Doing well in a psychometric test or questionnaire is not just down to intelligence but also requires determination and hard work. If passing is important, then be prepared both to set aside hours in which to research and practise and to work hard.
The value of preparation and practice
You must achieve the best possible score to be sure that you pass. Other candidates will be trying to do this, so you must too, otherwise you risk coming a poor second.
The secret is preparation and practice. Everyone can improve their score and for many candidates practice will mean the difference between pass and fail.
Practice works best on material that is as much like the real questions as possible. Select from this book questions that are similar to those in the real test or questionnaire and restrict your practice to these questions. I have included material that will benefit most readers but this may mean that not all the material is appropriate to you. So select the most appropriate material and if necessary obtain more from other titles in the Kogan Page Testing Series. Look online as well. Lots of sites offer free practice.
Get wise
Most psychometric questionnaires occur during the early stages of the application process so do your research first. Before you answer a personality questionnaire, find out about the organization and decide whether you like its culture and if it’s the kind of place you will thrive in. If it is, then apply confident in that knowledge, take time over each question and answer it in a way that shows you as the ideal candidate for the role and company. Treat every question as an opportunity to show just how suitable you are. Many candidates do not take sufficient care or time over questionnaires and fail to allow themselves enough time to reflect on every question, ensuring that they answer every question in a way that best supports their application.
If you face a test, then be sure to get test wise. Most psychometric tests comprise a series of smaller tests or sub-tests taken one after the other, with a short pause between the papers. They might include, for example, first a sub-test on verbal reasoning, then a numerical reasoning sub-test and finally a non-verbal reasoning sub-test. But this is only one of many possible combinations. The series of sub-tests is called a battery.
It is really important that you understand what the test you face involves. You will be astonished at how many people begin the test not knowing what to expect. The first time they learn of the type of questions involved is when the test begins for real. Don’t make this mistake. You need to know the nature of the challenge as soon as possible.
The organization to which you have applied may provide a description of the type of questions and the format of the test. If they do then be sure to get details on:
how many sub-tests the test battery comprises;
what the title of each sub-test is;
what sort of question makes up a sub-test (ask them to describe an example of each type of question);
how many questions each sub-test includes;
how long you are allowed to complete each sub-test;
whether it is multiple choice or short answer;
whether you complete it with pen and paper or at a computer terminal;
whether or not a calculator is allowed.
Armed with this information you can now find hundreds of practice questions on which to set about a systematic programme of preparation.
How much and what kind of practice
Once you have a very clear idea of the test you face, you need to set about finding hundreds of relevant practice questions. You need hundreds because to get the most from practice you should undertake a minimum of 20 hours. If you are weak in maths or English, then you may well have to practise a lot more than this. This book contains 1,000 practice questions and will be an ideal source of practice material for many candidates. But you are unlikely to find all the practice material you need in one publication. This book will best suit the candidate at the intermediate level and introduces material at the graduate level, so if you face a psychometric test for a graduate, managerial or professional position you should move on from this title to other more advanced material also available in the Kogan Page Testing Series. In most chapters I have suggested sources of further material.
Undertake two sorts of practice
Type 1
Practise on realistic questions in a relaxed situation without time constraint. The aim is to become really familiar with the types of question and to realize what skills are being examined. Take one question at a time, looking at the answer and any explanation. If you get any wrong, try to understand why. Use this time to recognize which part of the test represents the greatest challenge for you and use this information to plan the amount of practice you need to undertake for each part of the test. Spend most time on your personal areas of weakness.
Type 2
Once you feel confident in each of the types of question that you face, start practising on realistic questions under strict time constraints and under realistic exam-type conditions. You can make up these ‘mock tests’ by taking, for example, 40 questions and allowing yourself 25 minutes to attempt them. Time yourself and be sure to stop when you have run out of time. Even get someone to administer the test for you, telling you when to turn over the page and begin and to stop when you have run out of time. If you don’t find your first mock test much of a challenge, then either increase the number of questions or reduce the time you allow yourself. The aim of this second sort of practice is to get used to answering questions under the pressure of time and to build up your speed and accuracy. Take this practice seriously, try to make every point count and work very quickly against what should feel like a tight time limit.
Set yourself a personal challenge
To get the most out of your practice and to help make it feel more realistic, set yourself the challenge of trying to beat your own score. To do this you will have to try hard and take the challenge seriously, and then you will have to try harder still. Try the following 10-step approach:
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