encourages people to think critically, diverging towards distinct answers. An example of divergent thinking would be asking open-ended questions.

Here’s an example of what convergent thinking and a divergent problem-solving model would look like.

The 5 whys method , developed by Sakichi Toyoda, is part of the Toyota production system. In this method, when you come across a problem, you analyze the root cause by asking “Why?” five times. By recognizing the countermeasure, you can prevent the problem from recurring. Here’s an example of the 5 whys method.

Source: Kanbanzie

This method is specifically useful when you have a recurring problem that reoccurs despite repeated actions to address it. It indicates that you are treating the symptoms of the problem and not the actual problem itself.

Starbursting

While brainstorming is about the team coming together to try to find answers, starbursting flips it over and asks everyone to think of questions instead. Here’s an example of the starbursting method.

The idea of this method is to go and expand from here, layering more and more questions until you’ve covered every eventuality of the problem.

Use of data analysis to measure improvement in problem-solving skills for your organization

Problem-solving and data analytics are often used together. Supporting data is very handy whenever a particular problem occurs. By using data analytics, you can find the supporting data and analyze it to use for solving a specific problem.

However, we must emphasize that the data you’re using to solve the problem is accurate and complete. Otherwise, misleading data may take you off track of the problem at hand or even make it appear more complex than it is. Moreover, as you gain knowledge about the current problem, it further eases the way to solve it.

Let’s dig deeper into the top 3 reasons data analytics is important in problem-solving.

1. Uncover hidden details

Modern data analytics tools have numerous features that let you analyze the given data thoroughly and find hidden or repeating trends without needing any extra human effort. These automated tools are great at extracting the depths of data, going back way into the past.

2. Automated models

Automation is the future. Businesses don’t have enough time or the budget to encourage manual workforces to go through loads of data to solve business problems. Instead, the tools can collect, combine, clean, and transform the relevant data all by themselves and finally use it to predict the solutions.

3. Explore similar problems

When you use a data analytics approach to solve problems, you can collect all the data available and store it. It can assist you when you find yourself in similar problems, providing references for how such issues were tackled in the past.

If you’re looking for ways to help develop problem-solving skills in the workplace and want to build a team of employees who can solve their own problems, contact us to learn how we can help you achieve it.

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Launching soon ai-powered interview tool – view demo, choosing a problem-solving skills assessment: how and why.

Choosing the right problem-solving skills assessment is more than just a hiring step; it’s an investment in your team’s future. In a survey by the World Economic Forum , problem-solving was ranked as one of the top skills needed in the 2020s workforce. Picking up these skills is pretty straightforward – it’s a lot like what you learned hanging out with roommates in your student accommodation . You know, just living together and figuring things out as you go . This blog will guide you through the essentials of selecting an assessment that effectively measures this critical skill, ensuring your candidates are equipped to tackle challenges creatively and efficiently in today’s dynamic work environment .

Understanding the importance of problem-solving skills in the workplace

It’s not just about fixing what’s broken but about navigating through challenges and finding innovative solutions. This skill is essential for almost every job, from a manager figuring out how to improve team performance to an IT specialist resolving system glitches.

Now, here’s where a skills assessment becomes a game-changer. Companies can spot the superheroes in their team by using a skills assessment designed to gauge problem-solving abilities . It’s like having a special lens to see who’s really good at untangling complex situations and who might need a bit more training.

Imagine you’re a coach picking players for a puzzle-solving contest. You’d want people who can think quickly, adapt to new problems, and come up with clever solutions, right? That’s what this skills assessment does – it helps identify the employees who can do just that.

So, why does this matter? Well, employees who excel at problem-solving are often the ones driving innovation and efficiency within an organization. They’re the ones who keep things running smoothly, come up with fresh ideas, and help the company adapt and thrive, no matter what challenges come their way.

Criteria for selecting a problem-solving skills assessment

Choosing the right skills assessment for problem-solving is a bit like picking the perfect tool for a job. You want something that fits just right and really gets the job done. When it comes to problem-solving assessments, there are a few key things to look out for.

First, think about what makes an effective assessment. It should be challenging enough to really test someone’s skills but not so tough that it’s discouraging. It’s like a puzzle that’s fun yet makes you think. The assessment should cover different types of problems – some that need quick thinking and others that require deep analysis.

Next, consider the variety of assessments available. You’ve got simulations that put people in real-world scenarios, case studies that make them think through complex situations, and logical reasoning tests that check how well they can think on their feet. Each type has its own way of shining a light on a person’s problem-solving skills.

Remember, the goal is to find a skills assessment that tests problem-solving abilities and feels relevant to the jobs you’re hiring for. It’s about finding that sweet spot where the assessment reflects the challenges employees will face in their roles. This way, you get a clear picture of how well they’ll tackle real-life problems in the workplace.

Aligning assessment with business goals and job requirements

When it comes to finding the right skills assessment for problem-solving , it’s like matching puzzle pieces to the bigger picture of your business. You want to make sure the assessment fits not just the job but also your company’s goals and values.

First, let’s talk about tailoring the assessment to specific job roles. Imagine you’re hiring a project manager. Their problem-solving assessment might focus on handling project delays or managing team conflicts. On the other hand, if you’re hiring a software developer, their assessment might be more about troubleshooting coding issues or optimizing algorithms.

Now, think about your company’s unique culture and values. Your ideal skills assessment should reflect these too. For instance, if creativity is a big deal at your company, include problem-solving scenarios that require out-of-the-box thinking. If teamwork is key, consider assessments that evaluate how well a person collaborates to solve problems.

In short, the assessment should mirror the challenges an employee will face in their role and the qualities your company cherishes. This way, you’re more likely to find candidates who are skilled and a great fit for your business culture.

Implementing the assessment: Best practices

Introducing a new skills assessment into your hiring process is a bit like adding a new recipe to your cookbook. You want to make sure it blends well with your existing ingredients and enhances the overall flavor. Here are some tips to smoothly integrate a problem-solving skills assessment into your hiring process.

First, plan out how the assessment will fit into your existing hiring stages. It’s like figuring out the right time to add a spice to a dish. Decide whether the assessment should come early to screen candidates or later as a deeper evaluation. Ensure it complements other steps like interviews or group activities.

Next, focus on fairness and objectivity. This is crucial. The assessment should be the same for every candidate to ensure a level playing field. Think of it as following a recipe to the letter – every candidate gets the same ingredients and instructions. This way, you’re judging everyone by the same standards.

Remember, clear communication is key. Inform candidates about what to expect from the assessment. It’s like giving diners a menu; they should know what they’re in for. This helps reduce anxiety and allows candidates to perform at their best.

By following these steps, you can ensure your problem-solving skills assessment not only identifies the most capable candidates but also enhances your overall hiring process.

Analyzing and utilizing assessment results

After conducting a problem-solving skills assessment, it’s like having a treasure trove of information about your candidates. Now, it’s time to dive in and make sense of these valuable insights.

First up, analyzing the results. Think of it like reading a map that guides you to the right candidates. Look for patterns and standout performances. Did some candidates excel in creative problem-solving while others shone in logical reasoning? This helps you understand not just who is good, but also how they’re good at solving problems.

But it’s not just about who you hire. These assessment results can be a goldmine for your team’s development too. Maybe you’ll spot areas where many candidates struggled. This could indicate a skill gap in your existing team and highlight areas for training and growth.

Finally, use these insights to enhance your hiring and training processes. It’s like fine-tuning a machine; with each assessment, you learn more about what makes a great problem-solver for your company. This way, you can continuously improve the skills assessment to better match your company’s evolving needs.

In short, the results from your problem-solving skills assessment aren’t just a one-time thing. They’re a resource for making smarter hiring decisions and for guiding ongoing employee development.

In summary, choosing the proper problem-solving skills assessment is key to unlocking the potential of your workforce. It’s not just about finding candidates who can think independently but about fostering a culture of innovative problem-solving that propels your organization forward. By prioritizing these assessments, you invest in individuals who can navigate complex challenges, drive change, and contribute to your business’s overall success and resilience.

Choose Testlify as your new remote assessment tool and assess your candidates quickly. Sign up now with Testlify and check out the vast test library.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

A problem-solving skills assessment is a tool used in hiring to evaluate a candidate’s ability to handle challenges and find solutions in work-related scenarios.

These assessments help identify candidates with strong analytical and creative thinking skills, crucial for navigating workplace challenges effectively.

By matching assessment challenges to real job scenarios, businesses can ensure candidates possess skills that align with their specific goals and needs.

Key practices include integrating the assessment smoothly into the hiring process, ensuring fairness, and clearly communicating its purpose to candidates.

Results are used for making informed hiring decisions and identifying skill gaps for employee training, enhancing overall team performance.

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Problem Solving test: Pre-employment screening assessment to hire the best candidates

Summary of the problem solving test.

This Problem Solving test evaluates candidates’ ability to define problems and analyze data/textual information to make correct decisions . Our test helps you identify candidates with the analytical skills to assess and respond to complex business situations quickly and accurately.

Covered skills

Creating and adjusting schedules

Interpreting data and applying logic to make decisions

Prioritizing tasks and applying order based on a given set of rules

Analyzing textual and numerical information to draw conclusions

Use the Problem Solving test to hire

Any role that involves managing constantly shifting variables with tight deadlines, including administrative assistants, project managers, customer service managers, web developers, and people working in hospitality or sales.

graphic image for cognitive ability tests

About the Problem Solving test

Effective problem-solving involves the ability to:

Define complex problems

Break it down into manageable parts using verbal and numerical reasoning skills

Develop approaches to solve the (sub)problem using creativity and analytical thinking

Execute flawlessly

Problem-solving abilities are difficult to assess through resume screening alone. A candidate might say they’ve solved several problems in the past, but that doesn’t show their ability to work well under pressure or tell you how sophisticated their problem-solving abilities are.

That’s why our Problem Solving test enables candidates to show off their skills in real time. This problem resolution test presents candidates with typical problem-solving scenarios like 1) scheduling based on a diverse set of conditions, 2) identifying the right sequence of actions based on several business rules, and 3) drawing conclusions based on textual and numerical information

Check out our practice preview questions to see the Problem Solving test in action.

A successful problem solver can quickly identify the key elements of the problem and work through the problem at speed without making mistakes. This multiple-choice test is also useful to check candidates' overall analytical skills.

The test is made by a subject-matter expert

The global IT industry has benefited from Anirban’s talents for over two decades. With a flawless reputation that precedes him, Anirban has earned a status as a sought-after agile project manager and consultant. He’s worked internationally as a Senior Project Manager with companies such as Ericsson, IBM, and T-Mobile.

Anirban’s love for learning helps him keep his skills sharp. He holds an MBA and a degree in engineering, is a certified Scrum Master, and has certifications in Prince2 and ITIL.

Crafted with expert knowledge

TestGorilla’s tests are created by subject matter experts. We assess potential subject-matter experts based on their knowledge, ability, and reputation. Before being published, each test is peer-reviewed by another expert, then calibrated using hundreds of test takers with relevant experience in the subject.

Our feedback mechanisms and unique algorithms allow our subject-matter experts to constantly improve their tests.

What our customers are saying

TestGorilla helps me to assess engineers rapidly. Creating assessments for different positions is easy due to pre-existing templates. You can create an assessment in less than 2 minutes. The interface is intuitive and it’s easy to visualize results per assessment.

VP of engineering, mid-market (51-1000 FTE)

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I hope that TestGorilla realizes the value proposition in their work is not only the platform but the type of support that’s provided.

For a bit of context—I am a diversity recruiter trying to create a platform that removes bias from the hiring process and encourages the discovery of new and unseen talent.

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Our screening tests identify the best candidates and make your hiring decisions faster, easier, and bias-free.

Learn how each candidate performs on the job using our library of 400+ scientifically validated tests.

Test candidates for job-specific skills like coding or digital marketing, as well as general skills like critical thinking. Our unique personality and culture tests allow you to get to know your applicants as real people – not just pieces of paper.

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Building assessments is a breeze with TestGorilla. Get started with these simple steps.

Building assessments is quick and easy with TestGorilla. Just pick a name, select the tests you need, then add your own custom questions.

You can customize your assessments further by adding your company logo, color theme, and more. Build the assessment that works for you.

Send email invites directly from TestGorilla, straight from your ATS, or connect with candidates by sharing a direct link.

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Discover your strongest candidates with TestGorilla’s easy-to-read output reports, rankings, and analytics.

Easily switch from a comprehensive overview to a detailed analysis of your candidates. Then, go beyond the data by watching personalized candidate videos.

View a sample report

The Problem Solving test will be included in a PDF report along with the other tests from your assessment. You can easily download and share this report with colleagues and candidates.

Why are problem solving skills important to employers?

Employers should use problem solving skills assessment tests because nearly every role benefits from staff with positive, troubleshooting mindsets.

Problem solving skills in the workplace mean that employees can respond quickly to challenges, creating processes that mitigate or remove obstacles that prevent the company from achieving its goals.

These challenges can be anything, for example:

Delays in your supply chain

Conflict between team members

Technological problems

Problem solving skills are especially important in roles such as project management, administrative assistance, and planning work with ever-changing circumstances and tight deadlines.

By asking candidates to pass a problem solving test online during the recruitment process, you ensure that all your recruits have what it takes to troubleshoot problems, improve your productivity, and increase your chances of innovation.

A problem solving skills test also ensures that you do this with minimal bias, using an objective numerical measure to establish the required skill set and build a shortlist.

You should also explore candidates’ approaches to creative problem solving in more depth with problem solving questions in the interview stage.

Key problem solving abilities to measure with a problem solving test

A strong problem resolution test evaluates candidates’ ability to define problems and analyze data and textual information to make decisions that best serve the business.

Some of the considerations for problem-solving test questions include:

Creating and adjusting schedules: Candidates should use a problem-solving process to understand what they can realistically achieve within time and how to adjust schedules to account for variable outcomes.

Interpreting data and applying logic to make decisions: Job seekers should have an aptitude for aligning data with business goals and making actionable decisions.

Prioritizing and applying order based on a given set of rules: Applicants can determine which project tasks take priority by using prioritization rules and supporting information.

Analyzing textual and numerical information to draw conclusions: Examining textual and numerical information to reveal patterns, relationships, and trends can help candidates draw accurate conclusions and pick the best choice from a selection of alternative solutions.

What job roles can you hire with our Problem Solving test?

You can – and should – use an ability test of problem solving skills when screening for most roles to reduce time-to-hire, even when hiring globally like Nexus HR.

However, it is especially important when hiring for positions where effective problem-solving is needed – for example, managerial roles, project-focused roles, and jobs where employees frequently work under time limits.

Here are some examples of roles you should use a problem solving assessment for:

Administrative assistants: Employees who can think on their feet can swiftly resolve logistical challenges, manage schedules, and facilitate seamless communication.

Project managers : Problem solving skills are essential to keep projects on track and ensure deadlines are met, even when unexpected changes occur.

Customer service managers: Customer service reps must make prompt decisions to respond to customer queries and solve their issues quickly.

Web developers : Great programmers have the competency to spot problems in their code and identify possible solutions.

Venture capitalists: Venture capitalists must be able to think critically and spot both opportunities and risks in potential investments – problem solving skills are key here.

Hospitality staff : Hotel and restaurant workers thrive when they can identify and effectively respond to customer issues, turning negatives into positive experiences.

Salespeople: Sales professionals benefit from the ability to transform client challenges and objections into opportunities for problem-solving, which often leads to upsells and cross-sells.

Create a multi-measure assessment: 4 tests to pair with the Problem Solving test

Of course, a problem solving test alone can’t tell you if a candidate has all the right skills for the role. Instead, include a problem solving skills test as part of a multi-measure psychometric assessment alongside up to four other essential skills tests to find the best candidates.

Here’s an example of four tests you might include to make a strong multi-measure assessment:

Communication test : Ensure your candidates maintain clear communication with teammates and direct reports, which is essential when discussing problems, brainstorming solutions, and implementing the chosen strategy

Time Management test : Dig deeper into jobseekers’ abilities to respond to time-pressured tasks and manage deadlines

Critical Thinking test : Identify prospects with the cognitive ability and logical reasoning to solve nuanced problems, stay objective, and balance complexities in their decision-making process

Big Five (OCEAN) Personality test : Get insight into what kind of worker a candidate is through five key metrics: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability.

Note: We haven’t included any role-specific skills tests here because they depend on the position you’re hiring for. However, we highly recommend you add at least one in your five-test assessment to ensure your candidates possess the right skills for the job.

An assessment is the total package of tests and custom questions that you put together to evaluate your candidates. Each individual test within an assessment is designed to test something specific, such as a job skill or language. An assessment can consist of up to 5 tests and 20 custom questions. You can have candidates respond to your custom questions in several ways, such as with a personalized video.

Yes! Custom questions are great for testing candidates in your own unique way. We support the following question types: video, multiple-choice, coding, file upload, and essay. Besides adding your own custom questions, you can also create your own tests.

A video question is a specific type of custom question you can add to your assessment. Video questions let you create a question and have your candidates use their webcam to record a video response. This is an excellent way to see how a candidate would conduct themselves in a live interview, and is especially useful for sales and hospitality roles. Some good examples of things to ask for video questions would be "Why do you want to work for our company?" or "Try to sell me an item you have on your desk right now."

Besides video questions, you can also add the following types of custom questions: multiple-choice, coding, file upload, and essay. Multiple-choice lets your candidates choose from a list of answers that you provide, coding lets you create a coding problem for them to solve, file upload allows your candidates to upload a file that you request (such as a resume or portfolio), and essay allows an open-ended text response to your question. You can learn more about different custom question types here .

Yes! You can add your own logo and company color theme to your assessments. This is a great way to leave a positive and lasting brand impression on your candidates.

Our team is always here to help. After you sign up, we’ll reach out to guide you through the first steps of setting up your TestGorilla account. If you have any further questions, you can contact our support team via email, chat or call. We also offer detailed guides in our extensive help center .

It depends! We offer five free tests, or unlimited access to our library of 400+ tests with the price based on your company size. Find more information on our pricing plans here , calculate the cost-benefit of using TestGorilla assessments, or speak to one of our sales team for your personalized demo and learn how we can help you revolutionize hiring today.

Yes. You can add up to five tests to each assessment.

We recommend using our assessment software as a pre-screening tool at the beginning of your recruitment process. You can add a link to the assessment in your job post or directly invite candidates by email.

TestGorilla replaces traditional resume screening with a much more reliable and efficient process, designed to find the most skilled candidates earlier and faster.

We offer the following cognitive ability tests : Numerical Reasoning, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking.

Our cognitive ability tests allow you to test for skills that are difficult to evaluate in an interview. Check out our blog on why these tests are so useful and how to choose the best one for your assessment.

Related tests

Attention to detail (textual), verbal reasoning, critical thinking, numerical reasoning, computational thinking, basic math calculations, mechanical reasoning, understanding instructions, attention to detail (visual), intermediate math.

Assessing Problem Solving

First Online: 01 January 2013

Cite this chapter

David H. Jonassen Ed.D. 5

31k Accesses

2 Citations

Methods for assessing problem-solving learning outcomes vary with the nature of the problem. For simpler well-structured problems, answer correctness and process may be used along with assessments of comprehension of problem schemas, including problem classification, text editing, and analogical comparisons. For more complex and ill-structured problems that have no convergent answers, solution criteria, or solution methods, problem solving may be assessed by constructing and applying solution rubrics to assess mental simulations (scenarios), arguments in support of solutions, and student-constructed problems. Problem solving processes are normally assessed by coding schemes. In addition to assessing problem solutions, assessments of critical cognitive skills, including causal reasoning and student models, may be used to infer problem-solving skills.

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Problem-Solving Strategies – A Quick Checklist

Empirical Evaluations of Skinner’s Analysis of Problem Solving

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Jonassen, D.H. (2014). Assessing Problem Solving. In: Spector, J., Merrill, M., Elen, J., Bishop, M. (eds) Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_22

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PISA 2012 Assessment and Analytical Framework

Problem-solving framework, mathematics, reading, science, problem solving and financial literacy.

Are students well prepared to meet the challenges of the future? Can they analyse, reason and communicate their ideas effectively? Have they found the kinds of interests they can pursue throughout their lives as productive members of the economy and society?

The OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) seeks to answer these questions through the most comprehensive and rigorous international assessment of student knowledge and skills. PISA 2012 Assessment and Analytical Framework presents the conceptual framework underlying the fifth cycle of PISA. Similar to the previous cycles, the 2012 assessment covers reading, mathematics and science, with the major focus on mathematical literacy. Two other domains are evaluated: problem solving and financial literacy. Students respond to a background questionnaire and, as an option, to an educational career questionnaire as well as another questionnaire about Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Additional supporting information is gathered from the school authorities through the school questionnaire and from the parents through a third optional questionnaire. Sixty-six countries and economies, including all 34 OECD member countries, are taking part in the PISA 2012 assessment.

English Also available in: French

PISA 2009 Results: What Students Know and Can Do
Assessing Scientific, Reading and Mathematical Literacy
The PISA 2003 Assessment Framework
PISA 2009 Assessment Framework
https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264190511-en
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This chapter presents the framework underlying the PISA 2012 computerbased assessment of individual problem-solving competency, including the rationale for the assessment, the framework’s research underpinnings and a definition of what is meant by problem-solving competency. The definition is discussed in detail, as are the three key domain elements of most importance for the assessment: the problem context, the nature of the problem situation, and the cognitive processes involved in solving a problem. The general structure of the assessment and its computer delivery are described, including the test interface and the response formats employed. The distributions of items by problem nature and context, and according to cognitive process, are specified. The inclusion of problems that require the solver to interact with the problem situation to uncover necessary information not explicitly disclosed is highlighted. Sample items are presented with commentary, including an illustration of how response data (captured by the computer-delivery system) is used to enhance scoring.

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11 Feb 2013

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How to improve your problem solving skills and build effective problem solving strategies

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Problem solving strategies

What skills do i need to be an effective problem solver, how can i improve my problem solving skills.

Problem solving strategies are methods of approaching and facilitating the process of problem-solving with a set of techniques , actions, and processes. Different strategies are more effective if you are trying to solve broad problems such as achieving higher growth versus more focused problems like, how do we improve our customer onboarding process?

Broadly, the problem solving steps outlined above should be included in any problem solving strategy though choosing where to focus your time and what approaches should be taken is where they begin to differ. You might find that some strategies ask for the problem identification to be done prior to the session or that everything happens in the course of a one day workshop.

The key similarity is that all good problem solving strategies are structured and designed. Four hours of open discussion is never going to be as productive as a four-hour workshop designed to lead a group through a problem solving process.

Good problem solving strategies are tailored to the team, organization and problem you will be attempting to solve. Here are some example problem solving strategies you can learn from or use to get started.

Use a workshop to lead a team through a group process

Often, the first step to solving problems or organizational challenges is bringing a group together effectively. Most teams have the tools, knowledge, and expertise necessary to solve their challenges – they just need some guidance in how to use leverage those skills and a structure and format that allows people to focus their energies.

Facilitated workshops are one of the most effective ways of solving problems of any scale. By designing and planning your workshop carefully, you can tailor the approach and scope to best fit the needs of your team and organization.

Problem solving workshop

Creating a bespoke, tailored process
Tackling problems of any size
Building in-house workshop ability and encouraging their use

Workshops are an effective strategy for solving problems. By using tried and test facilitation techniques and methods, you can design and deliver a workshop that is perfectly suited to the unique variables of your organization. You may only have the capacity for a half-day workshop and so need a problem solving process to match.

By using our session planner tool and importing methods from our library of 700+ facilitation techniques, you can create the right problem solving workshop for your team. It might be that you want to encourage creative thinking or look at things from a new angle to unblock your groups approach to problem solving. By tailoring your workshop design to the purpose, you can help ensure great results.

One of the main benefits of a workshop is the structured approach to problem solving. Not only does this mean that the workshop itself will be successful, but many of the methods and techniques will help your team improve their working processes outside of the workshop.

We believe that workshops are one of the best tools you can use to improve the way your team works together. Start with a problem solving workshop and then see what team building, culture or design workshops can do for your organization!

Run a design sprint

Great for:

aligning large, multi-discipline teams
quickly designing and testing solutions
tackling large, complex organizational challenges and breaking them down into smaller tasks

By using design thinking principles and methods, a design sprint is a great way of identifying, prioritizing and prototyping solutions to long term challenges that can help solve major organizational problems with quick action and measurable results.

Some familiarity with design thinking is useful, though not integral, and this strategy can really help a team align if there is some discussion around which problems should be approached first.

The stage-based structure of the design sprint is also very useful for teams new to design thinking. The inspiration phase, where you look to competitors that have solved your problem, and the rapid prototyping and testing phases are great for introducing new concepts that will benefit a team in all their future work.

It can be common for teams to look inward for solutions and so looking to the market for solutions you can iterate on can be very productive. Instilling an agile prototyping and testing mindset can also be great when helping teams move forwards – generating and testing solutions quickly can help save time in the long run and is also pretty exciting!

Break problems down into smaller issues

Organizational challenges and problems are often complicated and large scale in nature. Sometimes, trying to resolve such an issue in one swoop is simply unachievable or overwhelming. Try breaking down such problems into smaller issues that you can work on step by step. You may not be able to solve the problem of churning customers off the bat, but you can work with your team to identify smaller effort but high impact elements and work on those first.

This problem solving strategy can help a team generate momentum, prioritize and get some easy wins. It’s also a great strategy to employ with teams who are just beginning to learn how to approach the problem solving process. If you want some insight into a way to employ this strategy, we recommend looking at our design sprint template below!

Use guiding frameworks or try new methodologies

Some problems are best solved by introducing a major shift in perspective or by using new methodologies that encourage your team to think differently.

Props and tools such as Methodkit , which uses a card-based toolkit for facilitation, or Lego Serious Play can be great ways to engage your team and find an inclusive, democratic problem solving strategy. Remember that play and creativity are great tools for achieving change and whatever the challenge, engaging your participants can be very effective where other strategies may have failed.

LEGO Serious Play

Improving core problem solving skills
Thinking outside of the box
Encouraging creative solutions

LEGO Serious Play is a problem solving methodology designed to get participants thinking differently by using 3D models and kinesthetic learning styles. By physically building LEGO models based on questions and exercises, participants are encouraged to think outside of the box and create their own responses.

Collaborate LEGO Serious Play exercises are also used to encourage communication and build problem solving skills in a group. By using this problem solving process, you can often help different kinds of learners and personality types contribute and unblock organizational problems with creative thinking.

Problem solving strategies like LEGO Serious Play are super effective at helping a team solve more skills-based problems such as communication between teams or a lack of creative thinking. Some problems are not suited to LEGO Serious Play and require a different problem solving strategy.

Card Decks and Method Kits

New facilitators or non-facilitators
Approaching difficult subjects with a simple, creative framework
Engaging those with varied learning styles

Card decks and method kids are great tools for those new to facilitation or for whom facilitation is not the primary role. Card decks such as the emotional culture deck can be used for complete workshops and in many cases, can be used right out of the box. Methodkit has a variety of kits designed for scenarios ranging from personal development through to personas and global challenges so you can find the right deck for your particular needs.

Having an easy to use framework that encourages creativity or a new approach can take some of the friction or planning difficulties out of the workshop process and energize a team in any setting. Simplicity is the key with these methods. By ensuring everyone on your team can get involved and engage with the process as quickly as possible can really contribute to the success of your problem solving strategy.

Source external advice

Looking to peers, experts and external facilitators can be a great way of approaching the problem solving process. Your team may not have the necessary expertise, insights of experience to tackle some issues, or you might simply benefit from a fresh perspective. Some problems may require bringing together an entire team, and coaching managers or team members individually might be the right approach. Remember that not all problems are best resolved in the same manner.

If you’re a solo entrepreneur, peer groups, coaches and mentors can also be invaluable at not only solving specific business problems, but in providing a support network for resolving future challenges. One great approach is to join a Mastermind Group and link up with like-minded individuals and all grow together. Remember that however you approach the sourcing of external advice, do so thoughtfully, respectfully and honestly. Reciprocate where you can and prepare to be surprised by just how kind and helpful your peers can be!

Mastermind Group

Solo entrepreneurs or small teams with low capacity
Peer learning and gaining outside expertise
Getting multiple external points of view quickly

Problem solving in large organizations with lots of skilled team members is one thing, but how about if you work for yourself or in a very small team without the capacity to get the most from a design sprint or LEGO Serious Play session?

A mastermind group – sometimes known as a peer advisory board – is where a group of people come together to support one another in their own goals, challenges, and businesses. Each participant comes to the group with their own purpose and the other members of the group will help them create solutions, brainstorm ideas, and support one another.

Mastermind groups are very effective in creating an energized, supportive atmosphere that can deliver meaningful results. Learning from peers from outside of your organization or industry can really help unlock new ways of thinking and drive growth. Access to the experience and skills of your peers can be invaluable in helping fill the gaps in your own ability, particularly in young companies.

A mastermind group is a great solution for solo entrepreneurs, small teams, or for organizations that feel that external expertise or fresh perspectives will be beneficial for them. It is worth noting that Mastermind groups are often only as good as the participants and what they can bring to the group. Participants need to be committed, engaged and understand how to work in this context.

Coaching and mentoring

Focused learning and development
Filling skills gaps
Working on a range of challenges over time

Receiving advice from a business coach or building a mentor/mentee relationship can be an effective way of resolving certain challenges. The one-to-one format of most coaching and mentor relationships can really help solve the challenges those individuals are having and benefit the organization as a result.

A great mentor can be invaluable when it comes to spotting potential problems before they arise and coming to understand a mentee very well has a host of other business benefits. You might run an internal mentorship program to help develop your team’s problem solving skills and strategies or as part of a large learning and development program. External coaches can also be an important part of your problem solving strategy, filling skills gaps for your management team or helping with specific business issues.

Now we’ve explored the problem solving process and the steps you will want to go through in order to have an effective session, let’s look at the skills you and your team need to be more effective problem solvers.

Problem solving skills are highly sought after, whatever industry or team you work in. Organizations are keen to employ people who are able to approach problems thoughtfully and find strong, realistic solutions. Whether you are a facilitator , a team leader or a developer, being an effective problem solver is a skill you’ll want to develop.

Problem solving skills form a whole suite of techniques and approaches that an individual uses to not only identify problems but to discuss them productively before then developing appropriate solutions.

Here are some of the most important problem solving skills everyone from executives to junior staff members should learn. We’ve also included an activity or exercise from the SessionLab library that can help you and your team develop that skill.

If you’re running a workshop or training session to try and improve problem solving skills in your team, try using these methods to supercharge your process!

Active listening

Active listening is one of the most important skills anyone who works with people can possess. In short, active listening is a technique used to not only better understand what is being said by an individual, but also to be more aware of the underlying message the speaker is trying to convey. When it comes to problem solving, active listening is integral for understanding the position of every participant and to clarify the challenges, ideas and solutions they bring to the table.

Some active listening skills include:

Paying complete attention to the speaker.
Removing distractions.
Avoid interruption.
Taking the time to fully understand before preparing a rebuttal.
Responding respectfully and appropriately.
Demonstrate attentiveness and positivity with an open posture, making eye contact with the speaker, smiling and nodding if appropriate. Show that you are listening and encourage them to continue.
Be aware of and respectful of feelings. Judge the situation and respond appropriately. You can disagree without being disrespectful.
Observe body language.
Paraphrase what was said in your own words, either mentally or verbally.
Remain neutral.
Reflect and take a moment before responding.
Ask deeper questions based on what is said and clarify points where necessary.

Active Listening #hyperisland #skills #active listening #remote-friendly This activity supports participants to reflect on a question and generate their own solutions using simple principles of active listening and peer coaching. It’s an excellent introduction to active listening but can also be used with groups that are already familiar with it. Participants work in groups of three and take turns being: “the subject”, the listener, and the observer.

Analytical skills

All problem solving models require strong analytical skills, particularly during the beginning of the process and when it comes to analyzing how solutions have performed.

Analytical skills are primarily focused on performing an effective analysis by collecting, studying and parsing data related to a problem or opportunity.

It often involves spotting patterns, being able to see things from different perspectives and using observable facts and data to make suggestions or produce insight.

Analytical skills are also important at every stage of the problem solving process and by having these skills, you can ensure that any ideas or solutions you create or backed up analytically and have been sufficiently thought out.

Nine Whys #innovation #issue analysis #liberating structures With breathtaking simplicity, you can rapidly clarify for individuals and a group what is essentially important in their work. You can quickly reveal when a compelling purpose is missing in a gathering and avoid moving forward without clarity. When a group discovers an unambiguous shared purpose, more freedom and more responsibility are unleashed. You have laid the foundation for spreading and scaling innovations with fidelity.

Collaboration

Trying to solve problems on your own is difficult. Being able to collaborate effectively, with a free exchange of ideas, to delegate and be a productive member of a team is hugely important to all problem solving strategies.

Remember that whatever your role, collaboration is integral, and in a problem solving process, you are all working together to find the best solution for everyone.

Marshmallow challenge with debriefing #teamwork #team #leadership #collaboration In eighteen minutes, teams must build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string, and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needs to be on top. The Marshmallow Challenge was developed by Tom Wujec, who has done the activity with hundreds of groups around the world. Visit the Marshmallow Challenge website for more information. This version has an extra debriefing question added with sample questions focusing on roles within the team.

Communication

Being an effective communicator means being empathetic, clear and succinct, asking the right questions, and demonstrating active listening skills throughout any discussion or meeting.

In a problem solving setting, you need to communicate well in order to progress through each stage of the process effectively. As a team leader, it may also fall to you to facilitate communication between parties who may not see eye to eye. Effective communication also means helping others to express themselves and be heard in a group.

Bus Trip #feedback #communication #appreciation #closing #thiagi #team This is one of my favourite feedback games. I use Bus Trip at the end of a training session or a meeting, and I use it all the time. The game creates a massive amount of energy with lots of smiles, laughs, and sometimes even a teardrop or two.

Creative problem solving skills can be some of the best tools in your arsenal. Thinking creatively, being able to generate lots of ideas and come up with out of the box solutions is useful at every step of the process.

The kinds of problems you will likely discuss in a problem solving workshop are often difficult to solve, and by approaching things in a fresh, creative manner, you can often create more innovative solutions.

Having practical creative skills is also a boon when it comes to problem solving. If you can help create quality design sketches and prototypes in record time, it can help bring a team to alignment more quickly or provide a base for further iteration.

The paper clip method #sharing #creativity #warm up #idea generation #brainstorming The power of brainstorming. A training for project leaders, creativity training, and to catalyse getting new solutions.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is one of the fundamental problem solving skills you’ll want to develop when working on developing solutions. Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, rationalize and evaluate while being aware of personal bias, outlying factors and remaining open-minded.

Defining and analyzing problems without deploying critical thinking skills can mean you and your team go down the wrong path. Developing solutions to complex issues requires critical thinking too – ensuring your team considers all possibilities and rationally evaluating them.

Agreement-Certainty Matrix #issue analysis #liberating structures #problem solving You can help individuals or groups avoid the frequent mistake of trying to solve a problem with methods that are not adapted to the nature of their challenge. The combination of two questions makes it possible to easily sort challenges into four categories: simple, complicated, complex , and chaotic . A problem is simple when it can be solved reliably with practices that are easy to duplicate. It is complicated when experts are required to devise a sophisticated solution that will yield the desired results predictably. A problem is complex when there are several valid ways to proceed but outcomes are not predictable in detail. Chaotic is when the context is too turbulent to identify a path forward. A loose analogy may be used to describe these differences: simple is like following a recipe, complicated like sending a rocket to the moon, complex like raising a child, and chaotic is like the game “Pin the Tail on the Donkey.” The Liberating Structures Matching Matrix in Chapter 5 can be used as the first step to clarify the nature of a challenge and avoid the mismatches between problems and solutions that are frequently at the root of chronic, recurring problems.

Data analysis

Though it shares lots of space with general analytical skills, data analysis skills are something you want to cultivate in their own right in order to be an effective problem solver.

Being good at data analysis doesn’t just mean being able to find insights from data, but also selecting the appropriate data for a given issue, interpreting it effectively and knowing how to model and present that data. Depending on the problem at hand, it might also include a working knowledge of specific data analysis tools and procedures.

Having a solid grasp of data analysis techniques is useful if you’re leading a problem solving workshop but if you’re not an expert, don’t worry. Bring people into the group who has this skill set and help your team be more effective as a result.

Decision making

All problems need a solution and all solutions require that someone make the decision to implement them. Without strong decision making skills, teams can become bogged down in discussion and less effective as a result.

Making decisions is a key part of the problem solving process. It’s important to remember that decision making is not restricted to the leadership team. Every staff member makes decisions every day and developing these skills ensures that your team is able to solve problems at any scale. Remember that making decisions does not mean leaping to the first solution but weighing up the options and coming to an informed, well thought out solution to any given problem that works for the whole team.

Lightning Decision Jam (LDJ) #action #decision making #problem solving #issue analysis #innovation #design #remote-friendly The problem with anything that requires creative thinking is that it’s easy to get lost—lose focus and fall into the trap of having useless, open-ended, unstructured discussions. Here’s the most effective solution I’ve found: Replace all open, unstructured discussion with a clear process. What to use this exercise for: Anything which requires a group of people to make decisions, solve problems or discuss challenges. It’s always good to frame an LDJ session with a broad topic, here are some examples: The conversion flow of our checkout Our internal design process How we organise events Keeping up with our competition Improving sales flow

Dependability

Most complex organizational problems require multiple people to be involved in delivering the solution. Ensuring that the team and organization can depend on you to take the necessary actions and communicate where necessary is key to ensuring problems are solved effectively.

Being dependable also means working to deadlines and to brief. It is often a matter of creating trust in a team so that everyone can depend on one another to complete the agreed actions in the agreed time frame so that the team can move forward together. Being undependable can create problems of friction and can limit the effectiveness of your solutions so be sure to bear this in mind throughout a project.

Team Purpose & Culture #team #hyperisland #culture #remote-friendly This is an essential process designed to help teams define their purpose (why they exist) and their culture (how they work together to achieve that purpose). Defining these two things will help any team to be more focused and aligned. With support of tangible examples from other companies, the team members work as individuals and a group to codify the way they work together. The goal is a visual manifestation of both the purpose and culture that can be put up in the team’s work space.

Emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is an important skill for any successful team member, whether communicating internally or with clients or users. In the problem solving process, emotional intelligence means being attuned to how people are feeling and thinking, communicating effectively and being self-aware of what you bring to a room.

There are often differences of opinion when working through problem solving processes, and it can be easy to let things become impassioned or combative. Developing your emotional intelligence means being empathetic to your colleagues and managing your own emotions throughout the problem and solution process. Be kind, be thoughtful and put your points across care and attention.

Being emotionally intelligent is a skill for life and by deploying it at work, you can not only work efficiently but empathetically. Check out the emotional culture workshop template for more!

Facilitation

As we’ve clarified in our facilitation skills post, facilitation is the art of leading people through processes towards agreed-upon objectives in a manner that encourages participation, ownership, and creativity by all those involved. While facilitation is a set of interrelated skills in itself, the broad definition of facilitation can be invaluable when it comes to problem solving. Leading a team through a problem solving process is made more effective if you improve and utilize facilitation skills – whether you’re a manager, team leader or external stakeholder.

The Six Thinking Hats #creative thinking #meeting facilitation #problem solving #issue resolution #idea generation #conflict resolution The Six Thinking Hats are used by individuals and groups to separate out conflicting styles of thinking. They enable and encourage a group of people to think constructively together in exploring and implementing change, rather than using argument to fight over who is right and who is wrong.

Flexibility

Being flexible is a vital skill when it comes to problem solving. This does not mean immediately bowing to pressure or changing your opinion quickly: instead, being flexible is all about seeing things from new perspectives, receiving new information and factoring it into your thought process.

Flexibility is also important when it comes to rolling out solutions. It might be that other organizational projects have greater priority or require the same resources as your chosen solution. Being flexible means understanding needs and challenges across the team and being open to shifting or arranging your own schedule as necessary. Again, this does not mean immediately making way for other projects. It’s about articulating your own needs, understanding the needs of others and being able to come to a meaningful compromise.

The Creativity Dice #creativity #problem solving #thiagi #issue analysis Too much linear thinking is hazardous to creative problem solving. To be creative, you should approach the problem (or the opportunity) from different points of view. You should leave a thought hanging in mid-air and move to another. This skipping around prevents premature closure and lets your brain incubate one line of thought while you consciously pursue another.

Working in any group can lead to unconscious elements of groupthink or situations in which you may not wish to be entirely honest. Disagreeing with the opinions of the executive team or wishing to save the feelings of a coworker can be tricky to navigate, but being honest is absolutely vital when to comes to developing effective solutions and ensuring your voice is heard.

Remember that being honest does not mean being brutally candid. You can deliver your honest feedback and opinions thoughtfully and without creating friction by using other skills such as emotional intelligence.

Explore your Values #hyperisland #skills #values #remote-friendly Your Values is an exercise for participants to explore what their most important values are. It’s done in an intuitive and rapid way to encourage participants to follow their intuitive feeling rather than over-thinking and finding the “correct” values. It is a good exercise to use to initiate reflection and dialogue around personal values.

Initiative

The problem solving process is multi-faceted and requires different approaches at certain points of the process. Taking initiative to bring problems to the attention of the team, collect data or lead the solution creating process is always valuable. You might even roadtest your own small scale solutions or brainstorm before a session. Taking initiative is particularly effective if you have good deal of knowledge in that area or have ownership of a particular project and want to get things kickstarted.

That said, be sure to remember to honor the process and work in service of the team. If you are asked to own one part of the problem solving process and you don’t complete that task because your initiative leads you to work on something else, that’s not an effective method of solving business challenges.

15% Solutions #action #liberating structures #remote-friendly You can reveal the actions, however small, that everyone can do immediately. At a minimum, these will create momentum, and that may make a BIG difference. 15% Solutions show that there is no reason to wait around, feel powerless, or fearful. They help people pick it up a level. They get individuals and the group to focus on what is within their discretion instead of what they cannot change. With a very simple question, you can flip the conversation to what can be done and find solutions to big problems that are often distributed widely in places not known in advance. Shifting a few grains of sand may trigger a landslide and change the whole landscape.

Impartiality

A particularly useful problem solving skill for product owners or managers is the ability to remain impartial throughout much of the process. In practice, this means treating all points of view and ideas brought forward in a meeting equally and ensuring that your own areas of interest or ownership are not favored over others.

There may be a stage in the process where a decision maker has to weigh the cost and ROI of possible solutions against the company roadmap though even then, ensuring that the decision made is based on merit and not personal opinion.

Empathy map #frame insights #create #design #issue analysis An empathy map is a tool to help a design team to empathize with the people they are designing for. You can make an empathy map for a group of people or for a persona. To be used after doing personas when more insights are needed.

Being a good leader means getting a team aligned, energized and focused around a common goal. In the problem solving process, strong leadership helps ensure that the process is efficient, that any conflicts are resolved and that a team is managed in the direction of success.

It’s common for managers or executives to assume this role in a problem solving workshop, though it’s important that the leader maintains impartiality and does not bulldoze the group in a particular direction. Remember that good leadership means working in service of the purpose and team and ensuring the workshop is a safe space for employees of any level to contribute. Take a look at our leadership games and activities post for more exercises and methods to help improve leadership in your organization.

Leadership Pizza #leadership #team #remote-friendly This leadership development activity offers a self-assessment framework for people to first identify what skills, attributes and attitudes they find important for effective leadership, and then assess their own development and initiate goal setting.

In the context of problem solving, mediation is important in keeping a team engaged, happy and free of conflict. When leading or facilitating a problem solving workshop, you are likely to run into differences of opinion. Depending on the nature of the problem, certain issues may be brought up that are emotive in nature.

Being an effective mediator means helping those people on either side of such a divide are heard, listen to one another and encouraged to find common ground and a resolution. Mediating skills are useful for leaders and managers in many situations and the problem solving process is no different.

Conflict Responses #hyperisland #team #issue resolution A workshop for a team to reflect on past conflicts, and use them to generate guidelines for effective conflict handling. The workshop uses the Thomas-Killman model of conflict responses to frame a reflective discussion. Use it to open up a discussion around conflict with a team.

Planning

Solving organizational problems is much more effective when following a process or problem solving model. Planning skills are vital in order to structure, deliver and follow-through on a problem solving workshop and ensure your solutions are intelligently deployed.

Planning skills include the ability to organize tasks and a team, plan and design the process and take into account any potential challenges. Taking the time to plan carefully can save time and frustration later in the process and is valuable for ensuring a team is positioned for success.

3 Action Steps #hyperisland #action #remote-friendly This is a small-scale strategic planning session that helps groups and individuals to take action toward a desired change. It is often used at the end of a workshop or programme. The group discusses and agrees on a vision, then creates some action steps that will lead them towards that vision. The scope of the challenge is also defined, through discussion of the helpful and harmful factors influencing the group.

Prioritization

As organisations grow, the scale and variation of problems they face multiplies. Your team or is likely to face numerous challenges in different areas and so having the skills to analyze and prioritize becomes very important, particularly for those in leadership roles.

A thorough problem solving process is likely to deliver multiple solutions and you may have several different problems you wish to solve simultaneously. Prioritization is the ability to measure the importance, value, and effectiveness of those possible solutions and choose which to enact and in what order. The process of prioritization is integral in ensuring the biggest challenges are addressed with the most impactful solutions.

Impact and Effort Matrix #gamestorming #decision making #action #remote-friendly In this decision-making exercise, possible actions are mapped based on two factors: effort required to implement and potential impact. Categorizing ideas along these lines is a useful technique in decision making, as it obliges contributors to balance and evaluate suggested actions before committing to them.

Project management

Some problem solving skills are utilized in a workshop or ideation phases, while others come in useful when it comes to decision making. Overseeing an entire problem solving process and ensuring its success requires strong project management skills.

While project management incorporates many of the other skills listed here, it is important to note the distinction of considering all of the factors of a project and managing them successfully. Being able to negotiate with stakeholders, manage tasks, time and people, consider costs and ROI, and tie everything together is massively helpful when going through the problem solving process.

Record keeping

Working out meaningful solutions to organizational challenges is only one part of the process. Thoughtfully documenting and keeping records of each problem solving step for future consultation is important in ensuring efficiency and meaningful change.

For example, some problems may be lower priority than others but can be revisited in the future. If the team has ideated on solutions and found some are not up to the task, record those so you can rule them out and avoiding repeating work. Keeping records of the process also helps you improve and refine your problem solving model next time around!

Personal Kanban #gamestorming #action #agile #project planning Personal Kanban is a tool for organizing your work to be more efficient and productive. It is based on agile methods and principles.

Research skills

Conducting research to support both the identification of problems and the development of appropriate solutions is important for an effective process. Knowing where to go to collect research, how to conduct research efficiently, and identifying pieces of research are relevant are all things a good researcher can do well.

In larger groups, not everyone has to demonstrate this ability in order for a problem solving workshop to be effective. That said, having people with research skills involved in the process, particularly if they have existing area knowledge, can help ensure the solutions that are developed with data that supports their intention. Remember that being able to deliver the results of research efficiently and in a way the team can easily understand is also important. The best data in the world is only as effective as how it is delivered and interpreted.

Customer experience map #ideation #concepts #research #design #issue analysis #remote-friendly Customer experience mapping is a method of documenting and visualizing the experience a customer has as they use the product or service. It also maps out their responses to their experiences. To be used when there is a solution (even in a conceptual stage) that can be analyzed.

Risk management

Managing risk is an often overlooked part of the problem solving process. Solutions are often developed with the intention of reducing exposure to risk or solving issues that create risk but sometimes, great solutions are more experimental in nature and as such, deploying them needs to be carefully considered.

Managing risk means acknowledging that there may be risks associated with more out of the box solutions or trying new things, but that this must be measured against the possible benefits and other organizational factors.

Be informed, get the right data and stakeholders in the room and you can appropriately factor risk into your decision making process.

Decisions, Decisions… #communication #decision making #thiagi #action #issue analysis When it comes to decision-making, why are some of us more prone to take risks while others are risk-averse? One explanation might be the way the decision and options were presented. This exercise, based on Kahneman and Tversky’s classic study , illustrates how the framing effect influences our judgement and our ability to make decisions . The participants are divided into two groups. Both groups are presented with the same problem and two alternative programs for solving them. The two programs both have the same consequences but are presented differently. The debriefing discussion examines how the framing of the program impacted the participant’s decision.

Team-building

No single person is as good at problem solving as a team. Building an effective team and helping them come together around a common purpose is one of the most important problem solving skills, doubly so for leaders. By bringing a team together and helping them work efficiently, you pave the way for team ownership of a problem and the development of effective solutions.

In a problem solving workshop, it can be tempting to jump right into the deep end, though taking the time to break the ice, energize the team and align them with a game or exercise will pay off over the course of the day.

Remember that you will likely go through the problem solving process multiple times over an organization’s lifespan and building a strong team culture will make future problem solving more effective. It’s also great to work with people you know, trust and have fun with. Working on team building in and out of the problem solving process is a hallmark of successful teams that can work together to solve business problems.

9 Dimensions Team Building Activity #ice breaker #teambuilding #team #remote-friendly 9 Dimensions is a powerful activity designed to build relationships and trust among team members. There are 2 variations of this icebreaker. The first version is for teams who want to get to know each other better. The second version is for teams who want to explore how they are working together as a team.

Time management

The problem solving process is designed to lead a team from identifying a problem through to delivering a solution and evaluating its effectiveness. Without effective time management skills or timeboxing of tasks, it can be easy for a team to get bogged down or be inefficient.

By using a problem solving model and carefully designing your workshop, you can allocate time efficiently and trust that the process will deliver the results you need in a good timeframe.

Time management also comes into play when it comes to rolling out solutions, particularly those that are experimental in nature. Having a clear timeframe for implementing and evaluating solutions is vital for ensuring their success and being able to pivot if necessary.

Improving your skills at problem solving is often a career-long pursuit though there are methods you can use to make the learning process more efficient and to supercharge your problem solving skillset.

Remember that the skills you need to be a great problem solver have a large overlap with those skills you need to be effective in any role. Investing time and effort to develop your active listening or critical thinking skills is valuable in any context. Here are 7 ways to improve your problem solving skills.

Share best practices

Remember that your team is an excellent source of skills, wisdom, and techniques and that you should all take advantage of one another where possible. Best practices that one team has for solving problems, conducting research or making decisions should be shared across the organization. If you have in-house staff that have done active listening training or are data analysis pros, have them lead a training session.

Your team is one of your best resources. Create space and internal processes for the sharing of skills so that you can all grow together.

Ask for help and attend training

Once you’ve figured out you have a skills gap, the next step is to take action to fill that skills gap. That might be by asking your superior for training or coaching, or liaising with team members with that skill set. You might even attend specialized training for certain skills – active listening or critical thinking, for example, are business-critical skills that are regularly offered as part of a training scheme.

Whatever method you choose, remember that taking action of some description is necessary for growth. Whether that means practicing, getting help, attending training or doing some background reading, taking active steps to improve your skills is the way to go.

Learn a process

Problem solving can be complicated, particularly when attempting to solve large problems for the first time. Using a problem solving process helps give structure to your problem solving efforts and focus on creating outcomes, rather than worrying about the format.

Tools such as the seven-step problem solving process above are effective because not only do they feature steps that will help a team solve problems, they also develop skills along the way. Each step asks for people to engage with the process using different skills and in doing so, helps the team learn and grow together. Group processes of varying complexity and purpose can also be found in the SessionLab library of facilitation techniques . Using a tried and tested process and really help ease the learning curve for both those leading such a process, as well as those undergoing the purpose.

Effective teams make decisions about where they should and shouldn’t expend additional effort. By using a problem solving process, you can focus on the things that matter, rather than stumbling towards a solution haphazardly.

Create a feedback loop

Some skills gaps are more obvious than others. It’s possible that your perception of your active listening skills differs from those of your colleagues.

It’s valuable to create a system where team members can provide feedback in an ordered and friendly manner so they can all learn from one another. Only by identifying areas of improvement can you then work to improve them.

Remember that feedback systems require oversight and consideration so that they don’t turn into a place to complain about colleagues. Design the system intelligently so that you encourage the creation of learning opportunities, rather than encouraging people to list their pet peeves.

While practice might not make perfect, it does make the problem solving process easier. If you are having trouble with critical thinking, don’t shy away from doing it. Get involved where you can and stretch those muscles as regularly as possible.

Problem solving skills come more naturally to some than to others and that’s okay. Take opportunities to get involved and see where you can practice your skills in situations outside of a workshop context. Try collaborating in other circumstances at work or conduct data analysis on your own projects. You can often develop those skills you need for problem solving simply by doing them. Get involved!

Use expert exercises and methods

Learn from the best. Our library of 700+ facilitation techniques is full of activities and methods that help develop the skills you need to be an effective problem solver. Check out our templates to see how to approach problem solving and other organizational challenges in a structured and intelligent manner.

There is no single approach to improving problem solving skills, but by using the techniques employed by others you can learn from their example and develop processes that have seen proven results.

Try new ways of thinking and change your mindset

Using tried and tested exercises that you know well can help deliver results, but you do run the risk of missing out on the learning opportunities offered by new approaches. As with the problem solving process, changing your mindset can remove blockages and be used to develop your problem solving skills.

Most teams have members with mixed skill sets and specialties. Mix people from different teams and share skills and different points of view. Teach your customer support team how to use design thinking methods or help your developers with conflict resolution techniques. Try switching perspectives with facilitation techniques like Flip It! or by using new problem solving methodologies or models. Give design thinking, liberating structures or lego serious play a try if you want to try a new approach. You will find that framing problems in new ways and using existing skills in new contexts can be hugely useful for personal development and improving your skillset. It’s also a lot of fun to try new things. Give it a go!

Encountering business challenges and needing to find appropriate solutions is not unique to your organization. Lots of very smart people have developed methods, theories and approaches to help develop problem solving skills and create effective solutions. Learn from them!

Books like The Art of Thinking Clearly , Think Smarter, or Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow are great places to start, though it’s also worth looking at blogs related to organizations facing similar problems to yours, or browsing for success stories. Seeing how Dropbox massively increased growth and working backward can help you see the skills or approach you might be lacking to solve that same problem. Learning from others by reading their stories or approaches can be time-consuming but ultimately rewarding.

A tired, distracted mind is not in the best position to learn new skills. It can be tempted to burn the candle at both ends and develop problem solving skills outside of work. Absolutely use your time effectively and take opportunities for self-improvement, though remember that rest is hugely important and that without letting your brain rest, you cannot be at your most effective.

Creating distance between yourself and the problem you might be facing can also be useful. By letting an idea sit, you can find that a better one presents itself or you can develop it further. Take regular breaks when working and create a space for downtime. Remember that working smarter is preferable to working harder and that self-care is important for any effective learning or improvement process.

Want to design better group processes?

Over to you

Now we’ve explored some of the key problem solving skills and the problem solving steps necessary for an effective process, you’re ready to begin developing more effective solutions and leading problem solving workshops.

Need more inspiration? Check out our post on problem solving activities you can use when guiding a group towards a great solution in your next workshop or meeting. Have questions? Did you have a great problem solving technique you use with your team? Get in touch in the comments below. We’d love to chat!

James Smart is Head of Content at SessionLab. He’s also a creative facilitator who has run workshops and designed courses for establishments like the National Centre for Writing, UK. He especially enjoys working with young people and empowering others in their creative practice.

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McKinsey PST: Question Types, Study Plan & Mock Tests

The McKinsey Problem Solving Test (McKinsey PST) is a very crucial part of the McKinsey recruitment process. It is where most of the applicant pool is eliminated, and yet there are so few resources to help you prepare for it. Fortunately, you’ve found the ultimate guide to nail the test with an unbelievable level of detail!

Table of Contents

McKinsey PST overview

What is the mckinsey pst.

The McKinsey Problem Solving Test (or PST) is a paper-based test used at McKinsey & Company to select candidates for the case interviews. The PST is conducted after resume screening; it has 6 types of question, testing the candidate on 3 crucial problem-solving skills – data interpretation, mental calculations and logical reasoning.

McKinsey PST passing score / Acceptance rate

McKinsey has never officially stated the passing score or acceptance rate for the PST. However, these numbers can be estimated using reports from test-takers, with passing score being around 70%, and acceptance rate at roughly 30-35% (1 in every 3 candidates will pass).

Does McKinsey still use the PST?

Currently, the McKinsey PST is being replaced by the new Problem-Solving Game. However, the transition is not complete globally. In addition, the new Problem-Solving Game still retains the core principles from the old test, so preparing for the PST is still relevant.

Why do they need PST?

It’s very similar to what we have here! McKinsey believes that the gap between CV screening and in-person case interviews is too big. The firm may miss many good candidates with bad resumes or may interview too many candidates who don’t live up to their resumes.

At the end of the day, in-person interviews are expensive, and the Problem Solving Test provides a cost-effective solution.

Who has to take the McKinsey PST?

Every candidate who passes the resume screening round has to take the McKinsey PST – if they apply for the management consulting track. Some report indicates that MBA applicants might be waived from the test – however, this is rare and you should confirm with the target office HR.

What does PST look like?

26 questions, 1 hour, paper-based, and no calculator! The test has 26 multiple choice questions set within the context of 3 business cases. A candidate has exactly 60 minutes to finish the test. He will be provided with a watch, pencils, scratch paper, and the test is in a paper-based format. No calculator is allowed. No personal assistant is allowed. Just you and the test!

As the business landscape is changing, candidate recruitment has become increasingly complex. This requires another way of presenting PST content for McKinsey. They have changed the format into gamification and planned to implement this method to all McKinsey offices within 2020. Visit the mock game designed exclusively for MConsultingPrep followers!

PST vs. GMAT vs. SAT?

If you are new to PST, you may hear the myth that PST is similar to the Math section in GMAT or SAT. In fact, being excellent in SAT Math does help with quantitative calculation in PST, however, the context is different. The SAT Math section includes only simple calculations in simple context; meanwhile, logic in business problems is highly emphasized in PST.

Why is this test so challenging?

You will not have enough time to properly think through each question.

If you are going to read every single word in the case background and do every calculation “asked”, you will not be able to finish the test. You will need to know how to work through stress and pressure, how to give out “high-probability” answers instead of “exactly-right” ones, and how to painlessly skip questions.

You will be judged by a machine (or if by a person, they will try to be like a machine).

I myself feel much more comfortable in an in-person case interview, where I will be fine as long as I have the right tactics. The interviewers generally allow candidates to make a few mistakes here and there, to slow down the process if needed, and to ask for help when necessary. In the PST, the result is all that matters. There will be no mercy granted. If you don’t get enough correct answers, you are out.

On top of those, the questions themselves are hard!

A huge amount of logical and analytical reasoning is required. You will need to really grasp the logical fundamentals of how management consultants solve problems, e.g: the difference between a conclusion vs a hypothesis; etc.

How to prepare for the McKinsey PST?

Step 1 : Seek confirmation from the target office if you must take the PST

Step 2: Get familiar with official sample tests from McKinsey

Step 3 : Learn the logic of each question type, common mistakes, and how to answer correctly

Step 4: Practice mental math to improve calculation speed and accuracy

Step 5 : Practice speed reading and data selection

Step 6 : Practice answering individual question type under time pressure

Step 7 : Do one mock test with simulated test conditions

Step 8 : Review the test and your performance

Step 9 : Return to step 3, 4, 5, 6 to for further practice on weakness

Step 10 : Do mock test again, repeat until you can confidently hit 90% or more

McKinsey PST question types

Some emailed me and asked what they should do if there were 3 days left until the PST. I would still suggest you follow our spirit of learning. When you have little time, choose which question you want to prioritize, tackle it carefully and decide how deep you will go into it. If I were in your shoes, I would use this prioritization table

In addition to the above, I would suggest you practice your math in these last days. The learning curve at the beginning is usually high for anything, including Mental Math . Doing better math can significantly improve your test score. It reduces simple mistakes (which can still cost you points) and allows you to have more time for other questions.

McKinsey PST study plan

These are the same steps I took to pass the PST years ago, and the basis for my product – the PST Comprehensive Package which has helped countless candidates pass this notoriously difficult consulting test.

Step 1. Answer the questions correctly

You are recommended to first answer all the test questions correctly without time pressure. Before, you need to break down all the questions into 6 question types as below. Besides, it is necessary to understand how these questions are constructed, what are their logical foundation, and even how the wrong choices are made.

Step 2. Answer the questions quickly

There will be no turning point that indicates you it is about time to move to the second step, but you should gradually try to answer the questions both correctly and quickly. Once getting all the correct answers without clocking, you should put yourself under time constraint. If you don’t know how to increase your speed, you have better to start with 3 tips below:

#1. Increase your reading speed.

The PST contains 3 business cases with various number and case context, which requires you to read as fast as possible (of course correctly). Many candidates cannot finish their PST because of being overwhelmed in text. The Princeton intensive program is helpfulto increase your speed by 2 times faster without difficulties.

#2. Increase your calculator speed.

Half of the test involves math, which have no way to improve but practice rigorously. The more you practice, the better you gain. If you haven’t found any efficient tips, try our method to score well with Mental Math!

#3. Embrace test-hacking tips.

After years of coaching students to MBB, I have collected wonderful tips and tricks to nail your test with less effort! Find out some of those tricks as below or check out the McKinsey PST Comprehensive for more detail!

Reading facts

Reading-facts is the most common question type in the McKinsey PST (38%) and the BCG Potential Test (up to 100%). These questions test your ability to understand the facts/data itself. There will be no inferring, logic, hypothesizing, or creativity needed. Instead, proficiency in chart reading and calculations will be handy here. See the picture below for an illustration.

QUESTION FORMAT

The following are a few examples of typical question formats:

Which of the following values is the best estimate of…?
Which of the following statements is valid based on the data…?
Which of the following can be concluded from Exhibit…?

Sometimes even though the word “conclude” is used, questions don’t require any logical reasoning, just your ability to read facts and perform basic calculations. In these cases, I still classify these questions into the reading-facts category.

SAMPLE QUESTION

This question is written based on an official McKinsey practice PST.

Which of the following statements is valid based on the data in Table 1?

A) Soccer revenue was more than $325 thousand five years ago

B) Tennis revenue grew by no less than 1.2% in each of the last five years

C) The total revenue of Saigon League did not grow at all in the last five years

D) If the growth rate in the last 5 years is maintained, Soccer revenue will be more than $420K 5 years from now.

You will see that no tricky logical reasoning is needed here. All you need in order to answer these questions is the ability to read the table and perform calculations correctly.

COMMON MISTAKES

A good way to determine the correct option is to investigate if the other three are wrong. Now there are two ways you can be wrong in this type of PST question: (1) Incorrect calculation and (2) Misread the facts/ data

Type #2 is harder to understand, so I will dive deeper into that here. Let’s look at the sample question above. Hope you got D, the correct choice.

Example 1: How you can misread the data – Why A is wrong

If you overlook the phrase “Average annual” on column 3′s title, then Soccer revenue 5 years ago would be: $342.8 k / (100% + 4.5%) = $328 k, which is more than $325 thousand. Revenue grew at an average rate of 4.5% in EACH of the last 5 years. It is NOT 4.5% over the whole period of 5 years.

Example 2: How you can misread the data – Why B is wrong

If you overlook the phrase “Average” in column 3′s title, then it seems like the growth rate for each of the last 5 years is exactly 1.2%, no more, no less. B, therefore, seems correct. However, as indicated in the table, 1.2% is just an average figure, which means there are years with a lower or higher growth rate.

Example 3: How you can misread the data – Why C is wrong

If you overlook the second column of the table (Revenue this year column), then it seems like the average overall growth rate for Saigon League is 0% (4.5% + 3.3% + 1.2% – 9% = 0%), which makes C correct. However, different lines have different sizes. Even though Golf had negative growth of 9%, it is a relatively small line so its impact on the overall rate is small as well.

Hope that you will not make this mistake in your real PST. Again, PST is a simple test… when you have enough time!

PREPARATION GUIDE

Skill #1: Calculation

We have a detailed article on Consulting Math and how to strengthen your quantitative proficiency.

Skill #2: Chart/exhibit/table reading

Always take a moment to read and understand every single chart or graph you encounter in your everyday life.After all, practice makes perfect.

You can also improve your reading speed through an amazing speed reading program by Princeton University .

Skill #3: Attention to details

The devil is in the details. It’s the little things that can make or break a project, and no true consultants would let themselves be caught unaware.

Develop a habit in daily life. Have the mindset that I am not going to miss any stupid details.

For every practice question you get in this type, make sure you understand not only why an answer is right, but also why an answer is wrong, exactly like what I did above.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Which of the following statements is valid based on the data provided on Graph 3 above?

A) The Service-to-Agriculture ratio increased by more than 3 times between 1995 and 2007

B) Service GDP in 1995 is more than Industry GDP in 2007

C) Agriculture is where GDP value dropped the most between 1995 and 2007

D) In 2007, Service GDP is no less than 6 times Agriculture GDP

Correct answer: D

If you want to practice more, check out my PST Comprehensive Package for questions and answers!

Fact-based conclusion

Once you get into consulting, you will probably hear the term “fact-based” a million times a day. Consulting is the business of making conclusions based on facts. Consultants face tons of different problems throughout the course of any project: from the top to the granular level, from function to function, from industry to industry, etc. Fact-based conclusion is such a fundamental aspect of consulting that it weighs in heavily on the PST.

Fact-based conclusion questions test your ability to draw and recognize sound and logical conclusions based on a set of data/facts provided. See the picture below for an illustration.

Which of the following statements is a valid conclusion based on …?
Which of the following statements can be concluded from …?

The McKinsey team has an interview with the Chief Operating Officer of the New Bingham Mine, Salt Lake City. During the interview, the following facts have been gathered:

The factory must have at least one safety inspector 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in accordance with Federal and State labor regulations.
To maximize operational efficiency, there must be exactly 10 line workers operating the mine.
The mine operates from 8 am until 5 pm, Monday to Sunday.
The mine employs 4 safety inspectors and 16 line workers to make 20 workers in total.
The total weekly labor cost for the Bingham Mine is $16,000.

Which of the following statements is a valid conclusion?

A. One-fifth of the total labor cost for the mine is for safety inspectors.

B. At least one safety inspector must work more than 40 hours per week.

C. Line workers do not work more than 40 hours per week.

D. The majority of the mine’s labor cost is for line workers.

A – Fit-well but not fact-based

There are 4 inspectors out of 20 employees so it seems like the cost of the inspectors can very well be 1/5 of total labor cost. But a missing piece of data to conclude that is: does each person get a similar total income?

C – Fit well but not fact-based

The mine opens for 9 hours per day, 7 days per week, and there must be 10 line workers at a time, so it is 630 man-hours per week at the line positions. There are 16 line workers, so on average each of them only needs to work 39 hours per week. This seems to fit very well with the proposed conclusion: line workers do not work more than 40 hours per week. However, a missing piece of data to conclude is: does every line worker work the same amount of time (if not, there can be some who work over 40 hours while others work less)?

D – Fit well but not fact-based

Similar to A, there are more line workers, so it seems like the total cost for line workers is more than the total cost for safety inspectors. But a missing piece of data needed to conclude is: does each worker get paid the same amount?

=> Only B is proven true by the provided facts

There are 24 * 7 = 168 inspector hours needed in a week, equaling 42 hours per week per inspector. So there must be one who works more than 40 hours.

Identifying proven true conclusions is an important foundation to master all conclusion-related questions. However, most conclusion-related questions in the McKinsey Problem Solving Test will be given in other formats. In this section, we will learn about the two types of twists: (1) False conclusions and (2) Conclusions reversed . Let’s start with the first one.

TWIST TYPE 1: FALSE CONCLUSION

Any proposed conclusion must fall into one of the following three groups: Proven True, Proven False, and Unproven. This twist is when a question asks you to identify the False Conclusion instead of the True Conclusion.

Which of the following statements is FALSE based on …?
Which of the following statements is FALSE based on … ?

METHODOLOGY

A proposed conclusion is proven false when you can point out at least one instance where the conclusion is wrong. Similarly, with true conclusion questions, unproven conclusions should also not be selected.

Notice that proven FALSE conclusions are NOT conclusions not proven TRUE. A conclusion will stay unproven until it is proved to be TRUE or FALSE.

Which of the following statements is FALSE based on Table 1?

A. A, Inc. had lower average economic growth in the last five years than D, LTD.

B. A, Inc. had higher average economic growth in the last five years than D, LTD.

C. Investment risk rating is based on the difference between maximum and minimum revenue growth in the past five years.

D. Potential rating is based on the maximum recent revenue.

Of A and B, A seems to be false and B seems to be true. However, both of them are unproven. The maximum and minimum figures are not enough to conclude the average.

We don’t know if C is right or not, but we know that it is not proven false. In the provided data, there is no instance where the larger difference between maximum and minimum recent revenue growth indicates smaller risk (and vice versa).

With D, we know for sure that it is proven false because we can point out an instance where the assertion conflicts with the data (B Corp. vs. D, LTD.).

TWIST TYPE 2: CONCLUSIONS REVERSED

Very often, conclusion questions in the McKinsey Problem Solving Test are given in a reversed format. You will be given the conclusion first and asked to pick what facts/ data would be enough to come up with that conclusion.

The key to answering this type of question is to recognize which proposed fact makes the stated conclusion proven or unproven.

This question is written based on an official McKinsey practice PST:

FOCUS Travel is a premium Russian tourism company, offering tours to South East Asian countries. Facing the economic downturn, FOCUS revenue has been hurt badly. While the CFO (Chief Finance Officer) proposed an overall price cut to stay competitive, the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) is concerned that a price reduction would negatively impact the premium perception of the brand, which drives a lot of sales.

Which of the following statements, if TRUE, would best support the CMO’s assertion?

A. In a recent survey, FOCUS’s customers quoted “price” as the most important indicator in choosing travel agencies in a list of ten factors.

B. In a recent survey, FOCUS’s customers quoted “price” as the most important indicator of quality in a list of ten factors.

C. In a recent survey, there were customers who said they would not buy FOCUS’s services if there was a 10% price increase.

D. In a recent survey, there were customers who said they would not buy FOCUS’s services if there was a 10% price decrease.

In this question, the “conclusion” has been given to us: Price reduction will negatively impact the premium perception, which will in turn negatively impact sales.

Of the four proposed answers, which facts are enough to prove the provided “conclusion” above?

A: This fact is only enough to conclude that price will impact sales. Not enough to prove that price reduction will negatively impact sales.

C: This fact is irrelevant.

D: This fact is not enough to conclude that price reduction will negatively impact sales because not all customers say so. The word “there were” can be understood as either a minority or a majority. It is only enough to conclude the proposed conclusions when “there were” is replaced with “the majority of” or “all“ .

With B, we can logically infer that price reduction will negatively impact the quality perception, which in turn will hurt to sales.

3.3. Root-cause reason

This question gives you a particular set of facts/data and asks you to identify what could be the cause for them. When doing a real consulting project, we consultants have to find out the root-cause reason. There may be various reasons that can cause the current situation, but the root-cause reason will help us tackle and solve it more efficiently. You can see the picture below for an illustration.

The following are a few examples of typical root-cause reason question format:

Which of the following reasons, if TRUE, will help explain the Facts …?
Which of the following does NOT explain the Facts …?
Which of the following points is NOT a valid reason for the Facts …?

Only B is proven true by the provided facts

Facts provided: Visits to the website MConsultingPrep were relatively low last month.

Root-cause Reason Question: What reasons, if TRUE, would help explain the low traffic to MConsultingPrep last month?

The correct answers can be any of the following:

1. The quality of contents has been bad

2. Because of technical issues, some visitors could not access the website

3. Last month was December when the overall demand for job prep materials is lowest in the year

4. Other new consulting prep blogs opened recently

Fact-based Conclusion Question: What can be concluded from the data provided?

All of the statements above can be the reason for the stated fact, but NONE of them can be concluded from it.

An example of a statement that can be concluded: Because the conversion rate stayed constant over the years, revenue last month was relatively low.

What makes a statement NOT a potential reason for a particular fact?

There are two ways a statement cannot be the potential reason: (1) Wrong Subject and (2) Wrong Trend.

A statement is (1) Wrong on Subject when the subject is irrelevant, which means the statement has zero effect on the phenomenon mentioned in the stated fact.
A statement is (2) Wrong on Trend when the direction is reversed, which usually means the statement has a reversed effect on the phenomenon mentioned in the stated fact

Illustrative example Let’s continue with the simple example above. The Stated Fact: Visits to the MConsultingPrep blog were relatively low last month. (1) Example of a “Wrong Subject” statement: “Some new Investment Banking Prep blogs opened recently” Here the subject “Investment Banking Prep blogs” is irrelevant to the stated fact. The statement (1) will have zero effect on the stated fact. (2) Example of a “Wrong Trend” statement: “Some other existing Consulting Prep blogs closed recently” Here, even though the subject “Consulting Prep blogs” is relevant, the trend is reversed. The exit of Consulting Blogs will increase visits to MConsultingPrep. Therefore, statement (2) will have an opposite effect on the stated fact.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Fletcher is a major Steel producer in the Pacific continent. It has markets in New Zealand, Australia and other South East Asia countries. Of many types of steels, re-bar (reinforced bar) is typically used in high-rises and big construction projects.

There are three main groups of steel consumers in New Zealand:

Homeowners purchase steel at retail sizes for purposes of self-constructing and self-renovating their homes
Scaled private construction companies, who often contracts large construction projects and steel orders
State-owned Enterprises (SOE), who build government’s projects such as roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc. (SOEs usually have bargaining power since steel providers need governments’ permissions in order to be legally used in particular countries.)

Table 1 below shows the size of re-bar steel market (in billions of $US)

Which of the following statements, if TRUE, best explains why future trends for South East Asia sales differ from sales in the other two markets?

A) South East Asia population is expected to grow strongest, which lead to high steel demand from individual homeowners.

B) South East Asia economy will be heavily based on SOE, so will the construction market.

C) South East Asia economy will shift toward privatization, so will the construction market.

D) Developed markets of New Zealand and Australia will have the most advanced steel production technology and facilities.

Correct answer: C

Word Problem

Word Problem is a quantitative question where the answer cannot be calculated directly from the data provided. Usually, we have to set up one or more equations in order to solve this kind of question. Word Problem questions in the McKinsey PST and Case Interviews are just the word problems we usually see in schools, GMAT… but put into business contexts. The method to solve them, therefore, is the same.

Table 1: Data on the Washing Room of Jean Valjean Restaurant

Suppose the restaurant opens 350 days a year. There are 3 meal shifts per day, 1 shift lasts 3 hours, 1 customer uses an average of 5 dishes per visit, and currently the restaurant hosts 530 customers on average daily.

What percentage of increase in the number of daily visits would be required in order to make purchasing the machines financially beneficial?

Step 1 . Convert data/facts into manageable and standardized format and units (only needed for complex questions).

Step 2 . Set up an equation with one (or more) unknown variables, i.e. X, Y, Z, etc.

Tips: Don’t worry about having to make the variable as the question asked. Just set up the equation in a way that makes the most sense to you as long as the variables can be easily converted to the asked variable. It will save much more time and helps you avoid silly mistakes.

Step 3 . Solve the equation and get the answer.

METHODOLOGY ILLUSTRATION

Let’s solve the sample question above together.

Step 1: This is a very complex question with many non-standardized and not ready-to-use data. If I am going to tackle this question on my PST, I would convert the provided figures and write them out on a table as follows.

Notice that I have converted all the necessary data points into the same unit of “Franc per day”.

The only data point not fully converted is the Labor cost in Manual Process (measured by the “per dish” variable), yet I want to make sure that I go as far as I can.

See how simple the problem is now!

Step 2: Now that we have very manageable data, let’s go ahead and set up an equation that will help us find the answer. The asked variable here is: what percent increase in current daily visits does Jean Valjean need?

As mentioned above, it is NOT necessary to put the variable question is looking for in the equation. In this case, doing so will result in a very awkward and complicated equation.

Instead, I set up the equation that makes the most sense to me (do note that there is more than one way to set up equations). Let Y be the “break-even size” (measured by people). I can easily calculate the percentage asked for after getting the break-even size.

Cost per day of Manual Process = Cost per day of Machine Process

Washing cost + Set up cost = Washing cost + Set up cost + other cost

Y x 5 dishes x 0.1 Franc + 30 Franc = 270 Franc + 90 Franc + 200 Franc

After executing step 1 and step 2, the problem becomes a lot easier. Now we have:

0.5 Y = 530

Y = 2 x 530

Once we have Y (the new “break-even” visit volume) of 2 * 530, we can quickly convert Y into the asked variable: What percent increase of 530 customers/day does Jean Valjean need?

The final answer is C.

Client Interpretation

In every consulting project, communication with the clients’ top-level (usually the Chairman or CEO) is always important. During my time with McKinsey, we usually hear an update every one or two weeks from our Project Director (usually a partner) on his meeting with the clients’ top level. Messages from those meetings are important on-going steers for the project. No surprise it makes up an entire question category in the Problem Solving Test.

Client Interpretation questions test your ability to read, understand, and interpret the messages the client is trying to convey in the case question or description. To some extent, this is very similar to GMAT verbal questions.

Which of the following best summarizes the CEO’s concerns?
Which of the following statements best describes the thoughts of the CEO regarding…?
Based on the opinion of the head of the Department, which of the following statements is valid?
Which of the following statements best describes the CEO’s aims for the McKinsey research?

Case context:

Mommy said she saw some dirty clothes on the dining table. She is also quite shocked to see Kevin’s toys in every room throughout the house. She even complains about how much time it takes her every night to clean up Kevin’s mess. “I will have to have a very straightforward conversation with Kevin tonight!”, said mom

Which of the following statements best describes the Mom’s concern?

A. Mom is not happy about too many of Kevin’s toys sitting on the dining table

B. Mom does not expect to see that many of Kevin’s toys in the house

C. Mom does not like to be responsible for anyone’s mess

D. Mom is too busy these days

E. Mom wants to talk to Kevin

F. Mom wants Kevin to be tidier

In this example, we continuously get small data points, all leading to one bottom-line, not explicitly mentioned but can be reasonably interpreted:

Kevin is too messy and mom doesn’t like that!

Notice that, the bottom-line here is not explicitly stated but it IS the bottom-line. All 4 sentences in the case context are small pieces of data leading to that final “so-what”. Having this “so-what” in mind, you can just skim through the answer and quickly pick F without concern about other choices.

In case you are curious about how other choices are “wrong-choice” …

Choices B and E are in fact right according to the case context, but not the bottom-line.

Choices A is simple wrong according to the case context (Tip #2)

Choices C and D are neither right or wrong according to the case context. There are not enough “evidence” to be reasonably interpreted using common sense.

TIPS AND TRICKS

Tip #1: Read the case description before going to multiple choices!

Normally the strategy of scanning through the answers first before going back to the case description works when you have a very long case description and don’t know where to look for the right information. Scanning through the answers helps you get a more focused read on the case description. However, the client’s assertion is typically found in a very short and specific part of the case description. So once you realize it’s a Client Interpretation question, go back to the case description and find that very specific part of the client’s assertion. Make sure you understand it very well. Then the rest of the work is just determining which of the four choices has the same meaning as the original assertion.

Tip #2: Cross out some obviously wrong choices …

… by recognizing a few words or short phrases that make a choice incorrectly reflect the client’s assertion. Sometimes, you can do this very quickly and effectively. If not, please see tips #3.

Tip #3: Catch the bottom-line, the “so-what” of client’s assertion

Client’s expression as quoted in the case context is always a bit blur and confusing. That is very realistic of what you may encounter in the real consulting work. It also makes these question types challenging. But in almost every situation, there is always one “so-what”, stated explicitly or implicitly. The trick here is to catch that so-what, ignore the noise, and go straight for the answer choice. Most of the time, the wrong choices DO contain a part of the client’s assertion, but either not the whole idea or the main, the bottom-line, the most important one!

Using this method, you can fly and land straight to the correct choice, not having to care too much about how wrong choices are made of. But if you are curious, some of the most common wrong-choice types:

Choice that is simply wrong according to the client’s assertion (Tip #2 above).
Choice that is in fact right, but is a minor point, NOT the bottom-line of the client’s assertion.
Choice that seems to be right, but cannot be reasonably interpreted by common sense (not by scientifically supporting logic like in other question types).

Gangnam Market is a convenience-stores chain mainly in the Gangnam district, Seoul, Korea. Though it has been losing money almost every year since 2000, Gangnam Market secures a good deal of strategic locations in the highly populated Gangnam district. Recently, Gangnam Market was acquired by Lotte Mart in its aspiration to expand to the mini-market market. Lotte right away sets up a transformation project to get Gangnam Market back on track. The CEO of Gangnam Market states that aggressive transformation targets are fine for newly acquired stores with a similar operation model with Lotte’s big stores, but he hopes that the parent company is realistic about the convenience-stores model Gangnam has been operating with.

Which of the following statements best reflect the concerns of Gangnam Market’s CEO?

A) He is concerned that Gangnam Market will never be able to transform itself into Lotte system because Gangnam Market only presents in a specific geographic location

B) He is concerned that Lotte Mart sets transformation milestones that are too aggressive and not realistic for newly acquired companies like Gangnam Market

C) He is concerned that Lotte Mart’s transformation milestones are not realistic for companies with different operational model from Lotte Mart like Gangnam Market

D) He is concerned that Lotte Mart’s transformation targets are too high for Gangnam Market because it has been losing money for a while

Formulae questions are generally like word problems in PST where you don’t have to provide the actual numerical results, just the formulae containing letters representing input variables. Normally, the question will provide input variables in letter format and you will be asked to provide the right formulae in letter format (e.g. it takes the process center T hours to process each file. If the speed is doubled, it takes T/2 hours to process each file). This is one of the easiest PST question types on the McKinsey PST. Let’s make sure you don’t lose points on any question of this type in your exam!

Table 3.6.1: Labor Cost and Processing Data – Holcim Missouri plant

Which of the following formulae accurately calculates the annual cement output per worker?

A. (c x p) / (b + w)

B. (c x p) / [(b + w) x 12]

C. 144 x (c x p) / (b + w)

D. 12 x (c x p) / (b + w)

FORMULAE FOR SUCCESS IN FORMULAE QUESTIONS

Formula 1: Calculate first before looking at the given option

A popular technique for multiple-choice questions is to read the answers first before coming back to the facts. However, that technique would not help you with Formulae Questions. The reason for this is that, often, the end-result formula has already been simplified (e.g. canceling out the same variable on both numerator and denominator) as much as possible. It gives you neither the path to get there nor any hints on how to solve the problem. For instance, when you look at the four options in the example above, does any of them give you a sense of what it represents or how to get there? What does (c x p) represent? What do you get by multiplying Cement output by Monthly labor income?

Formula 2: Divide the problem into smaller pieces (take one step at a time)

This is the universal tip for everybody in the consulting industry, and it also works great here! Often, the result cannot be directly calculated from the provided variables. However, if you take an extra step in-between, the problem becomes a lot easier. Let’s solve the sample question above together to illustrate this point. I broke the problem into smaller steps as below:

Step 1: Annual cement output per worker = Total annual cement output / Total number of workers
Step 2: Since we already have Total annual cement output of (c), the next step is to calculate the total number of workers. Total number of workers = Total labor cost / Salary of 1 worker Both Total labor cost and salary are provided. Bingo!
Step 3: Simplify the final formulae

Formula 3: Get the reading-facts tools right

In some aspects, the formulae question is also a tweaked version of reading-facts questions. You still need to read some facts and perform some calculations (with letters instead of real numbers). Therefore, it is important to master those reading-facts tools and apply them here.

Illustration of a usual mistake: Now come back to Step 2 above and explicitly solve it.

Step 2: Total number of workers = Total labor cost / Salary of 1 worker = (b + w) / p

Step 3: Annual cement output per worker = c / [(b + w) / p] = (c x p) / (b + w)]

Chosen choice: A

Unfortunately, A is NOT the correct answer, because the above calculation doesn’t take into account the difference in units – the salary is on a monthly basis whereas the total labor cost is on an annual basis. If you convert the unit, the final choice should be D.

No matter how beautifully you have tackled the problem, you will not get any credit if small mistakes like this slip through the crack. Make sure you don’t get blindsided by this kind of pitfall!

VICEM is a leading cement company in South East Asia. The following data regarding its business and production has been gathered.

Table 3.6.2: VICEM Business and Production data

Clinker factor is defined as the amount of clinker needed to produce 100 units of cement.

Which of the following formulas calculates the amount of clinker (in tons) needed to purchase in a year?

A) [(s x f) / 100] – c

B) [(p – s) / 100] – c

C) (p x f) – c

D) [(p x f) / 100] – c

ANSWER KEY

McKinsey PST sample test

Download McKinsey PST practice test (PDF): TOYO case .

More free materials like this can be found in our Prospective Starter Pack - A-Z MBB Application – a collection of beginner’s materials to consulting resume, screening tests and case interviews.

Scoring in the McKinsey PSG/Digital Assessment

The scoring mechanism in the McKinsey Digital Assessment

McKinsey Solve Simulation (All-in-One)

The one and only existing platform to practice three mini-games of McKinsey Solve in a simulated setting

This article will give a detailed explanation of failing the test and practical advice to minimize the chance of poor performance in the McKinsey game.

The McKinsey Solve (other names: PSG, Problem Solving Game, Digital Assessment, Imbellus) is a two-piece gamified test designed by Imbellus for McKinsey.

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A Guide to Master Your Application: Problem-Solving Assessment, Part-1

Hello learner.

If you're visiting this blog post, you're probably about to approach your course application and are curious about the HackerRank problem-solving assessment portion of the application process. That's good! It means you're already thinking ahead and planning out ways to solve the assessment. Planning and problem-solving are a big part of computer programming - so your headspace is exactly where it needs to be.

Why does LaunchCode have a problem-solving assessment in the course application?

The course application problem-solving assessment is only one of the factors considered on your application. We also use the information that's included in the initial application — including your short-answer questions and reasons why you're taking the course — to determine whether or not applicants are admitted into the course. However, the completion of the assessment is required. We cannot consider your course application unless you have completed the assessment.

You do not need any prior coding knowledge to successfully complete the problem-solving assessment. The skills measured on the assessment (logical reasoning, problem-solving, and abstract reasoning) are critical to successfully learning how to code, but you do not need prior coding knowledge to be successful.

How will my performance on the assessment affect my chances of being admitted?

Your score on the assessment is only one of the factors used when making an admission decision. There is no set cutoff score for gaining acceptance on the test. With that said, let's dive into how to approach your application assessment...

What should I do to achieve my best possible score on the assessment?

The problem-solving assessment consists of 10 multiple-choice questions, which you have 90 minutes to work on. You must complete the assessment in a single setting; it is not possible to save your work and come back later.

Get ready: we suggest having a pen or pencil, paper, and a calculator available before beginning the assessment.

We also highly suggest taking this assessment on your computer or laptop in a quiet setting when you know you will have the fully allotted time without distraction. You may not consult any resources--including but not limited to a website, book, or friend — while taking the assessment.

The most important thing — don't stress!

Have fun with it! Problem-solving and logical thinking, finding new solutions to problems, and flexing your brain in different ways are what coding is all about. Much of what is taught in our courses revolves around understanding different types of logic, so the more you can build the reflex for this type of thinking, the more successful you will be!

So you've started your LaunchCode application. What's next? Check out this brief video on tips for your HackerRank problem-solving assessment. Interested to see what type of questions on the Problem-Solving Assessment, read part-two here.

A Guide to Master Your Application: Problem-Solving Assessment, Part-2

How to be a rockstar candidate: part 2, empowerment through mentorship.

Solve, McKinsey’s assessment game

Solve: a glimpse into the look & feel.

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Created by Saville Assessment, the Wave tests are designed to be the ‘best-in-class predictor of workplace performance and potential’.

They blend digital innovation and science to cover aspects of competency, potential, motivation, talent and preferred company culture in one short assessment.

The Wave tests are usually used in recruitment and selection, but they are also used for talent management and succession planning.

There are two main types of Wave tests used in recruitment:

The Wave Focus Styles
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A Guide to the Thomas International PPA (and Tips)

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One example of this is the Thomas International PPA assessment , which is a personality test commonly used by employers who are looking for individuals with specific personality types or strengths in defined areas.

In this article, you’ll learn what the Thomas International PPA Test is, what you can expect if you are asked to take the assessment and how your test will be scored.

We have also included plenty of helpful tips and free Thomas International PPA sample test questions to help you prepare ahead of taking the Thomas PPA assessment.

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The test can be given three times in a school year and helps teachers to plan their lessons so that children can reach their potential and continue to grow throughout their time in education.

In this article, you will learn more about the different levels of the test and the way it is structured to suit different grades, what types of questions are on the tests and how best to prepare your child for success.

A Guide to the NNAT Test: Examples and Tips

If your child is under the age of 12 and aims to get into a gifted school program, they will most likely be required to take the NNAT test to assess their skills.

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This article contains the most relevant information concerning the NNAT test, including its purpose, scoring system and levels.

You will also receive plenty of helpful tips on how to help your child prepare for the exam by completing a Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test sample and working on their weaknesses in each question type.

A Full Guide to the Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI) Test + Example Questions + Expert Tips

The Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI) is a scientifically-based aptitude test.

It is designed to assess cognitive ability and a candidate’s preferences for using qualitative and quantitative reasoning skills.

The HBRI is a popular tool for pre-employment screening, particularly in the management, sales and marketing sectors.

If you have been asked to take the HBRI, your test results will offer prospective employers insight into your decision-making skills, problem-solving abilities, approach to processing information and ability to learn from past experiences.

In this article, you can learn what to expect when taking the Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory HBRI test, see examples of the type of Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory questions you might be faced with and guidance on how to prepare for the assessment.

The MAP Kindergarten Test is a computer-adaptive test that measures your child’s progress throughout their academic career.

The grades K through 2 tests assess mathematics and reading abilities.

The results from these tests allow teachers to identify the gaps in your child’s knowledge and to better understand their ability to learn and retain information.

The MAP test is administered three times in the academic year to ensure your child’s progress is properly recorded.

A Guide to the Ramsay Mechanical Aptitude Test: Examples & Tips

The Ramsay Mechanical Aptitude Test is used as part of the pre-employment screening process for a number of roles in different industries.

It is an excellent indicator of how well you can learn on the job, as well as your ability to use basic physics principles and mechanical knowledge to solve problems.

In this article, you will learn more about which job roles require completion of the Ramsay MAT as part of the application process, and what different types of tests are available.

The format of the assessment, as well as the number of questions and the time limit, will also be discussed. You’ll also learn how the Ramsay MAT is scored and what happens next.

There will be example questions that are similar to those you are likely to find on the assessment, as well as some top tips for success.

A Guide to the Saville Assessment (& Tips)

The Saville assessments are used worldwide by companies during the recruitment process to assess a candidate’s suitability for a given role.

This series of tests measures numerical, verbal, spatial and abstract reasoning . You may also be assigned a situational judgement test and a personality questionnaire. Some roles may even require a mechanical reasoning test .

A Guide to the SHL Personality Test with Tailored OPQ32 (& Tips)

The SHL OPQ32 test is the flagship personality test from SHL.

Used by major organizations all over the world, it is considered to be one of the best psychometric assessment tools currently available on the market.

It is a trait-based personality test that is designed to gauge a candidate’s personality attributes and behavioral preferences in the workplace.

A candidate’s test results are analyzed by recruiters, helping them to decide whether a candidate is a good match for the job role they have applied for.

A Guide to the OLSAT Test: Examples & Tips

OLSAT stands for Otis-Lennon School Ability Test.

Children take the test to help schools decide admissions into their gifted-and-talented programs.

Preparing your children for taking the OLSAT is a good idea as it could determine their eligibility and acceptance to extra academic programs that are offered by their schools.

A Guide to the CritiCall 911 Dispatch Test: Examples & Tips

If you are looking for a career working with the emergency services, then becoming a 911 call handler and dispatcher might be just the role for you.

If you can handle working under pressure, helping the public and are able to deal with difficult and uncomfortable situations with a calm head, then you might have what it takes to be the first port of call in an emergency.

Becoming a 911 call handler and dispatcher means you will need to have some very specific skills and abilities, and as part of the recruitment process, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your suitability by taking the CritiCall 911 dispatch test .

Used throughout the US for recruiting people for 911 roles, the CritiCall test does not assess your previous experience or your knowledge of the role.

Instead, it is designed to assess candidates on the inherent aptitudes that are needed to be successful in the role.

This article will discuss what the CritiCall test is assessing, the types of questions that you are likely to face and what the recruiters will be looking for.

There will be some example questions, as well as details about what mark you will need to achieve to pass the test.

Finally, there are some CritiCall test prep tips to help you prepare for the assessment and what to think about on the day.

A Guide to the McQuaig Word Survey: Examples & Tips

The McQuaig Word Survey is a type of personality assessment.

Survey responses are used to measure a candidate’s key personality traits and compare these with how they are currently behaving in the workplace.

The results from the survey indicate whether a candidate is behaving naturally in their current role, or whether they are making changes to their behaviour.

This article will help you pass the McQuaig Word Survey assessment test by giving you all the tools and practice questions you will need.

The Caliper test is an assessment used by employers to gain a better understanding of a candidate’s personality traits, cognitive abilities and motivations.

The Caliper test is used to help employers predict a candidate's suitability for a role.

In this article, we'll take a detailed look at what the Caliper test is and how it is scored.

We’ll also share some tips on how you can perform at your best when taking your Caliper assessment test.

A Guide to the CCAT Test: Examples & Tips

More and more employers are choosing to use psychometric testing as a part of their recruitment processes as it helps to highlight those candidates who are most likely to be suited to the roles they are looking to fill.

Employers will often use this form of testing when recruiting for mid-to-high level managerial roles or positions that require a specific set of skills.

Using the results of assessments, recruiters and employers are able to see the strengths and skills of individuals as well as being able to predict future performance.

One of the most popular options for psychometric testing is the Criteria Cognitive Aptitude test – more commonly known as the CCAT.

A Guide to the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test: Examples & Tips

The Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test (BMCT) , also referred to as the Bennett Mechanical Aptitude Test, is considered the most popular mechanical aptitude test.

However, it is also believed to be the hardest one to pass.

The BMCT requires you to have a knowledge and understanding of physical principles and answer 55 questions about the application of these concepts within 25 minutes.

You typically need to score in the top 20% of candidates to progress to the next stage of recruitment.

A Guide to the BKSB Assessment Test: Examples & Tips

If you have applied for a job, apprenticeship or college course in the UK or Australia, you may have been asked to complete a Basic and Key Skills Builder or BKSB assessment) .

The initial BKSB assessment determines suitable applicants for an apprenticeship or places a student in the correct class level on a college course. The assessment tests you on your maths and English skills to identify areas that need improvement.

This guide will explain the BKSB assessment in detail, provide example questions, and answer your queries about the test content and format.

There are a variety of tests and assessments that can be used by companies for candidates applying for jobs.

One of those is the Thomas GIA Test .

This article will define what the Thomas GIA Test is and who it is for, in addition to looking at what the test involves, how it is scored and tips for the next chance to pass the test.

You will also find Thomas GIA test examples and explanations for each answer.

A Guide to the ieGAT Test: Examples and Tips

The IE Global Admissions Test (ieGAT) is an entrance exam for the IE University (IEU) in Spain.

It covers numerical , logical and verbal reasoning .

Not every IE program requires an ieGAT score. However, as the programs that do are highly competitive, those who take the ieGAT Test must prepare themselves to achieve the best score possible.

This article will help you understand:

What the ieGAT is
The structure
ieGAT scoring
How to register for the ieGAT
The best ways to prepare

Sova Assessment Testing Guide: Logical Reasoning Answers

More and more companies are introducing psychometric testing as a part of their recruitment processes.

This means that, if you are considering changing careers or applying for a new role within your existing industry, you may need to take an assessment.

One of the most popular tests for corporate employers is the test by Sova Assessment .

Postal Exam 474: Questions, Answers & Expert Tips

The United States Postal Service (USPS) provides extensive career opportunities and seemingly endless possibilities for professional development.

However, anyone looking to work at the USPS must pass a Virtual Entry Assessment designed to find suitable applicants for the role they are trying to fill.

This article covers the Postal Exam 474 , including its main parts, how to pass it and how to prepare for the Virtual Entry Assessment.

Let's start by looking at what exactly the 474 Virtual Entry Assessment is.

A Guide to the Hogan Assessment: Examples & Tips

Developed by Drs Joyce and Robert Hogan in the 1980s, the Hogan assessment is a collection of tests designed to assess personality traits, leadership skills and cognitive abilities.

The Hogan assessment is generally used as a pre-employment test for management roles.

This article will guide you through the online Hogan tests , provide a range of sample questions, discuss how the Hogan Assessment results are calculated and recommend ways that you can prepare to take the Hogan assessment yourself.

The Swift (Saville) Analysis Aptitude Test

If you’ve recently applied for a managerial or executive role, you may have been asked to take a Saville Analysis Aptitude Test , also known as the Swift Aptitude test.

The Swift Analysis Aptitude Test was created by Saville Assessment, which is a huge name in the test publishing market.

The CAT4 cognitive ability test is an examination designed to measure a student’s academic progress.

When the CAT4 test is scored, teachers and parents will be given a summary of the academic potential of the student.

Any student taking the test will be asked questions that will measure their non-verbal reasoning abilities, verbal reasoning skills, quantitative reasoning abilities and spatial awareness .

In this article, you’ll learn more about what types of questions are asked to examine these skills.

How to Pass the Korn Ferry Leadership Potential Assessment (KFALP) in 2024

The Korn Ferry Leadership Potential Assessment (KFALP) is used to test candidates to see if they have the potential to become leaders and managers.

It uses seven different categories, known as Seven Signposts, to assess potential leaders:

Learning Agility
Leadership Traits
Derailment Risks

This article will examine the theory behind the assessment, the different topics that are tested and how the assessment is scored.

There will also be example questions so that you know what to expect when you take the KFALP and some tips to help you score as highly as possible when you take the test.

Pymetrics tests identify specific behavioral characteristics and traits.

This article examines why pymetrics tests are used and what to expect in your assessment.

Tips are included to help you get the best results.

McQuaig Mental Agility Test (MMAT): Examples & Tips 2024

The McQuaig Mental Agility Test (MMAT) is a 15-minute timed test that is designed to assess your ability to think quickly.

In this short test, you will face questions that will allow you to demonstrate your speed of thought and general mental agility, which are useful aptitudes when it comes to many jobs in different industries.

In this article, find out more about the structure of the test, the different types of McQuaig Mental Agility test questions and what to expect on the day. You’ll also get some mental agility practice test questions and top tips to help you be successful in the MMAT.

A Guide to the FBI Phase 1 Test (Examples & Tips)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is responsible for the enforcement of federal law and the protection of national security in the US.

Working for the FBI can be highly stressful. As a special agent for the FBI, the working week is likely to be 50 hours or more.

Special agents must be willing to be based anywhere in the world. They are expected to carry a firearm and work in potentially dangerous situations.

With this in mind, the FBI has a rigorous application and selection process for potential new recruits. It can take more than 20 months to complete the entire process and commence employment with the FBI.

A Guide to the USPS Postal Exam 955 – Examples & Tips

This guide to the USPS postal exam 955 will take you through the different sections of the test, including example questions, provide tips on how you can prepare for the exam and answer several frequently asked questions.

The USPS postal exam 955 is used to screen applicants for mechanic and technician positions , such as electronic technicians or motor vehicle mechanics. It also sometimes referred to as the postal maintenance 955 exam, USPS maintenance mechanic 955 test or the 955 maintenance exam.

It tests applicants’ suitability by assessing personal characteristics, work experience, and electronic and technical knowledge and skills.

The USPS postal exam 955 replaced the previous 931, 932 and 933 exams .

The USPS postal exam 955 is free of charge , but you will need access to the internet and an email address.

Postal Exam: USPS Virtual Entry Assessment – MP 476

If you are looking to work in the United States Postal Service, you will need to pass the USPS Postal Exam 476.

The USPS Postal Exam 476 is an online test that screens for the best candidates. The exam is used to find suitable candidates for a range of positions, including mail processing clerk, data conversion operator and clerk-related positions.

This article will outline what the USPS Postal Exam 476 includes, with particular attention to the separate sections of the examination.

In addition to this, how the exam is scored and how you can best prepare for it will be covered. There will also be a list of frequently asked questions for you to refer to if you have any doubts.

A List of Amazon Assessment Tests Available for Practice in 2024

Amazon Work Simulation Assessment
Amazon Maintenance Technician Test
Amazon Coding Assessment
Amazon Workstyle Assessment
Amazon Area Manager Assessment
Amazon Operations Manager Assessment
Amazon Online MBA Assessment
Amazon RME Apprenticeship Skills Battery Test
Amazon Financial Analyst Assessment
Amazon ATA Technical Assessment
Amazon Control Systems Technician Test
Amazon Warehouse Assessment Test

The Amazon assessment test is an essential way for the corporation to find the best-suited employees.

It is a series of challenges used to evaluate all its candidates during the recruitment process.

Amazon online assessments typically include both numerical and verbal reasoning tests.

These types of tests examine a potential candidate’s logical skills.

Candidates will also have to sit work-style assessments that simulate the working environment at Amazon.

Other Amazon exams include:

The Amazon coding assessment (also known as the Amazon SDE online assessment)
The work sample simulation
An Amazon versant test

These last two, amongst others, will be discussed later in this article.

This Amazon reviewer job article will also discuss how to pass the Amazon assessment tests, some Amazon assessment answers you should know and what you need to do to best prepare yourself.

There is also a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions from those who are interested in taking these Amazon job tests to find employment with the company.

SHL Verbal Reasoning Tests: A Rough Guide

What Is the SHL Verbal Reasoning Test?

The SHL Verbal Reasoning Test is a graduate-level and above pre-employment aptitude test that is used in graduate and management recruitment for many roles across different industries.

The test is usually taken online, and it is designed to evaluate candidates on their ability to understand written information and make informed, reasoned and logical decisions based on that information.

SHL is a well-established test publisher, providing tests for more than 10,000 companies around the world. It offers a range of tests, including psychometric, behavioural and personality assessments that are based in occupational psychology and aptitude science.

The tests have specific aims – and recruitment teams use SHL tests like the Verbal Reasoning Test to filter through similarly qualified candidates to find the applicants who have what it takes to be successful in a graduate or management level role.

When taking a verbal reasoing test, bear in mind that you might also be asked to take numerical reasoning tests, logical reasoning tests or personality tests along side.

What Is an IQ Test? (with Example Questions and Answers)

IQ stands for intelligence quotient and is usually thought to represent the reasoning skills of individuals.

The idea of intelligence relates to how quickly people can solve problems or puzzles, use logic to answer questions, or quickly recall information and facts they’ve heard.

The first type of IQ test was created by a French psychologist named Alfred Binet.

The assessment that he made is still used and is known as the Stanford-Binet intelligence test.

How to Cheat on the GMAT and Why You Shouldn’t: GMAT Prep Guide

Considering cheating on your GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) Exam?

Want to know how to do it, if you should do it and what the consequences will be?

Well you came to the right place!

Read on to find out more about cheating on the GMAT exam, but be warned...

... it's certainly not something I advise!

3 Best Online Aptitude Test Preparation Websites (3 Free sites + 3 Paid sites)

Do you have an upcoming online aptitude test ?

Are you looking for the best aptitude test prep material to give you the very best chance of getting the highest possible grade?

If so, this article will help you.

Aptitude tests are a crucial part of your job search, and you usually only have one chance to showcase your skills.

Psychometric aptitude tests can measure many different aptitudes and skill sets, in many different formats:

Numerical reasoning
Verbal reasoning
Diagrammatic or inductive reasoning
Mechanical reasoning
Personality types
Situational judgement and work environment tests
Work style tests

Aptitude tests can be challenging and it is important to be fully prepared before you attend your job interview or assessment centre.

Several free and paid aptitude test preparation websites offer preparation packs to help you score the best you can.

Those dreaming of working for the TSA will most likely need to take a challenging exam called the TSA CBT Test during the hiring process. Here we’ll look at exactly what it involves and how you can make sure you pass it. Read on to find out more.

If you plan to work as an inspector, manager, marshal or security officer in any agency governed by the Transportation Security Administration, you must pass the TSA CBT test as part of your application process.

Read on to learn more about this assessment, including its purpose, what types of questions it has, how challenging it is and how to prepare for it.

You'll also be provided with a few example questions to help you get an idea of what this test looks like.

Let’s get started.

Aptitude Tests: 10 Sample Questions and Answers

Aptitude tests are administered to understand your inherent abilities to reason and respond to specific tasks.

They are widely used in various forms to screen candidates or evaluate existing employees for a future job role.

The most generic and widely used aptitude tests are curated to measure different facets of your abilities, mainly on the following areas:

Abstract Reasoning
Numerical Reasoning
Logical Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning
Attention to Detail

Apart from these base types, there are various other specialized aptitude tests which you may face in specific industries or based on your role in different career stages.

We have discussed each of the most common job related aptitude tests in detail.

Illustrative examples and helpful hints are provided throughout to aid your preparation.

Read on to find out more.

Cognify Tests: Game Based Assessments Explained

The Cognify test is a game-based cognitive assessment designed to measure an individual's cognitive aptitude to measure key job performance linked abilities and skills in a prospective candidate.

The Cognify test was once a product of Revelian, an Australian assessment company, but was later acquired by CriteriaCorp.

Moving away completely from the question-answer based template of traditional tests, Cognify uses an innovative approach where candidates don't face a series of questions on a screen.

Instead, the Cognify Assessment comprises 6-7 timed game-based mini-tests categorized into three cognitive abilities categories:

Problem-Solving
Verbal Knowledge

Well, before you start raising your eyebrows at the mention of ‘game-based’ and dismiss it as just another fad, pay attention!

Cognify assessment is credited as having brought a paradigm shift in the field of psychometric testing.

Many Tier-I graduate recruiters globally have started using this assessment in their candidate selection process.

Train Driver Tests Guide: with Example Questions + Answers

The train driver test is used to establish whether a candidate is suitable for work as a train driver. This unique suite of tests includes psychometric assessment tools such as:

The Group Bourdon Test (GBT)
Test of Everyday Attention (TEA-OCC)
Adaptive Tachistoscopic Traffic Perception Test (ATAVT)
Situational judgement tests
Vigilance tests
Written communication tests

What Is the Train Driver Test?

In most countries, you will need to sit the train driver online test if you want to work as a train driver. If you have been asked to sit the assessments, there is no train driver psychometric test cost associated with the train driver exam.

Working as a train driver is a challenging and demanding role. As a train driver, you must be able to ensure the safety of passengers at all times.

The UK’s train driving tests are some of the most challenging. As well as testing aptitude for the job role, they are used to assess whether candidates have the mental abilities to cope with the stress and demands of the job role.

The train driver test is used to establish whether a candidate is suitable for work as a train driver. The train driver test is a unique group of psychometric tests for train drivers designed to assess the psychomotor and cognitive skills needed to work safely as a train driver.

Predictive Index Tests Fully Explained [With Example Questions + Answers]

The Predictive Index (PI) test is a popular type of pre-employment testing used to accurately measure an individual’s cognitive ability and behavioral profile during the hiring process in a wide range of industries and organizations. They are most commonly used during the early stages of the recruitment process.

The PI cognitive test assesses verbal, numerical and analytical reasoning ability.

The PI behavioral test creates a behavioral persona that describes character traits and tendencies.

Mechanical Aptitude Test: Preparation, Practice & Example Test Questions

A mechanical aptitude reasoning test is an important way to assess your knowledge on mechanical topics for potential roles in the army, emergency services and many other professions. Here, you will get all the information you need on what a mechanical comprehension test is and how to pass it.

Those applying for jobs related to the army, the emergency services engineering service, and similar occupations that require mechanical aptitude, are likely to be asked to take a mechanical reasoning test as part of the recruitment process.

Mechanical aptitude tests assess knowledge in electricity, optics, pressure and other fields of mechanics related to a specific industry.

From this article, you'll learn what mechanical reasoning tests look like, when to take them, what to expect from these assessment types, and how to practise and prepare for them.

Let’s get started!

Cognitive Ability Tests: Practice Test Questions, Answers & Explanations

If you would like to take a free practice Cognitive Ability Test before reading this article, click here .

If you would like to purchase an online Cognitive Ability Test prep pack, visit our partner website TestHQ .

The following tests are common cognitive ability tests:

Spatial Reasoning
Mechanical Reasoning
Logical Ability Tests
Space Visualization
Information Processing
Visual Pursuit
Manual Speed and Accuracy

Spatial Awareness Tests: Example Questions & Answers (2024)

Spacial Reasoning Definition

A spatial awareness test is a type of assessment that tests your ability to think in three dimensions and use your imagination to see movement through space.

Someone with good spatial awareness will be able to see in their mind how different shapes interact and be able to manipulate them to make a reasoned and logical decision.

The test is based on pictures, diagrams and shapes. You will need to mentally manipulate the presented image by disassembling or reassembling, rotating, seeing it in a mirror image or from different angles, or otherwise visualizing it differently to find the right answer to the question from the multiple-choice options provided.

Spatial awareness is something that we use to a greater or lesser degree every day, from understanding our position relative to other things around us to imagining the route we will take to get from one place to another.

Spatial reasoning tests are distinct from other similar assessments such as diagrammatic reasoning tests and abstract reasoning tests. It is important to understand how they differ as they are often included in aptitude tests and cognitive assessments alongside spatial reasoning tests.

15 Free Psychometric Test Questions and Answers

Psychometric tests are often used by organizations as part of the recruitment process. Different types of psychometric tests are designed to measure various aspects of cognitive ability, reasoning capabilities and personality traits. Potential employers use the results to assess a candidate’s suitability for a role. A psychometric test is generally administered online; this helps hiring managers filter applicants quickly and easily.

How to Cheat on SHL CEB Reasoning Tests (and Why You Shouldn't!)

Are you considering cheating on your upcoming SHL tests ?

In this full disclosure article, I’ll tell you why people cheat on tests, how people cheat, and whether or not it’s worth doing..

Don't cheat!

Practice... it's the only legitimate way to improve your scores, you'll sleep better at night and probably get better results in your tests too.

Still want to read about how to cheat on a test?

The Expert Guide to Numerical Tests (+ Practice Tests + 5 Top Tips to Pass Every Time)

Numerical Reasoning Tests can be very tricky.

And when it comes to results, preparation and practice are key.

But that's easier said than done.

If you're researching this type of aptitude test for the first time or if you want to improve your numerical ability , perform better on tests and get more job offers this article will provide some practical strategies that you can use immediately .

For the best chance of success, read the article below slowly, work through the example questions , follow our tips and actionable advice and then start taking practice tests .

Ready to get started?

Let's go!...

Want to try a practice test before reading this article?

You can take our free numerical test right here:

In-Tray & E-Tray Exercises, Prep Guide 2024

The in tray exercise (also called an e-tray exercise ) is a popular assessment activity which employers use to evaluate the skills of applicants in a workplace situation.

If you have an In Tray exercise coming up as part of your interview process, this article will help you prepare.

Within these exercises, candidates will be presented with a given scenario, along with a set of tasks to complete which may include things like responding to email messages, reports or briefing documents.

Situational Judgement Tests: A Complete Guide (With Practice Questions)

What Is a Situational Judgment Test?

A situational judgement test (SJT) is a psychometric test that is often used as part of the recruitment process for graduate and managerial positions as well as roles that are customer-facing in a wide range of industries.

The SJT is designed to assess how a candidate deals with work-related problems and situations, focusing on essential aptitudes , competencies and soft skills that are not always easy to evaluate in other ways.

Although SJTs are usually bespoke to the company (or in some cases, the specific role), they tend to follow the same basic structure.

Each question is formed by presenting a fictional yet realistic work-based scenario. This might be text-based, it may include some illustrations or it could be animated or acted out in a video.

Following the scenario, there will be several options that you can choose from, each giving a possible course of action to follow to solve the issue that is presented in the situation given.

The answer that you choose will be compared to the benchmark answers that the recruitment team is using – these represent the core competencies for the role, as well as alignment with company values.

SHL Assessment Test: How to Get Top Scores on Any Test, Every Time

SHL assessment tests are important steps in many job interviews and career advancement opportunities. Therefore, it is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of how the different types of SHL tests work and how you can prepare for them in order to get top scores.

In this article, we will provide an overview of how SHL assessments work, sample SHL test questions, tips on improving your test performance, and strategies for prepping and succeeding with any SHL test.

What Is an SHL Assessment Test?

SHL is a global assessment company that is well known and recognised as a leader in pre-employment psychometric tests; the tests that SHL publishes are used by 75% of the FTSE 100 and they are available in more than 40 languages.

So if you are applying for a new role (especially for a graduate position), you are likely to come across them in the recruitment process.

In addition, the company offers consultancy and management services via its TalentCentral platform.

The SHL assessment are a series of tests that can be delivered individually or in a battery, and some of them are bespoke to the company that is using them, making them an excellent way for the recruitment team to ensure that the applicants for a role have the basic competencies, personality traits, work behaviours and cognitive abilities to be successful.

Sind Sie auf der Suche nach kostenlosen psychometrischen Tests zur Übung?

Dann ist diese Seite genau das Richtige für Sie.

Was ist ein psychometrischer Test?

Psychometrische Tests (auch Eignungstests genannt) sind fester Bestandteil von Jobinterviews vieler Unternehmen auf der ganzen Welt.

Diese Tests bestehen normalerweise aus einer Reihe von zeitlich erfassten Fragen , die meist numerischen (mathematischen Fragen), verbalen (Fragen zum Leseverständnis) oder logischen (diagrammatischen Fragen) Ursprungs sind.

Testes Psicométricos: O Guia Completo + Testes Práticas

Testes psicométricos (também conhecidos como testes de aptidão) são uma parte comum do processo de entrevistas de emprego em muitas companhias no mundo todo.

Geralmente, esses testes consistem de uma série de questões com um certo tempo de resposta.

As questões costumam ser numéricas (questões matemáticas), verbais (compreensão textual) ou lógicas (questões de diagrama).

Dicas Para O Teste SHL (Atualização De 2024): Como Obter As Melhores Pontuações Em Todos Os Testes, Todas As Vezes.

Testes SHL . Se você está lendo isso, há uma boa chance de você ter acabado de descobrir que fará um desses testes difíceis como parte de um processo de recrutamento em andamento.

Se você chegou tão longe e agora está se sentindo tenso para se sentar na frente de um ‘abstract quiz’, não se preocupe...

Nós cuidaremos de você.

Mejorar en las pruebas de razonamiento inductivo

El Razonamiento Inductivo está basado en patrones y es otra variante de las muchas pruebas psicométricas utilizadas por los empleadores como una forma de determinar la idoneidad de un candidato para sus roles.

En un nivel similar al del razonamiento esquemático , el razonamiento inductivo probará tu habilidad para aplicar la lógica y la razón para la resolución de problemas.

Cómo funcionan las pruebas inductivas

Dentro de la prueba se te presentará una serie de diagramas los cuales se vincularán mediante una regla subyacente.

Esta regla afectará el diseño del diagrama y tu tarea será identificar el patrón.

Bonificación: puedes obtener acceso ilimitado y gratuito a la práctica de prueba (durante 30 minutos) en nuestro sitio web asociado JobTestPrep: Clic aquí .

Por lo general, se espera que los candidatos seleccionen entre 4 y 6 posibles respuestas completas bajo condiciones de tiempo.

Las pruebas de razonamiento inductivo a menudo complementan otras pruebas como las de razonamiento verbal o numérico.

A veces las empresas requieren que complete una prueba de juicio situacional o un cuestionario de personalidad junto con la evaluación de razonamiento inductivo.

Los resultados de cada prueba se revisarán individualmente y luego colectivamente para determinar si tú serías una buena opción para la empresa.

¿Por qué los empleadores utilizan estas pruebas?

Algunas veces se las denomina prueba de razonamiento abstracto, las evaluaciones de razonamiento inductivo están diseñadas para evaluar tus habilidades en la resolución de problemas y el razonamiento lógico.

Cuando completes la prueba, los reclutadores buscarán tu capacidad para trabajar de manera efectiva con información desconocida para alcanzar una solución viable.

Las pruebas se utilizan a menudo para evaluar tu capacidad de pensar creativamente, aplicar habilidades analíticas y diseñar soluciones innovadoras, mientras que a menudo son un indicador de tu nivel general de inteligencia.

Como tal, es esencial que realices el trabajo preparatorio necesario antes de la prueba real para asegurarte de poder completarla exitosamente y crear una buena impresión.

La prueba de razonamiento inductivo es frecuentemente usada por empleadores corporativos; es común esperar que se complete al menos una prueba psicométrica como parte del proceso de reclutamiento.

Los empleadores utilizarán estas pruebas para ver la eficacia con la que trabajas bajo presión y tu enfoque de la evaluación.

Las pruebas de razonamiento inductivo son usadas predominantemente en los roles técnicos o aquellos que requieren una resolución frecuente de problemas y los empleadores las utilizan para evaluar cómo identificas patrones, con qué eficacia puedes identificar reglas y consistencias de datos y si puedes predecir la secuencia de objetos a medida que evolucionan.

En términos de evaluación psicométrica, el razonamiento inductivo, el razonamiento abstracto y el razonamiento esquemático son tres pruebas que a menudo se superponen con la evaluación. Los proveedores utilizan nombres diferentes para cada uno, lo que hace que las cosas sean un poco más confusas.

Estas pruebas ciertamente varían entre los empleadores y la etapa en el proceso de reclutamiento también será diferente.

Algunas empresas los utilizan como un ejercicio de selección previa a la entrevista para limitar un conjunto de candidatos, mientras que otras organizaciones pueden usarlos hacia el final del proceso de reclutamiento o como parte de los días de evaluación.

Contenido de la prueba de Razonamiento Inductivo

La mayoría de las pruebas de razonamiento inductivo presentan una serie de secuencia de palabras, ilustraciones o formas y te piden que decidas cuál es la siguiente.

Esto requiere prestar atención a los detalles, a la resolución de problemas y perseverancia para alcanzar la respuesta requerida, todo lo cual se evalúa en condiciones de tiempo, lo que agrega aún más presión.

La prueba en sí misma requerirá que compares varios elementos incluyendo colores y formas, o que los clasifiques basándote en cantidad o tamaño.

Como un ejemplo, se te proporcionará un juego de seis cuadros conteniendo una cantidad de formas y luego se te pedirá que elabores una secuencia lógica para cada cuadro.

Para obtener la respuesta correcta, deberías identificar un patrón tal como similitudes, diferencias o una combinación de ambos.

Estas tareas pueden parecer extremadamente complejas, por ello es importante realizar tantas prácticas de pruebas similares como sea posible antes de la prueba real y también tanta práctica como puedas antes de la entrevista o del día de evaluación.

Asegúrate de llegar a tiempo y haber dormido bien la noche anterior, de lo contrario, es posible que te falte la concentración y que parezca que no entiendes lo que te piden que hagas.

Una aproximación a las Pruebas de Razonamiento Inductivo

Cuando comienzas la prueba, lee la pregunta detenidamente y trata de observar solamente a un elemento de la forma a la vez.

Es muy fácil sentirse abrumado por el contenido de una evaluación de razonamiento inductivo, por lo que la mejor manera de abordarla es intentar y decidir el patrón, considerando específicamente el tamaño, la orientación y la ubicación de la forma interior.

Los patrones están diseñados para ser complicados en tomarte el tiempo y utilizar tu lógica para resolver el problema.

Si estás teniendo una particular dificultad en identificar un patrón, trata de observarlo desde el final en lugar del principio.

Esto puede resaltar de manera efectiva algo que quizás hayas omitido usando el método tradicional de revisar las formas.

Toma conciencia de la hora pero no mires el reloj, y no te asustes en la medida de lo posible; esto sólo hará las cosas más difíciles.

Las pruebas de razonamiento inductivo son creadas para ser completadas bajo presión, por lo que la práctica de completar las pruebas en condiciones de tiempo puede ayudar de manera significativa.

Practicar es una de las mejores maneras de prepararte mentalmente para cualquier prueba psicométrica y el razonamiento inductivo no es diferente a ello.

Nada te preparará mejor para la evaluación que realizar una cantidad de exámenes de práctica, muchos de las cuales puedes encontrar en línea gratuitamente.

Cuando te familiarizas con el formato de la prueba y te acostumbras a responder preguntas rápidamente y trabajar bajo presión, es mucho más probable que tengas éxito que si no realizas ningún trabajo de preparación o práctica anteriormente.

La Guía Completa de Pruebas Psicométricas (Edición 2024)

¿Qué son las pruebas psicométricas?

Las pruebas psicométricas (también conocidas como Pruebas de Aptitud ) son ahora una parte común de los procesos de selección y evanotluación, por lo tanto un requisito necesario para solicitar trabajo.

Si tú aún no has completado una, es muy probable que lo necesites en algún momento en el futuro. Con esto en mente, hemos preparado para ti la Guía actual para las pruebas psicométricas para explicar qué son, cómo se utilizan y cómo completarlas con éxito.

Antes de comenzar con el artículo a continuación, ten en cuenta que tenemos tres pruebas psicométricas de práctica disponibles para que las pruebes.

Pruebas de razonamiento verbal: Guía experta 2024 (con ejemplos de preguntas y respuestas de las pruebas)

Las pruebas de razonamiento verbal están diseñadas para examinar tu nivel de comprensión del pasaje de un texto.

Estas pruebas son un ejemplo de una prueba de habilidad (a veces conocida como pruebas de aptitud) y son utilizadas por los empleadores en combinación con pruebas de razonamiento numérico y pruebas de razonamiento lógico .

Las pruebas de razonamiento verbal tienen como objetivo identificar tu capacidad máxima de comprensión, o en otras palabras, el párrafo de un texto más desafiante que tú podrás entender.

Numerische Tests: Erreiche den 99%-Bereich (2024 Artikel-Update)

Numerische Tests können knifflig sein. Übung und die richtige Vorbereitung sind der Schlüssel zum Erfolg.

Aber das ist leichter gesagt als getan…

Wenn Du zum ersten Mal über diese Tests nachliest oder wenn Du nach Wegen suchst um deine Fähigkeiten zu verbessern, besser abzuschneiden und mehr Interviews und Jobangebote zu bekommen, ist dieser Artikel ideal für Dich.

Hier erfährst Du von Strategien die Du sofort praktisch einsetzen kannst.

Falls du einen Übungstest machen möchtest kannst du hier jederzeit einen der kostenlosen numerischen Tests ausprobieren. Dieser Test beinhaltet zehn Fragen (mit Antworten und ausführlichen Erklärungen).

Wie kann man sein Ergebnis so schnell und effektiv wie möglich verbessern , selbst bis in der 99% Bereich ?

Lies den Artikel am besten langsam durch, folge unseren Tipps und unseren Empfehlungen – so hast du die größten Erfolgschancen. Wenn du damit fertig bist kannst du einen unserer Übungstests kostenlos ausprobieren.

Bonus: Kostenloser uneingeschränkter Zugang zum Eignungs-Übungstest (für 30 Minuten) auf unserer Partner-Webseite JobTestPrep.

A Guide to the Microsoft Excel Test 2024: Preparation, Practice & Example Test Questions

Microsoft is one of the world's most commonly used computer software.

If you're working in an office, you are almost certain to use applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook or PowerPoint.

Therefore, it makes perfect sense that employers want to know that you are proficient in these applications as part of their hiring process.

If your job requires data analysis or compiling data streams, you will likely need to be adept at using Microsoft Excel.

In these circumstances, you may be asked to participate in an Excel assessment test so a hiring manager can confirm that you know how to make the most out of the program.

With this in mind, we will look at what you could expect from a Microsoft Excel test.

Then, we'll take you through a series of Microsoft Excel practice test questions, and we'll give you everything you need to know so you can prepare for the Excel assessment.

A Guide to the Cubiks Test: Tips & Example Questions

What Is a Cubiks Test?

The Cubiks tests were developed by the Cubiks assessment consultancy, which was founded in 2000.

In 2019, Cubiks was acquired by PSI Talent Management UK, an award-winning provider of psychometric assessments.

In 2022, PSI Services became Talogy.

Cubiks tests are available in more than 50 countries around the world. Many highly-regarded employers in the UK use Cubiks tests, including:

The UK Civil Service
National Audit Office
National Health Service

Cubiks tests are designed to help employers and organisations with recruitment, employee development and talent management. They are well known for their intuitive interface and easy-to-interpret structure.

When applying for job roles, you may be asked to complete one or more types of Cubiks test as part of the screening and selection process.

If you are already working, your employer might ask you to sit a Cubiks test assessment as part of the career development programme or talent management process.

This article offers an overview of what to expect from the Cubiks test. It also includes some Cubiks online test example questions and tips on how to succeed when taking the Cubiks test.

The Korn Ferry assessment is a tool used in the recruiting process for leadership positions.

The tests assess candidates across a range of skills, including:

Logic reasoning ability
Numerical reasoning ability
Verbal reasoning ability
Personality traits

As a result, the Korn Ferry assessment allows businesses to secure the best talent and identify individuals to be promoted to management positions.

The Korn Ferry assessment is an evaluation tool used by companies across the globe to ensure they employ the best talent.

The assessment comprises a series of smaller tests focusing on:

Reading comprehension
Personality
Leadership assessments

As well as a tool utilized during the interview process, the Korn Ferry assessments are often used when looking to promote team members into management positions.

This article will discuss the Korn Ferry assessment, explaining exactly what it involves and giving tips to enable the best chance of success.

If you are applying for an executive-level or management role, you might be expected to take an aptitude test as part of the recruitment process.

The Swift Executive Aptitude Test is a short assessment designed to measure specific aptitudes that are necessary for success in a leadership position.

In this article, you will discover more about the test, the structure of the assessment, and example questions.

You will also learn what you will need to bear in mind to be successful in the test, including tips about preparation and a breakdown of what to expect from the scoring.

This numerical reasoning practice test has 10 questions.

The test has a mixture of numerical questions that vary in difficulty.

Answers and full explanations are provided after you have completed a question. You should aim to complete the test within 10 minutes.

Make sure you read and fully understand each question before answering. Work quickly, but don't rush. You cannot afford to make mistakes on a real test.

What is a Verbal Reasoning Test?

A Verbal Reasoning Test is a type of cognitive assessment designed to evaluate an individual's ability to comprehend and analyze written information, make logical deductions and draw conclusions based on the presented text.

These tests are often used in various educational and employment settings to assess a person's verbal reasoning skills, which are essential for tasks that involve understanding and interpreting written or spoken language.

This inductive reasoning practice test has nine questions (and includes answers and full explanations).

This abstract reasoning practice test has 10 questions (and answers with full explanations).

For each question, choose which of the figures in the bottom line – A, B, C, D or E – completes the series in the top line.

The level of difficulty varies significantly, from easy to extremely hard. Items having the solution based on one rule are easy, while those with the solution based on four rules are extremely hard; the others are in between - medium and hard, respectively.

Your goal is to understand the logic of each question (the rules behind it). Do not despair if you can’t find the solution immediately, especially for the very hard questions!

What is a Cognitive Test?

A cognitive test is an assessment tool designed to measure an individual's cognitive abilities, which are the mental processes involved in acquiring, processing, storing and using information.

Cognitive assessments are used to evaluate various aspects of cognitive functioning, including memory, attention, problem-solving, reasoning, language comprehension, and more.

Cognitive function tests are commonly employed in several contexts, including education, clinical psychology, neuropsychology and employment assessment.

This cognitive ability practice test has been designed to help you prepare for the real thing.

Deductive Reasoning Practice: Test & Guide 2024

What Is a Deductive Reasoning Test?

A deductive reasoning test is a type of cognitive assessment that measures a person's ability to draw logical conclusions based on given information or premises.

Deductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that involves moving from general statements or principles to specific conclusions. In other words, it is the process of applying a general rule or premise to a specific situation to determine a particular outcome.

In a deductive reasoning test, you are typically presented with a set of premises or statements that establish certain conditions or facts. You are then asked to use these premises to determine a valid conclusion.

The conclusions you reach must follow logically from the given premises, and the test assesses your ability to make accurate deductions based on the provided information.

Deductive reasoning tests are often used in educational settings, as part of standardized testing, and in various employment assessments.

They are designed to evaluate an individual's problem-solving skills, critical thinking ability, and their capacity to analyze information and reach logical conclusions.

These tests can take various formats, including multiple-choice questions, true or false questions or scenario-based questions where you need to determine the correct outcome based on the information provided.

Success in deductive reasoning tests often requires a strong understanding of logical principles and the ability to apply them effectively to specific situations.

What is Logical Reasoning?

Logical reasoning, often referred to as logical thinking or critical thinking, is a cognitive process that involves the ability to analyze information, identify patterns, make sound judgments and draw valid conclusions.

It is a fundamental skill that plays a crucial role in problem-solving, decision-making and rational thinking.

Logical reasoning involves breaking down complex information or situations into smaller, more manageable parts. It requires examining details and understanding the relationships between various elements.

What are the Types of Logical Reasoning Tests?

Logical reasoning tests come in various forms and are used by employers, educational institutions, and standardized testing organizations to assess an individual's ability to think critically and solve problems.

Here are some common types of logical reasoning tests:

Verbal Reasoning Tests

Reading Comprehension: These tests assess your ability to understand and analyze written information, make inferences, and draw conclusions from passages of text.

Critical Thinking Tests: These tests evaluate your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments, identify assumptions, and assess the validity of statements or claims.

Analogical Reasoning Tests: Analogical reasoning involves recognizing relationships between words or concepts and applying these relationships to solve problems. For example, you might be asked to complete an analogy like "A is to B as C is to what?"

Numerical Reasoning Tests

Numerical Computation: These tests assess your basic arithmetic skills, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Numerical Sequences: These tests require you to identify patterns and relationships within number sequences and use them to predict the next number.

Data Interpretation: In these tests, you are presented with data in the form of tables, graphs, or charts, and you must interpret the information to answer questions.

Abstract Reasoning Tests

Non-Verbal Reasoning: Abstract reasoning tests evaluate your ability to recognize patterns, shapes, and relationships among visual elements. They often involve series of diagrams or figures, and you must identify the logical rules governing them.

Inductive Reasoning: Inductive reasoning tests present you with a series of visual or abstract patterns and require you to identify the underlying rules and predict the next pattern in the sequence.

Spatial Reasoning Tests

Spatial Awareness: These tests measure your ability to visualize and manipulate objects in three-dimensional space. You may be asked to complete puzzles, identify rotated or mirrored images, or solve spatial problems. Diagrammatic Reasoning Tests:

Diagram Interpretation: Diagrammatic reasoning tests use diagrams or symbols to present problems. You must analyze the diagrams to draw conclusions or identify patterns.

Syllogism and Logic Tests

Syllogisms: Syllogism tests present logical statements and ask you to determine whether a conclusion is valid based on the given premises.

Symbolic Logic: These tests involve working with formal logic symbols to evaluate logical arguments.

Inference and Deduction Tests

Inference Tests: Inference tests assess your ability to make logical deductions and draw conclusions based on a set of statements or information.

Deductive Reasoning: Deductive reasoning tests require you to apply deductive logic principles to solve problems and make decisions.

Mechanical Reasoning Tests

Mechanical Understanding: These tests evaluate your knowledge of mechanical and physical concepts, such as gears, pulleys, levers, and basic physics principles.

Cognitive Ability Tests

Cognitive Ability Tests: These assessments often include a combination of various reasoning types and are designed to measure overall cognitive abilities.

What are the Common Logic Tests Employers Use?

Employers often use a variety of logic tests to assess the cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills of job applicants. The specific logic tests used can vary depending on the nature of the job and the industry.

Here are some common logic tests that employers may use during the hiring process:

Logical Deduction and Syllogism Tests
Data Interpretation Tests
Diagrammatic Reasoning Tests

This is a 10 question practice logical reasoning test .

After you have given an answer to a question, the correct answer (and a full explanation of that answer) will be given.

What are the Topics Covered by a Logical Reasoning Test?

Syllogism, statements and assumptions, logical deduction, cause and effect, statements and conclusions, logical problems.

Set of 10 questions, along with correct answers and explanations for each.

Topics Covered:

General concepts, levers, springs, pulleys, area and volume, gears, inclined plane, basic electrical circuitry.

Difficulty Level:

Take a free practice mechanical reasoning test.

Situational awareness, evaluation of alternatives.

Take a Free Practice Situational Judgement Test

Block counting, 3D rotation, 2D rotation, reflection, broken shapes, transforming 2D to 3D, isometric view, difference in 2D versus 3D viewing.

Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Practice Test 2024

What Is the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Test?

The Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Test, often referred to as the Watson-Glaser test, is a widely used assessment tool designed to evaluate an individual's critical thinking skills.

It is commonly administered as part of the hiring process for various professional and managerial positions, particularly in fields where critical thinking and problem-solving abilities are highly valued, such as law, finance and management.

This is a nine question diagrammatic reasoning practice test.

We recommend a time limit of nine minutes for this test.

After you have given your answer to a question, you will be shown the correct answer and given a full explanation.

What is the Critical Thinking Test?

The Critical Thinking Test is a comprehensive evaluation designed to assess individuals' cognitive capacities and analytical prowess.

This formal examination, often referred to as the critical thinking assessment, is a benchmark for those aiming to demonstrate their proficiency in discernment and problem-solving.

In addition, this evaluative tool meticulously gauges a range of skills, including logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize information.

This article will embark on an exploration of the Critical Thinking Test, elucidating its intricacies and elucidating its paramount importance. We will dissect the essential skills it measures and clarify its significance in gauging one's intellectual aptitude.

We will examine examples of critical thinking questions, illuminating the challenging scenarios that candidates encounter prompting them to navigate the complexities of thought with finesse.

Critical Thinking Practice Test

Before going ahead to take the critical thinking test, let's delve into the realm of preparation. This segment serves as a crucible for honing the skills assessed in the actual examination, offering candidates a chance to refine their analytical blades before facing the real challenge. Here are some skills that will help you with the critical thinking assessment: Logical Reasoning: The practice test meticulously evaluates your ability to deduce conclusions from given information, assess the validity of arguments, and recognize patterns in logic. Analytical Thinking: Prepare to dissect complex scenarios, identify key components, and synthesize information to draw insightful conclusions—a fundamental aspect of the critical thinking assessment. Problem-Solving Proficiency: Navigate through intricate problems that mirror real-world challenges, honing your capacity to approach issues systematically and derive effective solutions. What to Expect: The Critical Thinking Practice Test is crafted to mirror the format and complexity of the actual examination. Expect a series of scenarios, each accompanied by a set of questions that demand thoughtful analysis and logical deduction. These scenarios span diverse fields, from business and science to everyday scenarios, ensuring a comprehensive evaluation of your critical thinking skills. Examples of Critical Thinking Questions Scenario: In a business context, analyze the potential impacts of a proposed strategy on both short-term profitability and long-term sustainability. Question: What factors would you consider in determining the viability of the proposed strategy, and how might it affect the company's overall success? Scenario: Evaluate conflicting scientific studies on a pressing environmental issue.

Question: Identify the key methodologies and data points in each study. How would you reconcile the disparities to form an informed, unbiased conclusion?

Why Practice Matters

Engaging in the Critical Thinking Practice Test familiarizes you with the test format and cultivates a mindset geared towards agile and astute reasoning. This preparatory phase allows you to refine your cognitive toolkit, ensuring you approach the assessment with confidence and finesse.

We'll navigate through specific examples as we proceed, offering insights into effective strategies for tackling critical thinking questions. Prepare to embark on a journey of intellectual sharpening, where each practice question refines your analytical prowess for the challenges ahead.

This is a three question practice in-tray exercise.

If you get a question wrong, make sure you find out why and learn how to answer this type of question in the future.

Take a Free Practice In-Tray Exercise

Talent Q is a popular psychometric test provider used by employers worldwide to identify and develop top talent.

There are several test types published under the Talent Q name including numerical, verbal and logical reasoning, error checking, situational judgement tests and personality questionnaires.

Talent Q tests can be blended into custom assessments to suit a wide range of roles at varying levels of employment.

What Is the Talent Q Test?

The Talent Q test , or Talent Q assessment, is a term that refers to a collection of aptitude, performance and personality tests administered by the global consulting group, Korn Ferry.

Talent Q tests span five areas of assessment:

Cognitive ability
Competencies
Situational judgement
Motivations

They are commonly used to evaluate a candidate’s skills and job readiness in the early stages of recruitment.

Employers may also use a Talent Q psychometric test when looking to promote internally or to inform employee development.

Talent Q tests are increasingly popular with a range of employers because of the way they are designed, offering test flexibility and a reliable indicator of an applicant’s full potential.

Which Companies Use the Talent Q Test?

Talent Q tests are used by an increasing number of organizations due to their accuracy, versatility and reliability. Some of the major global employers known to make use of the Talent Q test library include:

Virgin Atlantic
Royal Mail Group
Lloyds Banking Group
AstraZeneca

What Is the PwC Assessment Test?

When you apply for a coveted role at PwC, you will be asked to undertake a PwC assessment test as part of the recruitment process.

The PwC test are used to evaluate candidates on measurable skills, abilities, aptitudes and personality traits that are needed for success in the type (and level) of the role that you have applied for.

PwC is one of the Big Four accounting firms globally, and from their headquarters in London, England, they have offices in 157 countries, a presence in 742 locations, and they currently employ nearly 300,000 staff.

With roles available in various departments, from consulting to legal, operations to audit, and tax to technology, competition for advertised jobs is fierce, and the PwC assessments are recognised as being particularly challenging to help narrow down the candidate pool to those applicants who really have what it takes to be successful.

In fact, less than 50% of candidates will advance past the screening tests as the benchmark for a passing mark is very high.

A Guide to the AON Assessment Test: with Tips

'AON assessments' are the new name for the cut-e tests, and they are often used as pre-employment evaluations for different skills, aptitudes, competencies and personality traits for various roles across different industries.

The AON assessments are characterized by being very short online assessment tests, and in many cases, candidates will be required to take more than one as part of a recruitment process.

With so much content to cover in all the different types of tests, it can be difficult to know what to expect from the AON assessments, which is where this guide will help.

Below you will learn more about why AON assessments are used and which companies use them as part of their hiring process.

We will discuss some of the features that the assessments have in common, as well as the most popular tests that are used by recruiters.

There will be some example questions with answers to get you familiar with the type of content you will be facing in certain tests and some helpful information regarding the way the AON assessments are scored and how you can give yourself the best chance to demonstrate that you have what it takes to be successful.

What Is the AON Assessment Test?

AON is well-known as a global financial services firm, and they acquired the cut-e testing battery so that they can provide top-of-the-range candidate evaluation and personnel development tools based on a scientific framework and testing methodology.

Study Guide for the CogAT Grade 4 Test: with Practice Tips

The CogAT Grade 4 test is used to understand a student’s thinking and reasoning abilities. It is not a test of learned knowledge; rather, it is a diagnosis of how they learn.

The 4th Grade CogAT test measures reasoning ability in three key areas: verbal, non-verbal and quantitative.

The assessment is often used to identify students for gifted and talented education programs.

If your child has been selected to sit the CogAT test in 4th grade, it can be confusing to know what to do to help.

This article will help you to answer these questions:

What is the CogAT test ?
What skills is the test assessing?
What is the format of the test?
How can I help my child prepare?
What skills can we practice?
What is the scoring system?

A Guide to the IKM Assessment Test: Tips & Examples

When applying for a job application, you may find that, along with providing your CV and attending an interview, you will be required to complete an IKM assessment .

This assessment will serve as a supplement to your overall application. So, you must understand what it entails and how it contributes to your application.

This article will explain the specifics of the IKM assessment, why it is important and how you can prepare for it.

What Is IKM?

The International Knowledge Measurement Service (IKM) offers organizations various assessments for employees and candidates among various career disciplines.

Among other things, this assessment ensures that employees hold the necessary requirements to go through the organization’s recruitment process.

Employee candidates will take the IKM assessment online remotely (self-supervised) or with client-side supervision from the organization.

The IKM assessment uses adaptive testing, meaning the difficulty of questions is dynamically selected based on the employee candidate’s previous answers .

This ensures that the assessment questions are neither too difficult nor too easy, greatly reducing the testing time.

A Guide to the CAT4 Test Level D: Tips & Examples

The CAT4 Level D is a cognitive ability test used by a number of UK secondary schools. Typically taken by pupils in Year 7, the CAT4 Level D tests a child’s verbal, non-verbal, quantitative and spatial reasoning skills to give an accurate picture of their learning potential.

A Guide to the Delta Assessment Test with Tips

The Delta Assessment Test is a group of online tests that forms part of the Delta Airlines hiring process.

If you are applying for job roles with Delta, you may be asked to complete one or more of the Delta Assessment Tests.

Your test results will help the hiring manager to decide whether you are suitable for the job role you have applied for.

The tests you are asked to take will vary according to the job role.

A Guide to the Deloitte Immersive Online Assessment: Examples & Tips

The Deloitte immersive online assessment is a psychometric aptitude-style test. It is used to identify a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.

Questions vary but are likely to include situational judgment style questions that link to the roles at Deloitte.

Candidates are also tested on their numerical reasoning and presented with personality questions.

A Guide to the Crossover Cognitive Aptitude Test: Tips & Examples

Competition is tough for jobs on the Crossover recruitment platform.

There are thousands of applicants for each role, and only the top 1% are offered a contract .

After a successful initial application, the first step is taking the Crossover Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT).

To help you prepare, this article covers the following:

How Crossover works
The recruitment process
What to expect in the CCAT
The scoring system
Tips to help you prepare

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the USA.

The agency investigates serious offenses such as terrorism, public corruption, cyber-attacks, and violent and organized crime.

The FBI's mission is to protect the American people and uphold the American Constitution.

The FBI has over 37,000 employees across hundreds of locations in the US.

To work for the FBI, you must fulfill specific criteria which include:

Be a US citizen
Be able to obtain an FBI Top Secret clearance
Pass the FBI polygraph examination
Pass the FBI Phase 1 test
Adhere to the FBI drug policy

Roles available at the FBI include computer scientists, nurses, engineers, technicians, contract specialists, and of course, police officers.

It is important to note that the recruitment process can take over one year, so you must be willing to wait several months for the chance of your dream role.

In this FBI Phase 1 test prep guide, we will delve into the role of FBI special agents – upholders of the law that seek out cybercrime and infiltrate organized attacks such as terrorism.

When applying to be a special agent, you are required to take the FBI Phase 1 test .

What Is the FBI Phase 1 Test?

The FBI Phase 1 test is an assessment that evaluates your personality and suitability for a role as a Special Agent at the FBI.

The test is conducted online and is split into five parts.

As the second stage of the process, the FBI Phase 1 test is done after the successful completion of a written application.

The test is designed to assess several skills and qualities that are required for a role as an FBI special agent.

These include critical thinking, logical reasoning and personality. The test will also assess your background experiences.

Your answers are then compared to the benchmark of what is suitable for an FBI agent.

The five sections of the FBI Phase 1 test are:

Logical reasoning
Figural reasoning
Personality Test
Preferences and interests
Situational responses

The assessment takes three hours to complete.

When applying for roles at the FBI, long waiting times are typical. The full special agent recruitment process can take over 20 months to complete.

If this is your dream job, it is certainly worth the wait as it is one of the most attractive career paths within any government agency.

To reflect this, the recruitment process is challenging and designed to reduce the number of candidates who could move on to the next stage.

This ensures that only the very best move through the application phases. In fact, only 30% of candidates can pass the FBI Phase 1 test.

You may have taken a personality test before, but the FBI Phase 1 test questions are framed and marked in a different way to other assessments.

Therefore, you should ensure you use FBI Phase 1 test practice questions and prepare in advance of the test.

It can be hard to plan for, but this is essential to get into the top 30% of successful candidates.

If you pass the FBI Phase 1 test, you will undergo background checks and receive an invitation to a regional meet-and-greet interview.

A Guide to the CogAT Test Grade 3: Examples & Tips

The main purpose of the CogAT Test grade 3 is to find out if a third grader is showing signs of being very smart.

Most of the questions on the test are about verbal, numerical and non-verbal reasoning. It's meant to show how a child might compare to other kids his or her own age. The CogAT grade 3 test can also be used to make individualized learning plans for kids.

The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) is a standardized test used to measure children's cognitive abilities in the 3rd grade – age 9.

This test assesses a range of cognitive abilities, including verbal, quantitative and nonverbal reasoning. The CogAT is often used to identify gifted children and help educators develop appropriate educational plans.

This article will give insights and tips into how your child could pass the CogAT Test for 3rd grade students.

A Study Guide for the 2nd Grade MAP Test: with Tips

The MAP Test 2nd grade is a computerized test taken by children in the 2nd grade. It is designed to evaluate what the children already know and what they are ready to learn.

The test includes three sections:

Schools may not administer all three sections and may instead focus on one or two sections to measure pupils’ progress in those subjects.

Study Guide for the NEO Personality Inventory Test: with Tips

The NEO Personality Inventory is a psychometric tool used to evaluate personality traits.

It is acknowledged globally and is used by recruiters and employers before hiring and, more broadly, to evaluate career potential.

The NEO Personality Inventory test is heavily associated with the 'Five-Factor Model' (which you may also know as the 'Big Five Personality Test') to identify personality traits.

It is widely believed that each person's personality can be broken down into five main categories. The NEO PI personality test looks at each of these five categories separately to create an understanding of who you are.

In this article, we'll look at the NEO PI test, why employers use it, and what you could expect if invited to participate in a NEO Personality Inventory test.

A Guide to the Air Traffic Controller Test: Examples & Tips

The Air Traffic Controller (ATC) Test, also known as the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) is an exam used as part of the air traffic controller hiring process. It is a challenging assessment consisting of seven subtests designed to evaluate an applicant's aptitude for the role.

Becoming an air traffic controller is a challenging and rewarding career that requires extensive training. The Air Traffic Controller Test (previously known as the Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) exam) is an important part of the selection process.

The Air Traffic Skills Assessment (ATSA) measures a candidate's ability to handle the demands of the job.

In this article, you’ll find example questions, a guide and tips for preparing for the ATSA exam.

This article relates specifically to the ATC test used in the US. Candidates in other countries may be expected to take a different version of the test.

A Guide to the Clifton Strengths Test: Examples & Tips

What is the CliftonStrengths test? This online assessment analyzes your personality and strengths for personal and professional development. You can purchase the basic test from Gallup for $19.99 and get a basic understanding of your top five personality themes. Or take the comprehensive version for $59.99 and receive a report that ranks all 34 themes and highlights your areas of excellence as well as your blind spots.

When applying for a job, you may find that the recruitment process consists of many different steps. There is the initial application form to start and usually an interview to finish. In the middle, there may be an assessment – an aptitude, intelligence or personality test.

The CliftonStrengths test is one assessment used by employers during the onboarding process. It was previously known as the CliftonStrengthsFinder.

In this guide, you will learn about the CliftonStrengths personality test and how it is used in recruitment.

A Guide to the Police Psychological Exam: Examples & Tips

The police psychological exam is a crucial part of the hiring process for law enforcement agencies. It is a personality test that confirms how suitable an applicant is for working in the police. The police psych test is used by most law enforcement agencies across the United States, although key details may differ from state to state.

What Is the Police Psychological Exam?

The police psychological exam is a series of tests and assessments administered to individuals who are seeking to become police officers.

The purpose of the exam is to evaluate a candidate's psychological fitness for the job and identify any potential psychological issues that may interfere with the candidate's ability to perform police work.

A Full Guide to the Capital One Assessments & Interview

In this comprehensive guide , you’ll discover everything you need to know about the Capital One assessment and interview process.

These are designed to help the company select the best candidates for its team. To increase your chance of getting hired, it's important to be prepared.

Find out what to expect, how to prepare and the skills and qualities Capital One hiring managers are looking for in a candidate.

What Is the Capital One Assessment Test?

Capital One is an established financial services company with a focus on technology and innovation.

To become an employee, or ‘associate’, at Capital One you'll need to pass a series of online assessments and interviews .

The Capital One hiring process is as follows:

A Full Guide to the CogAT Test 2nd Grade: Examples & Tips

CogAT stands for Cognitive Abilities Test. These tests are normally administered by a classroom teacher or instructor, although some schools employ a specialist or test proctor to administer the test.

Many parents are interested in learning more about helping their children to succeed academically.

Achieving a high CogAT score could mean your child is eligible to join gifted or talented programs designed to enhance their development and learning.

In other schools, it is used as a tool to identify a pupil’s individual strengths or predict their future academic performance.

The CogAT test for 2nd grade is a cognitive ability test aimed at children around the age of eight years old.

It is often used as a pre-admission exam by gifted and talented schools and programs. It is designed to evaluate pupils’ cognitive abilities, including basic linguistic and math skills.

The test is made up of three sections or batteries:

Non-verbal battery
Verbal battery
Quantitative battery

On the CogAT test 2nd grade, candidates are required to read the test questions instead of listening to the questions being read by the test proctor.

If you are looking for ideas on how to prepare your child for the CogAT test 2nd grade, read on to learn more.

What Is CogAT Test 2nd Grade?

The CogAT (Cognitive Abilities Test) was developed by Riverside Publishing, which is part of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

It is designed to assess problem-solving and reasoning skills in the following areas:

Quantitative

Research has shown that high levels of ability in these three areas is linked to academic success.

If your child is considered potentially talented or gifted, they may be asked to sit a CogAT as part of the program entrance process.

Different CogAT tests are available for different age groups, from Kindergarten (K) up to grade 12.

In this article, you can find more information on the CogAT test 2nd grade. The CogAT test is used by schools across the US to help them identify exceptionally gifted pupils.

Each of the test levels corresponds to the age of the pupil sitting the test. For example, if your child is in grade 6 (aged 12), they will be sitting the Level 12 version of the test. Occasionally, schools may choose to administer a higher level CogAT to talented or gifted pupils; however, this is unusual.

Second grade pupils being considered for gifted programs will usually sit the CogAT Level 8 test. This test is made up of 154 questions and takes 122 minutes to complete.

A Guide to the CogAT Test 6th Grade: with Examples & Tips

Many schools use the CogAT Test 6th Grade to assess the non-verbal, verbal and quantitative abilities of sixth-grade students.

The Level 12 CogAT test is a useful tool for checking a student’s individual academic strengths and weaknesses. It can also be used as a screening assessment for entry into the gifted and talented program.

What Is the CogAT Test 6th Grade?

'CogAT' is an acronym for Cognitive Aptitude Test .

CogAT tests are usually administered at school by a teacher or instructor, although some schools employ test proctors and specialists to administer the tests.

This guide is designed to support you and your child through the CogAT Test 6th Grade. You can use it to find out what to expect from the test and tips on how to prepare for it.

We have also included information on the purpose of the test and how to interpret your child’s results.

A Study Guide for the Procter and Gamble Assessment Test: with Tips

The Procter and Gamble Assessment Test describes a series of pre-employment screening tests used by Procter and Gamble (P&G).

If you have applied for a job at P&G, you will be expected to sit these tests as part of the hiring process.

Each of the different tests is designed to assess a specific aptitude that is required for a job role at P&G.

In this article, you can learn more about the different tests used by Procter and Gamble. We have also provided tips on how to prepare for the assessments.

A Study Guide for the Renaissance Star Test: with Tips

This guide includes useful tips and Renaissance Star testing sample questions to help students prepare for the test and feel confident on test day.

You can find detailed information on interpreting and understanding your Renaissance Star Test scores in our dedicated article .

A Map Test Grade 6 Study Guide: with Tips

What Is the 6th Grade MAP Test?

The MAP Growth test system was created by educators from Oregon and Washington who established the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) back in 1973.

Their goal was to create an assessment that could accurately measure and track academic progress in children to ensure they graduated high school with all the essential skills and knowledge they required.

In 2000, the first MAP Growth Test was published.

The test is administered in all grades and is based on a set of learning principles known as the Common Core Principles .

CCAT Test Grade 3 Study Guide: with Tips

The CCAT test grade 3 is a standardized assessment administered to grade 3 students in Canada.

It measures verbal, quantitative and non-verbal reasoning skills and is used to identify a student's learning potential, typically for admission to gifted educational programs.

The CCAT test grade 3 is an assessment commonly used by schools in Canada.

If you’re the parent or guardian of a child preparing for the test, this CCAT grade 3 guide will tell you everything you need to know.

What Is the CCAT Test Grade 3?

The CCAT test (Canadian Cognitive Abilities Test) is a standardized assessment administered to students in grade levels K-12 in the Canadian educational system.

Rather than a measure of academic achievement, the test assesses a child's ability to learn, reason, and problem-solve.

The Independent School Entrance Examination (ISEE) test is used by many independent and magnet schools in the US and overseas as an admission test for children across the entire school age range, but more commonly from year five upwards.

It assesses a child’s academic levels of reasoning across math and literacy in comparison to children of the same age, the norm for that school grade and other applicants to the school.

Created and administered by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB), the ISEE test is available to be taken online or in a pen and paper format.

What Are the ISEE Levels?

There are four levels of the ISEE test.

ISEE primary for entry into years two to four
ISEE lower level for entry into years five to six
ISEE middle level for entry into years seven to eight
ISEE upper level for entry into years nine to 12

Each level of the ISEE test is created to be relevant to a specific school age group, increasing in complexity with each year and level.

A Guide to the PI Cognitive Assessment: and Tips

An employer’s recruitment process can include a wide range of assessments and interviews for the candidate to take that indicate to the employer how an individual might fare in the job.

One common way to measure job performance though is by getting candidates to take the PI Cognitive Assessment, which measures mental ability and critical thinking skills.

This article will look in detail at the assessment, its format, who uses it, example questions and PI Cognitive Assessment tips on how to be successful when taking it.

A Guide to Raven's Progressive Matrices Test: Tips & Examples

The Raven’s Progressive Matrices is a test that is often used as part of the recruitment process for high-level management and analytical roles.

In this article, you will learn more about the test, its history and background, as well as the different types of tests that are available and what you can expect if you are going to be taking the test.

You will also find some example questions that you can expect to see in each type of test and get helpful pointers that you can use to prepare and do well in the assessment.

A Study Guide for the USPS 477 Exam: With Practice Tips

If you are applying for a role with the United States Postal Service (USPS) , you will usually be asked to complete at least one of four 477 Virtual Entry Assessments as part of the recruitment process.

These exams are used to evaluate various skills, aptitudes, personality traits and work preferences, which can show whether you have what it takes to be successful in the role in the future.

The USPS 477 Exam is sometimes referred to as the CS VEA, which relates to customer service.

An iReady level score of 3.00 or over means the student is working at or above the level required to meet the standard for their grade.

The level score is calculated in line with expectations when the test was administered, not in comparison to the expected score by the end of the school year.

What Are the iReady Diagnostic Scores?

The iReady diagnostic test is administered to US school children in grades K to eight.

The purpose of this school assessment test is to help parents and teachers check a student’s academic process at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.

It is a computer-adaptive test, which means the questions are adjusted to become more difficult if a series of correct answers is given.

As a result, the test is designed to challenge the skill level of the student sitting the test, as well as assess their strengths and opportunities for growth.

If a student answers a few questions in a row incorrectly, the questions that follow will be easier.

Many people find i-Ready Diagnostic scores difficult to interpret.

As a child progresses through each academic year and moves up the year groups, their expected score will change.

The average score increases year on year, too.

In this article, you can learn more about the different types of iReady diagnostic scores, how these scores are displayed, and how to interpret them to better understand a student’s iReady test performance.

HESI Exam Score Range and Passing Scores – Ultimate Guide For Nursing Students

There are two types of HESI Exam:

The Admissions (A2) test
The Exit exam

The minimum passing score for the Admissions test is usually between 75 and 80 for each section, although this varies between schools.

The composite score range for the Admissions (A2) test is 750 to 900, with 900 being the maximum possible score.

The HESI Exit Exam score ranges between 0 to 1,500. 850 is considered to be an acceptable score, although HESI recommends a minimum score of 900.

If you want to sit your NCLEX licensing exam, you will need to achieve a score of at least 850 on the HESI Exit Exam.

HESI is an acronym for Health Education Systems Incorporated .

As a company, HESI administers exams and provides study material to help prepare students for the NCLEX professional licensure exam.

If you want to work as a nurse in the US, many nursing and healthcare programs use HESI tests to screen prospective students and determine suitability and readiness for specific study routes.

In this article, you can learn more about the HESI score ranges and passing scores required for each of these tests and what impact your HESI results may have on acceptance into your preferred nursing program.

How to Pass the SHL Deductive Reasoning Test in 2024

The SHL Deductive Reasoning Test is an assessment employers use to evaluate candidates' logical thinking skills.

It presents logical arguments and requires candidates to determine if conclusions follow from given premises.

Candidates can prepare by practicing tests, honing logical reasoning skills, and familiarizing themselves with formal logic rules to excel in this assessment.

What Is the SHL Deductive Reasoning Test?

The SHL Deductive Reasoning Test is a cognitive assessment tool used in the recruitment and selection processes for many roles in several industries.

SHL (Saville and Holdsworth Ltd.) is a well-known company specializing in psychometric assessments and organizational talent measurement solutions.

SHL assessment tools are used in the early stages of the recruitment process, enabling recruiters to identify candidates with the specific aptitudes needed for success in a role in an organization.

What Is the Mettl Test & How to Pass It in 2024

The Mettl tests are developed by the world's largest assessment provider, Mercer Mettl.

The tests have been designed to analyze various competencies, including verbal, logical and numerical reasoning.

Alongside, the Mettl assessments evaluate candidates' personalities and working styles, establishing whether they are an accurate fit for the role and the broader company.

The Mettl tests are a comprehensive recruitment tool provided by Mercer Mettl – the world's largest assessment provider.

Moreover, the Mettl tests are designed to assess various skills, including numerical , verbal and abstract reasoning.

The assessments are also constructed to understand candidates' behaviors and personality types.

This guide explains everything you need to know about the Mettl test, including tips on how to pass the test in 2024.

What Is the Mettl Test?

As mentioned, the Mettl test is a comprehensive recruitment tool designed to test a range of skills.

It allows employers to ensure they recruit the most suitable candidates for the role.

The MAP Test Grade 7 tests students’ proficiency in mathematics, reading and language usage.

Developed by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), it measures individual growth over time, adapting question difficulty based on responses.

This online test lasts around two to three hours, and the results are used to inform teaching or gauge students' ability levels.

Scoring is based on the RIT (Rasch Unit) scale, indicating a student's instructional level and growth potential in each subject area.

MAP Grade 7 Sample Question

CogAT Kindergarten Test – A Comprehensive 2024 Study Guide

The CogAT Kindergarten Test is an assessment designed to measure a child's abilities in various cognitive areas.

It plays a critical role in identifying a child's strengths and weaknesses and determining their readiness for advanced academic programs.

In this comprehensive study guide for 2024, you will explore the purpose, format, and structure of the CogAT Kindergarten Test.

Additionally, you will get valuable insights on how to prepare your child for the test, sample questions to familiarize yourself with the test content, strategies for success and answers to frequently asked questions.

Understanding the CogAT Kindergarten Test: Purpose, Format, and Structure

The purpose of the CogAT Kindergarten Test is to assess a child's cognitive abilities in areas such as verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning.

By evaluating these different components, the test provides educators and parents with valuable information about a child's potential and can help guide educational decisions.

Administered at college and university level, the Accuplacer test is used by some educational institutions to determine how prepared a student is for the next steps in their academic career.

This guide looks specifically at Accuplacer test scores – how they are awarded and what they mean – so you can better understand how your Accuplacer score might impact your learning experience.

Accuplacer test scores are a set of metrics that evaluate a student's knowledge and skills in specific subject areas including reading, writing and math.

i-Ready Diagnostic Test – Prep Guide for 2024

The i-Ready Diagnostic Test is an internet-based adaptive diagnostic test linked to the i-Ready educational learning program.

Students from kindergarten to grade 12 take the test three times each year. The test is divided into two subtests:

i-Ready test results are used to help teaching staff create a personalized learning plan according to a student’s strengths and weaknesses.

What Is the i-Ready Diagnostic Test?

The i-Ready Diagnostic Test is a computer-adaptive, untimed assessment for students between grades K and 12.

Administered by Curriculum Associates , teachers can use it to monitor a student’s ability and progress throughout the school year.

In most cases, the i-Ready Diagnostic Test is administered three times each year. It is split into two subtests: math and reading.

Practice Free CogAT Grade 5 Test Sample Questions

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) 5th Grade Level is a crucial assessment tool for students between 10 and 11 years old.

Designed to measure verbal, nonverbal, and quantitative abilities, this standardized test plays a pivotal role in identifying students for gifted programs.

In this article, you’ll learn what the CogAT 5th grade test is, which subjects are tested, along with example questions and how best to prepare.

A Full Guide to the CogAT Test 5th Grade: Examples & Tips

What Is the CogAT 5 Grade Test?

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) is a widely used standardized test designed to assess your child’s cognitive abilities in various areas.

The CogAT 5th Grade Level is specifically tailored for students in the 5th grade and measures their abilities in three main cognitive areas:

Quantitative Reasoning
Non-Verbal Reasoning

Practice a Free STAAR Test and Prepare for the Exam

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) test is a standardized assessment issued to public school students in Texas in grades 3 to 12.

Below you’ll find a range of STAAR test practice questions to help you prepare – whether you’re a parent coaching a child through their exam prep or a high school student revising for a test of your own.

For more info on the STAAR Test, read our dedicated article.

7 Best Resume Writing Services: Professional & Convenient

The 7 best rated resume writing services:

TopResume – Best for personalized expertise
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Resume.com – Best for those on a budget

WISC-V (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) Test & 2024 Study Guide for Parents

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-V) is a commonly used assessment for judging a child's intelligence. More than that, it can help to understand their reasoning and thinking abilities to support their development.

Here’s everything you need to know about this test.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition (WISC-V) is an individually administered and extensive evaluation tool used to assess children's reasoning and general thinking abilities.

It's typically given to children between ages 6 and 16.

After completing a test, children are awarded a Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (IQ) score, along with age-based scores and rankings in several cognitive function fields.

Here we’ll provide an all-around study guide for parents whose children are required or scheduled to take the WISC-V test.

We’ll also include a comprehensive explanation of how it is constructed, its key features, tips for preparing, and a few example questions.

Let’s take a look!

Understanding Your Kid’s Renaissance Star Test Scores – A Complete Guide

The STAR assessments utilize a scoring system comprising scaled scores ranging from 0 to 1,400.

These scores reflect a student's proficiency level in subjects such as reading and math.

Benchmark categories provide descriptive labels for performance levels, while percentile rank compares a student's performance to a national reference group.

Additionally, grade equivalent scores and domain scores offer insights into grade-level equivalence and specific skill areas.

The STAR Assessment can play a crucial role in evaluating your child’s academic ability and guiding educational strategies.

Understanding its scoring system, test format and significance is important for parents and educators alike.

This article aims to provide comprehensive insights into the STAR Assessment, including its purpose, score interpretation and effective strategies to help children excel in these standardized tests.

CogAT Test Scores: Understanding Your CogAT Score

The CogAT raw score represents how many questions were answered correctly on the CogAT test. This information is used to create the Universal Scale Score (between 100 and 150), which you will see on your child’s CogAT score report.

Here is an image of a typical score report:

MAP Test Scores: Understand Your MAP Score

With the MAP Growth Test used in many schools across the United States, MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) scores are an important part of your child’s life.

The MAP testing scores chart a student’s academic growth in a way that highlights areas of excellence and improvement.

It is essential that you understand how NWEA MAP scores are calculated so you can best support your child throughout their learning journey.

This guide will explain how to find and improve your child’s NWEA Map Scores.

SSAT Score Chart – Range, Results, Chart, Percentiles & More

The main three sections for the Upper and Middle level tests have a maximum score of 800. They have a total scaled score that ranges between 1,500 to 2,400.

Navigating the SSAT involves understanding its scoring system.

In this guide, you can explore the SSAT Score Chart and understand score ranges and percentile ranking and how they matter in private school admissions.

It's a comprehensive resource for decoding SSAT scores and making informed decisions about your child’s education.

What Is the SSAT Test?

The SSAT stands for the Secondary School Admission Test. The SSAT was first administered in 1957.

It is a standardized test designed for students seeking admission to private middle and high schools.

The primary purpose of the SSAT is to assess the skills and knowledge of students applying to independent or private schools.

It aims to provide an accurate measure of a student's academic abilities and readiness for a challenging curriculum.

How to Crack the Microsoft Codility Test in 2024

The Microsoft Codility Test evaluates coding skills and algorithmic thinking.

Designed to streamline Microsoft’s recruitment process, the Microsoft Codility Test assesses candidates' ability to solve real-world problems efficiently.

Candidates can prepare using coding practice platforms and mastering programming languages. It's an integral tool in selecting skilled software engineers for Microsoft's diverse roles.

How to Prepare For The Smarter Balanced Test (SBAC) – A Detailed 2024 Study Guide with Practice Questions

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium Test, known as the SBAC test, is a standardized assessment of English and math used by schools in participating states.

Administered to students in grades K to 12, it measures grade level proficiency and academic progress through computer-adaptive testing and performance tasks.

The Smarter Balanced Test is an educational tool developed and administered by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), hence the abbreviation SBAC test.

In this article we explore what the test involves, what the results mean and how to help a student prepare for their SBAC assessment.

What Is the SBAC Test?

The SBAC assessment is a set of standardized tests that evaluate how well students are performing in the subjects of English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics.

These assessments are taken by students ranging from elementary school to high school in multiple states across the US.

The tests are developed and managed by the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC), a collaborative group of states working together.

FireTEAM Test Prep: Top Tips:

Master time management
Brush up on basic concepts
Diversify your reading
Play observational and memory games
Assess your communication style
Prioritize rest and sleep

If you're considering a career in firefighting, taking the FireTEAM test is a pivotal step that can open doors to various fire departments across the US.

This article covers everything you need to know to put in a strong performance, including an overview of its format, practice questions and FireTEAM test tips to help you create an effective study plan.

How to Pass the FCTC Written Test in 2024

A career in the fire service is a challenging – but extremely rewarding – journey. Such an important, high-pressure job requires a high level of physical, mental and emotional skills.

As well as the necessary personality traits, you generally need a high school diploma or GED. If you have a college degree, you have a better chance of securing a role in the fire service.

You will also be required to take a series of assessments that evaluate your physical and mental strength. One of the assessments used by Californian fire departments is the FCTC Written Test. To become a firefighter in California, you must pass this entry-level test.

In this guide, we will explore what the FCTC Written Test includes and how you can prepare for success.

Marines ASVAB Test: Requirements and Positions

To successfully enlist in the US Marine Corps, certain standards must be met. Marines require both physical and mental strength as well as discipline, determination and the ability to overcome obstacles. This is sometimes referred to as the ‘Marine Mindset’.

One of the ways candidates who wish to enlist will be assessed is by taking a test known as the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB).

A good score on the test suggests that a candidate possesses the mental skillset to be successful in the military.

Marines need to be able to make quick, accurate decisions and adapt to and overcome threats and obstacles on the battlefield.

How to Pass the PiCAT Verification Test in 2024

The PiCAT test is a commonly used assessment tool for those applying to military positions, such as those in the US Navy or the US Army.

This article explores the PiCAT test in more detail. We look at the test format to familiarize individuals with what the Navy PiCAT and Army PiCAT test covers.

Preparation is vital to performing to the best of your ability in the PiCAT test.

The article includes PiCAT practice test questions, answers to help you prepare, and tips to give you the best opportunity to approach the test positively.

Mastering the Pipefitter Test is crucial for those entering the field.

This guide provides valuable insights, a pipefitter sample test and strategies to conquer the examination.

Discover expert tips to excel in your pipefitting career by navigating the challenges of this important assessment.

What Is the Pipefitter Assessment Test?

The Pipefitter test is an important evaluation tool for individuals aspiring to secure roles as pipefitters in the construction and industrial sectors.

Qualifications and certifications necessary for such positions can vary by state. This makes the pipefitter assessment test a valuable method of demonstrating skills and knowledge.

The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) administers the most popular pipefitter assessment test, designed to assess the potential skills of candidates.

It covers the principles related to the installation and maintenance of both high and low-pressure pipe systems.

In addition, it focuses on how these are used across various sectors, including manufacturing, electricity generation and climate control systems in buildings.

What Is the HSBC Online Immersive Assessment? 2024 Guide

The HSBC Online Immersive Assessment contains 38 questions over five subtests. The test includes a combination of behavioural questions and cognitive ability exercises.

It is an untimed assessment, but most candidates can answer all test questions within 50 minutes.

Some people find the test difficult, but adequate preparation will stand you in good stead to pass the assessment.

What Is the HSBC Hiring Process Like?

HSBC is a major global bank and financial institution. It offers services via three global businesses and serves millions of customers daily.

The hiring process at HSBC comprises four key stages:

Initial Screening and Application
HSBC Online Immersive Assessment
Online Job Simulation Assessment

Electronic Data Processing Test (EDPT): Study Guide & Practice Tips

What Is the Electronic Data Processing Test?

The Electronic Data Processing Test (EDPT) is a pre-employment test taken by military candidates who want to transfer to IT or computer programming roles within the Marine Corps or Air Force.

The EDPT test is one of the most challenging pre-employment tests currently on the market with a pass rate of around 10%.

It is 90 minutes long and has 120 multiple-choice questions. This means you have around 45 seconds to answer each question.

While the minimum ASVAB score varies between military branches, the minimum acceptable score is 31.

However, as the majority of candidates score between 30 and 70, you want to aim for a percentile rank of at least 60.

The ASVAB Test Score Report is a valuable document that provides detailed information about your aptitudes, skills, and qualifications for military service.

It includes Career Exploration Scores to guide career choices, individual scores on ASVAB subtests to assess specific abilities and the critical AFQT score that determines your eligibility for enlistment.

Understanding the information presented in this report is essential for making informed decisions about your military career options.

What Is in the ASVAB Test Score Report?

The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) Test Score Report provides a comprehensive overview of your performance on the ASVAB test, which is a critical step in the military enlistment process.

The report helps you and military recruiters assess your aptitudes, skills, and potential for various military occupations.

How to Pass the ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension Test in 2024

What Is the ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension Test?

The Accuplacer Reading Comprehension test is part of a suite of assessments that are used to evaluate students prior to entry at college.

While the Accuplacer test battery is not used to determine whether a student will achieve a placement at college, the results are used to ensure that the student is studying at an appropriate level and is ready for education at this level.

Created by the College Board, which is a not-for-profit organization that is also responsible for creating assessments like the SATs, the Accuplacer tests are designed to offer better opportunities to students and make entry to top colleges accessible to all.

Creative Problem-Solving Test

Do you typically approach a problem from many perspectives or opt for the same old solution that worked in the past? In his work on human motivation, Robert E. Franken states that in order to be creative, you need to be able to view things from different perspectives.

Creativity is linked to fundamental qualities of thinking, such as flexibility and tolerance of ambiguity. This Creative Problem-solving Test was developed to evaluate whether your attitude towards problem-solving and the manner in which you approach a problem are conducive to creative thinking.

This test is made up of two types of questions: scenarios and self-assessment. For each scenario, answer according to how you would most likely behave in a similar situation. For the self-assessment questions, indicate the degree to which the given statements apply to you. In order to receive the most accurate results, please answer each question as honestly as possible.

After finishing this test you will receive a FREE snapshot report with a summary evaluation and graph. You will then have the option to purchase the full results for $6.95

This test is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or for the treatment of any health condition. If you would like to seek the advice of a licensed mental health professional you can search Psychology Today's directory here .

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Home » Blog » Hiring for Success: Integrating Soft Skills and Ability Testing

Hiring for Success: Integrating Soft Skills and Ability Testing

August 14, 2024

Understanding the Importance of Soft Skills

Soft skills have become as crucial as technical skills, with employers increasingly prioritising attributes such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. These skills are essential for fostering a collaborative and productive work environment, playing a significant role in career advancement and personal development.

According to one LinkedIn survey, 92% of talent professionals say that soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills when hiring, underscoring their critical importance in the modern workplace.

Hiring for success Integrating soft skills and ability tests

Soft skills involve effectively navigating complex social interactions and contributing positively to a team. For instance, strong communication skills facilitate clear idea and feedback conveyance, while problem-solving abilities lead to innovative solutions. Recognising the importance of these skills is the first step towards mastering them. Research from Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation, and Stanford Research Center concludes that 85% of job success comes from having well-developed soft skills .

The Role of Ability Tests in Assessing Soft Skills

Ability tests are standardised methods used to evaluate an individual’s performance in various work-related tasks. These tests measure potential rather than just academic performance, offering insights into a candidate’s ability to process information and perform under time constraints. They are a reliable predictor of job performance and, when combined with other psychometric assessments , provide a comprehensive view of an individual’s capabilities.

For example, verbal reasoning tests assess the ability to understand and interpret written information, crucial for effective communication. A study by Schmidt and Hunter (1998) found that general cognitive ability tests are strong predictors of job performance, with a validity coefficient of 0.51 . Numerical reasoning tests evaluate proficiency with numerical data, essential for roles requiring data analysis. By using ability tests, employers gain a well-rounded understanding of a candidate’s soft skills, ensuring a better fit for the role.

Types of Ability Tests and Their Relevance

Cognitive ability tests can measure different aspects of cognitive and practical skills. Verbal ability tests assess comprehension and analysis of written information, vital for roles demanding strong communication skills. For instance, roles in marketing and customer service heavily rely on these abilities to convey messages effectively and interpret customer feedback accurately.

Numerical ability tests evaluate proficiency with numbers, crucial for positions involving financial analysis or data interpretation. In finance, for example, these tests help identify candidates who can accurately analyse financial data, create budgets, and forecast financial trends. Abstract reasoning tests measure the capacity to understand and work with new concepts, essential for roles requiring innovative thinking. Positions in R&D or technology development benefit from employees who excel in abstract reasoning, as these roles demand innovative problem-solving and conceptual thinking.

Enhancing Recruitment Processes with Ability Tests

Incorporating ability tests into the recruitment process significantly enhances the quality of hires. These tests provide objective data, aiding informed decisions, reducing bias, and ensuring fair assessment for all candidates, which is particularly important in today’s diverse work environments. A meta-analysis by Schmidt and Hunter found that cognitive ability tests are among the best predictors of job performance across various occupations, significantly outperforming traditional interviews and educational credentials.

Ability tests streamline recruitment by quickly identifying candidates with the necessary skills and potential, saving time and ensuring the best candidates are selected for the role. For example, Deloitte’s use of cognitive ability tests in their recruitment process has resulted in a 60% increase in hiring efficiency and a significant improvement in employee performance and retention .

Implementing Ability Tests in Your Organisation

Implementing ability tests involves several steps. First, identify the specific skills and attributes required for the role to select the appropriate tests. Ensure the tests are administered in a standardised and fair manner, providing all candidates with an equal opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. Combining ability tests with other assessment methods, such as interviews and personality questionnaires , offers a comprehensive understanding of each candidate, facilitating more informed hiring decisions.

For example, Google combines cognitive ability tests with structured interviews and behavioural assessments for a more holistic evaluation of candidates. This multi-faceted approach has contributed to Google’s ability to maintain a high standard of talent and foster a culture of innovation and excellence .

Benefits of Using Ability Tests for Employee Development

Ability tests are useful not only for recruitment but also for employee development. When used along side personality questionnaires they can help identify areas where employees may need additional training or support, enabling targeted development programs. This leads to improved performance and job satisfaction, as employees feel more confident and capable in their roles. According to a study by the American Psychological Association, organisations that use cognitive ability tests for employee development report 24% higher productivity and 30% higher employee retention rates .

Additionally, ability tests identify high-potential employees suitable for leadership roles. Assessing their cognitive and practical skills allows organisations to create tailored development plans, preparing individuals for future leadership positions and contributing to the overall success of the organisation. For example General Electric (GE) uses cognitive and leadership ability tests to identify future leaders, ensuring a strong pipeline of talent for critical leadership roles .

Ensuring Fairness and Inclusivity in Ability Testing

Ensuring fairness and inclusivity in ability testing is crucial for creating an equitable work environment. This involves using tests free from cultural or gender biases and providing accommodations for candidates with disabilities. Regularly reviewing and updating tests ensures they remain relevant and effective, involving validation studies and feedback from candidates and hiring managers. Continuous improvement of the testing process maintains a fair and inclusive recruitment and development process.

For example, SAP has implemented inclusive hiring practices that include ability tests designed to minimise bias and accommodate neurodiverse candidates. This initiative has not only increased diversity but also enhanced innovation and problem-solving within the company .

Conclusion: The Future of Soft Skills Assessment

The shift towards soft skills-first hiring is transforming how organisations recruit and develop talent. Ability tests play a crucial role in this process by providing objective data on candidates’ cognitive and practical skills.

By incorporating these tests into recruitment and development, organisations ensure they select and develop individuals with the necessary soft skills for success. As the job market evolves, the importance of soft skills will increase. Mastering these skills and using ability tests to assess them enables organisations to create a more effective and inclusive workforce, driving success and innovation in the years to come.

References:

Dale Carnegie Training. (n.d.). The Value of Soft Skills in the Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.dalecarnegie.com/blog/value-of-soft-skills-in-the-workplace
Schmidt, F. L., & Hunter, J. E. (1998). The validity and utility of selection methods in personnel psychology: Practical and theoretical implications of 85 years of research findings. Psychological Bulletin, 124(2), 262-274. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.124.2.262
Deloitte. (n.d.). Deloitte’s cognitive ability testing for recruitment. Retrieved from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/press-releases/deloitte-cognitive-ability-testing.html
Bock, L. (2015). Work Rules!: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live and Lead. Twelve.
American Psychological Association. (2018). The Benefits of Using Cognitive Ability Tests in Employee Development. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2018/employee-development
General Electric. (n.d.). GE Leadership Programs. Retrieved from https://www.ge.com/careers/working-at-ge/leadership-programs
SAP. (2019). SAP’s Autism at Work Program. Retrieved from https://news.sap.com/2019/04/autism-at-work-sap-inclusive-technology/

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Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Examining the lived experiences of educators using different levels of support for teaching math to students with learning disabilities in math computation and problem-solving for teachers at public cyber charter high schools in the northeastern united states: a transcendental phenomenological study.

LeeAnn E. McCullough , Liberty University Follow

School of Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Mary Catherine Strickland

cognitive load theory, specific learning disability, math computation, math problem-solving, Sweller, learning theory

Disciplines

Mathematics | Special Education and Teaching

Recommended Citation

McCullough, LeeAnn E., "Examining the Lived Experiences of Educators Using Different Levels of Support for Teaching Math to Students with Learning Disabilities in Math Computation and Problem-Solving for Teachers at Public Cyber Charter High Schools in the Northeastern United States: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects . 5880. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5880

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the lived experiences of educators using different levels of support for teaching math to students with learning disabilities in math computation and problem-solving for teachers at public cyber charter high schools in the Northeastern United States. The theory guiding this study was Sweller’s cognitive load theory, as it explained the learning process of students with learning disabilities and how educators developed instructional methods that complement the learner’s needs. The central research question was, “What is the lived experience of 9-12th-grade mathematics teachers in supporting students with differing learning abilities in math computation and problem-solving?” This study design was based on the transcendental phenomenological methodology of Moustakas (1994). The participants included 12 high school cyber teachers of general and special education students with specific learning disabilities in math computation and math problem-solving. Data were gathered through a journal prompt, individual interviews, and focus groups. The data analysis identified trends in the data and highlighted the successes and failures of various approaches used in the classroom. Three themes emerged from the study: enhanced engagement and learning environment, cognitive load and assessment strategies, and supportive and inclusive instructional practices. This study uncovered educators' lived experiences using personalized instructional strategies, interactive and adaptive technology, and instructional design approaches to reduce learners’ cognitive load. This research provided insights into high school educators' experiences using these methods of teaching math in cyber classrooms to students with disabilities.

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