Career Advice

9 Tips for Taking Pre-Employment Assessments

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There are few moments in your job search that are more exciting than hearing back from an employer. However, there are times that an employer will require you to take a pre-employment assessment of some kind prior to scheduling an interview. Depending on the job, this can be some sort of physical test or a personality assessment. Whatever it is, there are ways that you can thrive and put your best foot forward.

Be Honest

It’s not uncommon to be asked about how you dealt with certain situations during your previous employment. It’s important to be honest in how you answer these questions because you could be asked to address these later in the hiring process or even if you get hired.

Furthermore, you need to be forthright and honest with the employer from the start. If you’re limited by language barriers, don’t be afraid to ask for a translation of your psychometric test so you can take it in your first language.

Sometimes employers will require you to take a pre-employment assessment prior to scheduling an interview. Depending on the job, this can be a physical test or a personality assessment. There are ways that you can thrive and put your best foot forward.Click To Tweet

Understand the Purpose of the Assessment

When taking a pre-employment assessment, it’s important to keep in mind its purpose. Sometimes these assessments are designed to establish your qualification for the position while others simply want to see if you’re a good fit for the company. As previously mentioned, be honest. Lying about previous work experience during an assessment will only cause trouble in the future.

Even if you feel desperate for a job, put your true self on display and if you’re a good fit for the company you’ll be invited to the next step in the hiring process. Don’t be discouraged if you aren’t selected after a personality test as you might not feel comfortable with the company anyway.

Thoroughly Read the Instructions

When working your way through an assessment, read the instructions thoroughly as you go. Adapting to any changes in instruction can be a part of the assessment as simply answering any of the questions. Attention to detail is an important part of taking any assessment, but an employer can put extra weight on your ability as part of a pre-employment assessment.

Practice

Get acquainted with pre-employment assessments by practicing online. There are websites that allow you to take various versions of these assessments as a way to familiarize yourself with them. You can find free practice tests online that explain the purpose behind specific questions, how to approach them, and the answer. While this likely won’t give you the answers to the exact assessment you’re given, you’ll learn how to answer similar questions and what they mean.

Make Sure You Have Time

If you’re allowed to take an assessment via your own computer at home, make sure that you have time to complete it without feeling like you’re rushed or at risk of interruption. Finding a job is an important thing and if you’re distracted by outside noise or limited time, you’ll have trouble trying to complete a pre-employment assessment and putting your best self out there.

Keep Your Eye on the Clock

Most assessments will have some type of clock. This is often the case for either the test as a whole or individual question. Without focusing too much on the time, make sure that you’re aware of the clock throughout. Some assessments won’t take away points for skipping questions or getting them wrong. Be aware of this policy with your assessment so you can manage your time appropriately.

Keep the Job in Mind

As you take the time to answer questions in your assessment, keep in mind that these questions are primarily concerned with how you address your work. Yes, many questions will be in regards to your personality, but you want a potential employer to understand how you are when you work. It’s OK to be lazy at home and only want to sit around and watch movies, but don’t convey anything of the sort when expressing your work habits. Demonstrate to an employer that you’re a hard worker who’s dedicated to what they do.

Be Consistent

As for conveying the type of worker you are, it’s important to be consistent. This means that the answers you give should all agree. Are there times it feels like you have to contradict your previous answers? Sometimes. Though you can still demonstrate who you are by selecting the best answers to represent you, your personality, and your abilities. By being consistent, you show that you’re being honest with the assessment.

Relax

The most important part of it all is to relax. As with any assessment, you’re not going to do as well if you’re not comfortable and relaxed. Give yourself a chance to breathe before you start. Don’t get started unless you’re in a comfortable situation where you can be relaxed for the duration of the assessment. It can be stressful and difficult to relax with so much at stake but do the best you can.

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