Pre-employment tests are not given as a way to disqualify an applicant, but they help an employer get the most qualified person. They test various abilities like an individual’s cognitive, numerical, and abstract skills.
One of those tests is the SHL assessment test which tests an individual’s cognitive and personality skills. The test carries a greater weight in the hiring process and that’s why you must do your best to pass the test. The following are reasons why you should pass the test.
Why is the SHL test given?
Before psychometric tests were developed, employers would purely rely on resumes, interviewee presentations, referrals, and work experience to decide on whether to hire them or not.
This method had many shortcomings because it didn’t help get deeper into the person to know their inborn traits. Employees only learned more about the employee after they started to officially work.
Individuals and organizations saw the need to develop psychometric tests to help employers overcome this barrier and one of the tests developed was the SHL assessment test. It helps give more details about a job applicant in terms of character, work style, weaknesses, strengths, and thinking abilities.
It tests an applicant’s ability in two main areas – personality strengths and cognitive skills. Even if you have a very excellent resume, educational background, and experience, you might miss an employment chance if you fail the SHL test. Use the SHL practice test to help you get familiar with the test.
What do employers look for when they administer the SHL test?
After getting impressed with your detailed resume and cover letter, employers will not hire you directly but they will take you to the next level of screening. This is when you get invited to take the SHL test. You must understand what they will be looking for because this test is the highest determinant of whether you will get the job.
Although you will be tested in only two main areas – personality and cognitive ability, the test will be the tool used to bring out several attributes about you. It will measure your level of intelligence, motivations, personality attributes, and critical thinking abilities are scientifically captured.
The data received provides scientific results about your suitability for the position beyond your attractive resume. Having this understanding, you must get ready to pass the test several weeks before the testing date.
What types of SHL tests will you take?
You will take one test but it will have two main sections as shown below.
Cognitive skills section
This section will test your intelligence level in several ways and the main questions will be testing your numerical skills. You will solve some simple math problems, work with numbers, statistics and equations. There will also be diagrams to test your deductive skills, questions of inductive skills, mechanical, critical, and accuracy skills.
Personality skills test
This section will test your personality and behavioral skills. On behavioral skills, you will be tested on several areas like your situational judgment on different workplace scenarios. There will be questions on job culture, work performance, and the kind of behavior you will likely display once hired.
The personality questions test on issues of work motivation, predictive performance, some personal background, and generally a test on whether you are the right fit for the job.
Again this is another reason why you must do your best and pass this test by answering every question right. If you are not adequately prepared, you will not get the answers right and that means you will not get the job.
How is the scoring done?
There will be several applicants taking the test at the same time as you. You will be grouped with people of similar characteristics like you in terms of education level, age group, nationality, and so on.
There will be a predetermined score that your group must achieve individually and if you achieve the highest score in your group, you stand a better chance to move on to the next phase. Therefore, you should pass the test with the highest scores.
Should you get ready for the SHL test?
Getting ready for the SHL test should be your top priority. Do a lot of practice and use quality practice tests from credible websites. Understand your personality and cognitive abilities and if there is an area you need to improve, do it immediately. Get some details about the company hiring process and get ready mentally to pass the test.