Exams and Testing

Be prepared for the possibility of taking an exam or test. Asking your sponsor if there will be any other activities scheduled when making the final arrangements is designed to alert you to the possibility, yet it may still come up unannounced. Being asked to take a test is a good sign, because employers do not waste the time and money on testing someone they are not interested in.

Following are the five basic types of tests you may encounter:

• Intelligence/Mental Ability Tests
  These tests are designed to test your critical thinking skills, including problem solving, mathematical aptitude, and memory. They are usually structured in a format similar to the SAT/ACT.

• Work Simulation Tests
  These tests are designed to provide you with example work scenarios or problems which you must work through to a satisfactory result. For example, a test for a Programmer position may ask the person to develop the program logic for a bank statement program.

• Specific Skills Tests
  For many highly specialized professions, they will test your skills in specific areas. Many of these tests are tied into certification, such as the CPA or CNE. A subset of these certification tests is the specific skills test. These tests are designed to ask questions at a detail level. They are very specific and very accurate. You will be more likely to encounter these tests in technical professions, such as engineering or computers.

• Personality Tests
  I did say objective, didn't I? Well, these tests are often the best indicator a company has of someone's personality. If you are familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), you will understand the type of comparison questions: "Would you rather fly a kite or read a poem?" or "Would you rather read a book or fly an airplane?"

• Honesty Tests
  These tests are usually reserved for jobs in high security areas or where there will be access to trade secrets, merchandise, or cash. Many of the questions are repetitive comparisons ("Do you like chess better than poetry?" and "Do you like poetry better than chess?"), although some will ask for absolutes ("Have you ever told a lie?"). You know the answer. And the test knows if you are telling the truth.

While these tests are all an attempt at standardization and greater objectivity, they are all lacking to a certain degree. They still have a subjective element. Be prepared, both mentally and physically, for these tests. I am aware of at least one company that does not begin salary negotiation until after the person has completed the series of tests. The theory is that they are so beaten down that they will accept almost anything that is offered.

Following are certain points to keep in mind with quantitative (math, numbers, reasoning, objective) and qualitative (opinion, viewpoint, comparison, subjective) tests:

• Quantitative Tests

  • Get yourself mentally psyched. Clear your mind of all else and focus on the test.

  • Take time to fully understand the instructions before you begin.

  • If it is a timed test, forget about the time. Simply stay concentrated on the test.

  • If you have no idea, it is usually best to skip the question.

  • If you are unsure of your answer, it is usually best to answer the question.

  • If you can skip questions, skip the more difficult ones and come back to them if you have time.

• Qualitative Tests

  • Prepare yourself mentally for taking the test. Get into a positive frame of mind.

  • Take time to fully understand the instructions before you begin.

  • Do not try to fool the test. Always give your best answer.

  • Answer as the professional you, not the personal you.

  • Answer from the employer's point of view.

  • Incorporate qualities that have made you successful into your answers.

  • Resist any impulse to lie about who you are.

With any test, keep in mind that the purpose is to further qualify you for the position. Put forth your very best effort and do not show discouragement when you finish the test. If asked about the test, make a comment about it being "challenging" (for quantitative) or "interesting" (for qualitative).