So, while preparing, you’ll want to make sure that you’re working as efficiently as you possibly can. Time will be your biggest obstacle regardless of which assessment you’re taking. It is of utmost importance that you learn to quickly read the questions on the test and identify the most relevant pieces of information. However, you will need to familiarize yourself with the wording of the questions and the structure of the test. That is to say that you shouldn’t have to learn any new material when preparing for these tests. There is a defined set of subjects on which the company can test you, but you’ll be better off preparing with SHL practice tests than with a subject review. These assessments are similar in structure to the SAT and ACT, and you should prepare as such. While personality, work ethic, and dedication are just as important, they cannot override or negate the role intellect and good judgement play in success. Modern psychology teaches us that the more intelligent someone is, the more quickly he’ll learn and master new skills, and the more quickly he’ll advance through the company. On the whole, psychometric tests like the SHL ultimately do give businesses a general idea of how well applicants will perform. These tests are, admittedly, far from perfect however, they are very accurate. They are designed to test both your crystallized intelligence and your fluid intelligence-your acquired knowledge and basic aptitude for learning new information. Psychometric tests are essentially IQ tests adapted for employers. That’s why more and more large companies are turning to psychometric tests. It’s far more efficient for a company to invest in their HR departments than to pay for bad decisions later. That being said, Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos, estimated that bad hires costed his business well over $100,000.
The actual figures are hard to calculate because many of these losses are not quantifiable. That number more than triples for senior management positions. Your interviewer will see your profile, but your actual scores probably won’t play an enormous role in the final hiring decision unless you attained extraordinary results.Ī bad hire could cost a company thousands upon thousands of dollars not only in recruitment and training costs, but in productivity losses as well. The hiring manager will contact you if you pass the first couple of assessment rounds, at which point you’ll probably be asked to come in for an in-person interview. The first round of SHL assessments is scored electronically and automatically. If you pass the at-home version, you’ll be asked to come into an assessment center to take a second test used to verify the results of the first. You’ll receive a link to take the test in your email upon submitting an application. These assessments are administered online and accessible from any location and at any time.
The better your score is, the more likely you are to succeed in the role compared to your competition. These questions are designed to evaluate both your learned skills and your raw intelligence. SHL-style tests are usually timed multiple-choice tests focused on a particular set of skills, such as verbal reasoning, logical analysis, numerical computation, or situational judgement. Below, you’ll find everything you need to know about preparing for and taking these tests.
If you’ve received an invitation to take one of these examinations, then do proceed. SHL releases tests for applicants of all skill levels from entry-level all the way to senior management level. Most job-seekers encounter SHL tests when applying for new positions. Recently acquired by Gartner, the company is sometimes referred to as CEB. SHL is one of the most common psychometric tests available on the market today operating in over 30 languages in over 150 countries for companies of all sizes including Fortune 500 companies.