OPQ (Occupational Personality Questionnaire)

Generalities

Critique

External References

Generalities

OPQ measures between 6 and 32 personality traits. There are different versions of the test; OPQ
Image, OPQ Customer Contact, OPQ Factor, OPQ Work Styles, OPQ32. At its origin the OPQ
was built on a four factor model which content is close to the Big5 dimensions: Feeling,
Relating, Thinking and Energies domains. The test is distributed by SHL. It is translated in 30
languages.
The version FS5.2 of OPQ comprises 136 items with a five value scale (from strongly disagree
to strongly agree). It takes approximately 25 minutes to complete. The characteristics of the test
are well documented and available on SHL web site. The test is proposed in ipsative (forced
choice) and normative formats. The ipsative version is proposed by SHL for selection. The
normative version is proposed for counseling, development and training. Different reports are
available for documenting different questions managers and HR might have in the work place:
leadership style, management competency. The test can be taken online or in paper/pencil mode.
Critique

SHL has invested considerable time in working with faculties to make its tests sound, well
researched and validated by the academic field. The OPQ test is popular among HR personnel. It
measures traits which are commonly asked in work situations by managers. Do people have
leadership? Answer from OPQ
But the labels of the measured dimensions suggest some meanings which cannot be common
between individuals or even among test editors. This is a natural problem with personality tests
that measure a large number of dimensions like OPQ. The contents of the dimensions - as
revealed by factorial analysis - are strongly overlapping, suggesting that fewer dimensions would
be enough and that all the dimensions measured are indeed abstract and far from what they
would suggest.
OPQ is an HR tool and is not meant to be used by managers. There is no approach to qualify a
position and then to compare peoples characteristics with the positions. OPQ is complex to
interpret and long to take.

External References

To access the website of the distributor : click here. Examples of reports and the reliability and
validity documentation can be downloaded from the web site.
Direct information about OPQ32: click here

Version 1.2 last modified by Frederic Lucas-Conwell on Mar 17, 2009 at 17:57 PDT. Initially
created by Frederic Lucas-Conwell.

Tags: OPQ

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Psychometric Tests - Aptitude and Ability Tests

Aptitude and ability tests are designed to assess your logical reasoning or thinking capabilities. They
consist of a number of multiple choice questions and are strictly timed.

You may be asked to answer the questions either on paper or online. The advantages of online
testing include immediate availability of results and the test can be taken at an employment
agency or even at home. This makes online testing particularly suitable for initial screening as it
is very cost-effective.

Aptitude and ability tests can be classified as speed tests or power tests. In speed tests the
questions are relatively straightforward and the test is concerned with how many questions you
can answer correctly in the allotted time. These tests tend to be used in selection at the
administrative and clerical level. A power test on the other hand will present a smaller number of
more complex questions and tend to be used more at the graduate, professional or managerial
level.

There are at least 5000 aptitude and ability tests on the market and every year new tests are
devised and added to the already huge number of tests available. Every company that produces
tests needs to differentiate their own test from those of other companies. This has produced a
bewildering range of test names and acronyms. However, all of the tests you are likely to come
across can be clasified into six basic types:

Verbal
Ability
Tests
These include questions which test your ability to spell words correctly, use correct grammar,
understand analogies and follow detailed written instructions. These tests are widely used since
most jobs require you either to understand and make decisions based on verbal or written
information or to pass this type of information to others. In practice, the more straightforward
types of question (spelling, grammar and instructions) tend to be more applicable to
administrative roles and the reasoning and deduction type of questions to management roles.

Numeric
Ability
Tests
These include questions on basic arithmetic, number sequences and simple mathematics. This
type of test is used to determine your basic numeracy. These tests are directly applicable to many
administrative and clerical jobs but can also appear as a component of graduate and managerial
tests. In more complex data interpretation and numerical critical reasoning questions, blocks of
information are provided that require manipulation and interpretation. Sometimes these questions
are designed to approximate the type of reasoning required in the workplace.
Abstract
Reasoning
Tests
These tests are based on diagrams and measure your ability to identify the underlying logic of a
pattern and then determine the solution. Abstract reasoning tests are thought to give the best
indication of your general intelligence and are very widely used. These tests are of particular
value when selecting people for technical jobs which involve working with abstract ideas or
concepts. However, as they also provide the best measure of your general intellectual ability, you
will usually find some questions of this type whichever particular tests you are given.
Spatial
Reasoning
Tests
These tests measure your ability to manipulate shapes in two dimensions or to visualize threedimensional objects presented as two-dimensional pictures. Spatial ability is required in
production, technical and design jobs where plans and drawings are used, for example;
engineering, architecture, surveying and design. It is also important in some branches of science
where the ability to envisage the interactions of 3 dimensional components is essential.
Spatial ability questions often involve the visual assembly and the disassembly of objects that
have been rotated or which are viewed from different angles or objects that have different
markings
on
their
surfaces.
Mechanical
Reasoning
Tests
These tests are designed to assess your knowledge of physical and mechanical principles. For
example, pulleys, levers, simple electrical circuits etc. Questions are in the form of a question
and a diagram and you will need to determine which mechanical principle is being illustrated. No
specialist knowledge is required to answer these questions, only an understanding of the
principles. Mechanical reasoning tests are used to select for a wide range of apprentice and
engineering
occupations.
Data
Checking
Tests
These tests present you with number of tables of information which must be checked against
each other. This type of test is used to measure how quickly and accurately errors can be detected
in data. It is used to select candidates for clerical and data input jobs, particularly where accuracy
is important, for example, accounting and banking. In these tests you will usually be given two
columns of data to check for consistency and you will be asked to mark up any differences.

In all of the above tests the questions will be presented in multiple-choice format and have
definite right and wrong answers. You will usually find that there are more questions than you
can complete in the time allowed and the aim is simply to give as many correct answers as you
can.

Ideally, your score will then be compared with the results of a control group which has taken the
tests in the past. This control group could consist of other graduates, current job holders or a
sample of the population as a whole. Your reasoning skills can then be assessed in relation to this
control group and judgments made about your ability.
More commonly, your scores will be compared to the other candidates who took the test at the
same time. Whilst this does not represent 'best practice', due to the small size of the sample, it is
often what happens in real life.

Aptitude Test - Understanding Different Types of Scoring Systems

Whenever you take a psychometric test either as part of the selection process or as a practice exercise you
will usually see your results presented in terms of numerical scores. These may be; raw scores, standard
scores, percentile scores, Z-scores, T-scores or Stens

Raw
Scores
These refer to your unadjusted score. For example, the number of items answered correctly in an
aptitude or ability test. Some types of assessment tools, such as personality questionnaires, have

no right or wrong answers and in this case, the raw score may represent the number of positive
responses for a particular personality trait. Obviously, raw scores by themselves are not very
useful. If you are told that you scored 40 out of 50 in a verbal aptitude test, this is largely
meaningless unless you know where your particular score lies within the context of the scores of
other people. Raw scores need to be converted into standard scores or percentiles will provide
you
with
this
kind
of
information.
How
Scores
are
distributed
Many human characteristics are distributed throughout the population in a pattern known as the
normal curve or bell curve. This curve describes a distribution where most individuals cluster
near the average and progressively fewer individuals are found the further from the average you
go in each direction.

The illustration above shows the relative heights of a large group of people. As you can see, a
large number of individual cases cluster in the middle of the curve and as the extremes are
approached, fewer and fewer cases exist, indicating that progressively fewer individuals are very
short or very tall. The results of aptitude and ability tests also show this normal distribution if a
large
and
representative
sample
of
the
population
is
used.
Mean
and
Standard
Deviation
There are two characteristics of a normal distribution that you need to understand. The first is the
mean or average and the second is standard deviation, which is a measure of the variability of the
distribution. Test publishers usually assign an arbitrary number to represent the mean standard
score when they convert from raw scores to standard scores. Test X and Test Y are two tests with
different standard score means.

In this illustration Test X has a mean of 200 and Test Y has a mean of 100. If an individual got a
score of 100 on Test X, that person did very poorly. However, a score of 100 on Test Y would be
an
average
score.
Standard
Deviation
The standard deviation is the most commonly used measure of variability. It is used to describe
the distribution of scores around the mean.

The value of the standard deviation varies directly with the spread of the test scores. If the spread
is large, the standard deviation is large. One standard deviation of the mean (both the plus and
minus) will include 66% of the students' scores. Two standard deviations will include 95% of the
scores.

Aptitude Tests- Standard Scores, Percentiles and Norming

Standard scores indicate where your score lies in comparison to a norm group. For example, if the
average or mean score for the norm group is 25, then your own score can be compared to this to see if you
are
above
or
below
this
average.
Percentile
Scores
A percentile score is another type of converted score. Your raw score is converted to a number indicating
the percentage of the norm group who scored below you. For example, a score at the 60th percentile
means that the individual's score is the same as or higher than the scores of 60% of those who took the
test. The 50th percentile is known as the median and represents the middle score of the distribution.

Percentiles have the disadvantage that they are not equal units of measurement. For instance, a
difference of 5 percentile points between two individuals scores will have a different meaning
depending on its position on the percentile scale, as the scale tends to exaggerate differences near
the
mean
and
collapse
differences
at
the
extremes.
Percentiles can not be averaged nor treated in any other way mathematically. However, they do
have the advantage of being easily understood and can be very useful when giving feedback to
candidates
or
reporting
results
to
managers.
If you know your percentile score then you know how it compares with others in the norm group.
For example, if you scored at the 70th percentile, then this means that you scored the same or
better
than
70%
of
the
individuals
in
the
norm
group.
This is the score most often used by organizations when comparing your score with that of other
candidates because they are so easily understood they are very widely used when reporting
results
to
managers.
The characteristic way that test scores tend to bunch up around the average and the use of
percentiles in the interpretation of test results, has important implications for you as a job
candidate. This is because most aptitude tests have relatively few questions and most of the
scores are clustered around the mean. The effect of this is that a very small improvement in your
actual score will make a very substantial difference to your percentile score.
To illustrate this point, consider a typical aptitude test consisting of 50 questions. Most of the
candidates, who are a fairly similar group in terms of their educational background and
achievements, will score around 40. Some will score a few less and some a few more. It is very
unlikely that any of them will score less than 35 or more than 45.

Looking at these results in terms of percentiles is a very poor way of analyzing them and no
experienced statistician would ever use percentiles on this type of data. However, nine times out
of ten this is exactly what happens to these test results and a difference of three or four extra
marks can take you from the 30th to the 70th percentile. This is why preparing for these tests is
so worthwhile as even small improvements in your results can make you appear a far superior
candidate.

Different
Norming
Systems
There are several different norming systems available for use, which have strengths and
weaknesses in different situations. These can be grouped into two main categories; rank order
and
ordinal.
Z-scores
To overcome the problems of interpretation implicit with percentiles and other rank order
systems various types of standard scores have been developed. One of these is the Z-score which
is based on the mean and standard deviation. It indicates how many standard deviations above or
below
the
mean
your
score
is.
The

Z-score

is

calculated

Z
=
X
=
M
=
SD = standard deviation

by

the

formula:

Z=X-M/SD

standard
individual

raw
mean

Where:

score
score
score

The illustration shows how Z-scores in standard deviation units are marked out on either side of
the mean. It shows where your score sits in relation to the rest of the norm group. If it is above
the mean then it is positive, and if it is below the mean then it is negative. As you can see from
the illustration, Z-scores can be rather cumbersome to handle because most of them are decimals
and
half
of
them
can
be
expected
to
be
negative.
T
Scores
(Transformed
Scores)
T-scores are used to solve this problem of decimals and negative numbers. The T-score is simply
a transformation of the Z-score, based on a mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10. A T-score
can
be
calculated
from
a
Z-score
using
the
formula:
T = (Zx10) + 50

Since T-scores do not contain decimal points or negative signs they are used more frequently
than
Z-scores
as
a
norm
system,
particularly
for
aptitude
tests.
Stens
(Standard
Tens)
The Sten (standard ten) is a standard score system commonly used with personality
questionnaires. Stens divide the score scale into ten units. Each unit has a band width of half a
standard deviation except the highest unit (Sten 10) which extends from 2 standard deviations
above the mean, and the lowest unit (Sten 1) which extends from 2 standard deviations below the
mean.

Sten scores can be calculated from Z-scores using the formula: Sten = (Zx2) + 5.5.
Stens have the advantage that they enable results to be thought of in terms of bands of scores,
rather than absolute scores. These bands are narrow enough to distinguish statistically significant
differences between candidates, but wide enough not to over emphasize minor differences
between candidates.

Making Selection Decisions

The rank-ordering of test results, the use of cut-off scores, or some combination of the two is
commonly used to assess the test scores and make employment-related decisions about them.
There are essentially three approaches that can be taken.

Rank
Ordering
Firstly the organization could simply select the top scorers. This would seem to be the most
obvious approach, but is does have a major drawback, at least where ordinary jobs are
concerned. In times of high unemployment the job is likely to attract some candidates who are

too high-powered and who will probably get bored quickly and more on as soon as they can.
Alternatively, if unemployment is very low then all of the candidates may have poor scores and
may not be up to the job. Neither of these represents a successful outcome for the organization.
Cut-off
Score
The second option is to shortlist candidates who achieve more than a minimum acceptable score.
This is more flexible than the above approach as it ensures that candidates who are not up to the
job are excluded whilst giving the interviewer or decision maker the option to exclude candidates
they
feel
are
too
high
powered.
Profiling
The third option is to use a minimum acceptable score in conjunction with profiling.
This approach first excludes unsuitable candidates on the basis of minimum score and then takes
into account the relative strengths of each suitable candidate in all of the areas in which they
have been tested. This is then used to produce a profile map which can be compared to the ideal
profile for the job. This profile will be based on a job specification compiled by an occupational
psychologist,
or
qualified
personnel
professional.

This job specification will encompass the following areas:.

Knowledge is specific knowledge needed. For example; medical,

legal, financial, engineering, etc. This will often be decided on the
basis of recognized qualifications but will be influenced by previous
job experience.

Skills are specific skills needed. For example, typing 150 words
per minute, ability to operate CNC machine, etc. This will often be
decided on the basis of recognized qualifications but will be
influenced by previous job experience.

Abilities are underlying abilities needed. For example, numerical

ability, artistic ability, problem solving ability. These may be decided
on the basis of aptitude or ability tests.

Experience is specific experience necessary. For example,

managing a construction project.

Personal Qualities are particular qualities required. For example,

interpersonal skills or leadership skills.

Psychometric Tests > Introduction

Psychometric tests have been used since the early part of the 20th century and were originally developed
for use in educational psychology. These days, outside of education, you are most likely to encounter
psychometric testing as part of the recruitment or selection process. Tests of this sort are devised by
occupational psychologists and their aim is to provide employers with a reliable method of selecting the
most suitable job applicants or candidates for promotion.

Psychometric tests aim to measure attributes like intelligence, aptitude and personality. They
provide a potential employer with an insight into how well you work with other people, how well
you handle stress, and whether you will be able to cope with the intellectual demands of the job.
Most of the established psychometric tests used in recruitment and selection make no attempt to
analyze your emotional or psychological stability and should not be confused with tests used in
clinical psychology. However, in recent years there has been rapid growth (particularly in the
US) of tests that claim to measure your integrity or honesty and your predisposition to anger.
These tests have attracted a lot of controversy, because of questions about their validity, but their
popularity with employers has continued to increase.

Psychometric testing is now used by over 80% of the Fortune 500 companies in the USA and by
over 75% of the Times Top 100 companies in the UK. Information technology companies,
financial institutions, management consultancies, local authorities, the civil service, police
forces, fire services and the armed forces all make extensive use of use psychometric testing.

As an indicator of your personality, preferences and abilities, psychometric tests can help
prospective employers to find the best match of individual to occupation and working
environment. As a recruitment and selection tool, these tests can be applied in a straightforward
way at the early stages of selection to screen-out candidates who are likely to be unsuitable for
the job. They can also provide management with guidance on career progression for existing
employees.
Because of their importance in making personnel decisions it is vital that the tests themselves are
known to produce accurate results based on standardized methods and statistical principles.
A psychometric test must be:

Objective: The score must not affected by the testers beliefs or values

Standardized: It must be administered under controlled conditions

Reliable: It must minimize and quantify any intrinsic errors

Predictive: It must make an accurate prediction of performance

Non Discriminatory: It must not disadvantage any group on the basis of gender, culture, ethnicity,
etc.

Psychometric tests fall into two main categories. Personality questionnaires, which try to
measure aspects of your personality, and aptitude tests which try to measure your intellectual and
reasoning abilities.

Personality Tests
Most employers recognise that personality is of great importance in success at work.
Consequently, most of the psychometric tests that you will be expected to take as part of the
recruitment process will include a short personality test.
The principle behind these tests is that it is possible to quantify your personality by asking you
about your feelings, thoughts and behavior in a variety of situation both at work and outside of
work.

You will be presented with statements describing various ways of feeling or acting and asked to
answer each one on a 2 point, 5 point or 7 point scale. The number of questions you are expected
to answer varies from about 50 to 200, depending on the duration of the test.

1. I prefer to avoid conflict.

A) True

B) False

2. I enjoy parties and other social occasions.

A)
disagree

stronglyB) disagree

C) neutrals

D) agree

E) strongly agree

D) neutral

E) agree

3. Work is the most important thing in my life.

A) very
disagree

stronglyB)
stronglyC) disagree
disagrees

F)strongly agree

G) very strongly
agree

Personality has a significant role to play in deciding whether you have the enthusiasm and
motivation that the employer is looking for. It also determines how well you are going to fit in to
the organization, in terms of your personality, attitude and general work style. In most working
situations its the personalities of the people involved that affect the day-to-day success of the
organization. If a manager cant motivate their staff or the team doesn't work well together, then
quality of service and productivity will suffer.

There have also been significant changes in the past 20 years in the way that organizations
operate. For example, management styles tend to be less autocratic and there are usually fewer
levels of management than there were. The move towards more knowledge based and customer
focused jobs means that individuals have more autonomy even at fairly low levels within
organizations. In addition, most organizations expect to undergo frequent changes in the way that
they operate in order to remain competitive. All of these factors have contributed to your
personality being seen as more important now than it was in the past.

Aptitude Tests
There are at least 5000 aptitude and ability tests on the market. Some of them contain only one
type of question (for example, verbal ability, numeric reasoning ability etc) while others are
made up of different types of question. If you are unsure what types of question to expect then
ask the human resources department at the organization you are applying to. This will not count
against you as you have a right to prepare yourself for any tests you are asked to sit.

Aptitude tests consist of multiple choice questions and are administered under exam conditions.
They are strictly timed and a typical test might allow 30 minutes for 30 or so questions.
The

different

types

of

aptitude

tests

can

be

classified

as

follows:

Verbal Ability - Includes spelling, grammar, ability to understand analogies and follow detailed
written instructions. These questions appear in most general aptitude tests because employers
usually
want
to
know
how
well
you
can
communicate.
Numeric Ability - Includes basic arithmetic, number sequences and simple mathematics. In
management level tests you will often be presented with charts and graphs that need to be
interpreted. These questions appear in most general aptitude tests because employers usually

want some indication of your ability to use numbers even if this is not a major part of the job.
Abstract Reasoning - Measures your ability to identify the underlying logic of a pattern and then
determine the solution. Because abstract reasoning ability is believed to be the best indicator of
fluid intelligence and your ability to learn new things quickly these questions appear in most
general
aptitude
tests.
Spatial Ability - Measures your ability to manipulate shapes in two dimensions or to visualize
three-dimensional objects presented as two-dimensional pictures. These questions not usually
found in general aptitude tests unless the job specifically requires good spatial skills.
Mechanical Reasoning - Designed to assess your knowledge of physical and mechanical
principles. Mechanical reasoning questions are used to select for a wide range of jobs including
the military (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), police forces, fire services, as well as
many
craft,
technical
and
engineering
occupations.
Fault Diagnosis - These tests are used to select technical personnel who need to be able to find
and repair faults in electronic and mechanical systems. As modern equipment of all types
becomes more dependent on electronic control systems (and arguably more complex) the ability
to approach problems logically in order to find the cause of the fault is increasingly important.
Data Checking - Measure how quickly and accurately errors can be detected in data and are used
to
select
candidates
for
clerical
and
data
input
jobs.
Work Sample Involves a sample of the work that you will be expected do. These types of test
can be very broad ranging. They may involve exercises using a word processor or spreadsheet if
the job is administrative or they may include giving a presentation or in-tray exercises if the job
is
management
or
supervisory
level.
Don't
Make
Assumptions
about
Your
Own
Abilities
It is very important that you don't make any assumptions about your own abilities in these areas.
For example, many people assume that they won't have any problems with verbal ability
questions because they once got an 'A' in an English exam. They may have a point if they got the
'A' a few months ago, but what if it was ten years ago? It is very easy to ignore the effects of not
reading as much as you used to, and of letting your spell-checker take care of correcting your
written
English.
The same thing applies to numerical ability. Most people who have been out of education for
more than a few years will have forgotten how to multiply fractions and calculate volumes.
While it is easy to dismiss these as 'first grade' or elementary maths, most people simply don't do

these things on a day-to-day basis. So, don't assume anything - it's better to do some practice
tests and then you'll know for sure.

Psychometric Testing

VSS Consultants offers psychometric testing for all types of applications. We administer and
interpret all standard psychometric tests for various purposes. We also offer our expertise in
projective testing and conduct:

TAT (Thematic Apperception Tests)

WAT (Word Associations Tests)

SRT (Situation Reaction Tests)

We also administer and interpret through our qualified and experienced experts, all common
instruments and inventories such as:

MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Inventory)

16 PF

FIRO-B (Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation - Behaviour)

FIRO-F (Fundamental Interpersonal Relationship Orientation - Feelings)

Recruitment Testing
We also offer our expertise in recruitment testing. We design, administer and score recruitment
tests. Our tests can include the following:

Reasoning Ability Tests

Numerical Ability Tests

Verbal Ability Tests

Quantitative Aptitude Tests

General Awareness tests

Clerical Speed & Accuracy Tests

Test of English

We also have the expertise, experience and ability to conduct and score recruitment tests in large
volumes. Our tests are fully customised to your needs and particular situations. Our use of the
OMR (Optical Mark Reader) technology enables us to handle large volumes of tests accurately
and in a very short time frame.

There are only three questions the employer really has to answer during the selection process: Firstly, do
you have the right skills and experience? Secondly, do you have the required enthusiasm and motivation?
Finally, are you going to fit in, in terms of your personality, attitude and general work style?

Personality has a significant role to play in providing answers to the second and third of these
questions. In most working situations its the personality of your co-workers and managers that
affect the day-to-day success of the organization. If the team doesn't work well together or a
manager cant motivate their staff, then productivity and quality of service will suffer.

The way that most organizations operate has also changed in the last 30 years. There are usually
fewer levels of management than there were and management styles tend to be less autocratic. In
addition, the move in the western world at least, towards more knowledge based and customer
focused jobs means that individuals have more autonomy even at fairly low levels within
organizations. The effects of these changes means that your personality is seen by a potential

employer

as

more

important

now

than

it

was

in

the

past.

Personality
Tests
Widely
Used
But
Still
Controversial
In 2009, personality testing is $500 million industry which has been expanding by about 10% per
year. There are currently well over 2,500 personality questionnaires on the market and each year
dozens of new companies appear with their own new products. Some of these products are
broad-spectrum tests designed to classify basic personality types, some are designed to test
candidates for suitability for a particular job and some are designed to test for particular traits
for
example,
honesty
and
integrity.
There is a historical association with academic and occupational psychology which gives the
personality testing industry a degree of credibility that it does not always deserve. Many of the
well established companies who provide personality tests do operate to the highest ethical and
professional standards. However, it is inevitable that such a growth industry with low barriers to
entry and little official regulation has attracted entrants with varying degrees of competence and
integrity.
This situation is made more difficult since most of the companies that produce personality tests
are very secretive about their methodologies and refuse to make public crucial information about
how their tests were developed or how well they work, claiming that this information is
proprietary. The usefulness and accuracy of even the most well established tests, (for example,
the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - first published in 1962 and the subject of thousands of
research papers), remain highly controversial among psychologists. For more information on this
topic see - Personality Tests - Understanding the Industry.

The most widely Used Personality Tests

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) - assessment is a personality test designed to measure
preferences in how people see the world and make decisions. The MBTI was originally
developed in the 1940s by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, who
thought that an understanding of personality preferences would help women who were entering
the workforce for the first time to identify the sort of war-time jobs which would suit them best.
By the early 1960s, the initial questionnaire had become refined into the MBTI.

The MBTI uses a series of forced choice questions in which the individual has to choose only
one of two possible answers to each question. The choices are a mixture of word pairs and short
statements and are chosen to reflect opposite preferences. Participants may skip questions if they
feel they are unable to choose. The current North American English version of the MBTI
includes 93 forced choice questions and there are 88 questions in the European English version.

The SHL OPQ32r - This test measures aspects of behaviour that are crucial to performance
potential, which cannot easily be identified by other techniques, such as reading CVs and
interviewing. The OPQ32r provides a clear, simple framework for understanding the impact of
personality on job performance.

The OPQ32r is available in more than 30 languages and is administered online. The
questionnaire takes the majority of people less than 30 minutes to complete and a range of
reports are available, providing clear, concise, graphical summaries of performance against job
competencies. Most of these reports are designed for use by line managers.

Popular reports include:

*
The
*
The
*
The
*
*
The
* The Leadership Report.

Manager
Candidate
Universal
The
Team

Plus
Plus
Competency
Sales
Development

Report
Report
Report
Report
Report

Why
Personality
Test
Use
is
Increasing
Despite the controversy surrounding some of these personality tests, there has been a dramatic
increase in the use of personality tests over the past ten years or so. The single most frequently
given reason for increases in testing is the need to have a selection process which can withstand
legal challenges. Increased test use can therefore be seen in part as a defensive strategy, adopted
in response to regulation and legislation. Another factor is the ease with which these tests can
now be delivered online. This approach has distinct advantages over paper-and-pencil tests:

There is no need to print and distribute printed material. This has dramatically lowered the cost of
test administration.

Results can be processed immediately with no human input. The test administration software can
produce very detailed and impressive looking reports. See Example.

There has been a growing acceptance of personality testing among the general public. Many
people quite happily complete online personality profiles in their own time outside of the
recruitment process.

There are now more suppliers producing a greater variety of tests. This has driven costs down
even further and increased the choice of tests available to recruiting organizations.

Personality has a significant role to play in deciding whether you have the enthusiasm and motivation that
the employer is looking for. It also determines how well you are going to fit in to the organization, in
terms of your personality, attitude and general work style? In most working situations its the personalities
of the people involved that affect the day-to-day success of the organization. If a manager cant motivate
their staff or the team doesn't work well together, then quality of service and productivity will suffer.

There have also been significant changes in the past 20 years in the way that organizations
operate. For example, management styles tend to be less autocratic and there are usually fewer
levels of management than there were. The move towards more knowledge based and customer

focused jobs means that individuals have more autonomy even at fairly low levels within
organizations. In addition, most organizations expect to undergo frequent changes in the way that
they operate in order to remain competitive. All of these factors have contributed to your
personality being seen as more important now than it was in the past.
The companies that produce personality tests and the human resources staff who use them
invariably refer to these tests as personality questionnaires rather than tests. This is done to
avoid giving the impression that there are right and wrong answers and that the test can be either
passed or failed. Obviously, no one type of personality is necessarily better or worse than any
other. However, remember that you are being given this test for a reason, the employer is plainly
looking for something otherwise they would not be investing time and money on the testing
process.

How
is
Psychologists define personality as:

Personality

Measured

The particular pattern of behavior and thinking that prevails across time and contexts, and
differentiates one person from another.

In trying to understand these behavior patterns, psychologists attempt to identify and measure
individual
personality
characteristics,
often
called
personality
traits.
A personality trait is assumed to be some enduring characteristic that is relatively constant. This
is opposed to the present temperament of that person which is not necessarily a stable
characteristic. Consequently, trait theories are specifically focused on explaining the more
permanent personality characteristics that differentiate one individual from another. For example,
things
like
being;
dependable,
trustworthy,
friendly,
cheerful,
etc.
Modern personality theory is a relatively new field and really began in the 1920s. There have
been many attempts to define personality traits and some psychologists have developed models
with hundreds of traits. Whilst others believe that there are as few as three. In 1990, the
psychologists Costa & McCrae published details of a '5 trait' model. This has received significant
support from other research and is now widely accepted among psychologists. These 5 aspects of
personality are referred to as the 5-factors or sometimes just the Big 5.

Each of these 5 personality traits describes, relative to other people, the frequency or intensity of
a person's feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. Everyone possesses all 5 of these traits to a greater or
lesser degree. For example, two individuals could be described as agreeable (agreeable people
value getting along with others). But there could be significant variation in the degree to which
they are both agreeable.

These 5 traits/factors are:

Extraversion - How energetic one is.

People who score high on this factor like to work in cooperation with others, are
talkative, enthusiastic and seek excitement. People who score low on this factor
prefer to work alone, and can be perceived as cold, difficult to understand, even a
bit eccentric.

Agreeableness - Ones level of orientation towards other people.

Those who score high on this factor are usually co-operative, can be submissive,
and are concerned with the well-being of others. People who score low on this
factor may be challenging, competitive, sometimes even argumentative.

Conscientiousness - How structured one is.

People who score high on this factor are usually productive and disciplined and
single tasking. People who score low on this factor are often less structured, less
productive, but can be more flexible, inventive, and capable of multitasking.

Neuroticism - Tendency to worry.

People who score low on this factor are usually calm, relaxed and rational. They
may sometimes be perceived as lazy and incapable of taking things seriously.
People who score high on this factor are alert, anxious, sometimes worried.

Openness to Experience - Tendency to be speculative and imaginative.

People who score high on this factor are neophile and curious and sometimes
unrealistic. People who score low on this factor are down-to-earth and practical and

sometimes obstructive of change.

All 5 personality traits exist on a continuum rather than as attributes that a person does or does
not have. Each of these 5 traits is made up 6 facets, which can be measured independently.

Personality Factor

Facets

Extraversion

Friendliness
Gregariousness
Assertiveness
Activity
Excitement-Seeking
Cheerfulness

Agreeableness

Trust
Morality
Altruism
Cooperation
Modesty
Sympathy

Conscientiousness

Self-Efficacy
Orderliness
Dutifulness
Achievement-Striving
Self-Discipline
Cautiousness

Neuroticism

Anxiety
Anger
Depression
Self-Consciousness
Immoderation
Vulnerability

Openness to experience

Imagination
Artistic
Emotionality
Adventurousness
Intellect
Liberalism

Level

Interests

When thinking about personality traits it is important to ignore the positive or negative
associations that these words have in everyday language. For example, Agreeableness is
obviously advantageous for achieving and maintaining popularity. Agreeable people are better
liked than disagreeable people. On the other hand, agreeableness is not useful in situations that
require tough or totally objective decisions. Disagreeable people can make excellent scientists,
critics, or soldiers.

Sample Verbal Reasoning Questions

Verbal reasoning questions are not designed to measure your facility with the English. They are
designed to test your ability to take a series of facts expressed in words and to understand and
manipulate the information to solve a specific problem.

Employers use verbal reasoning questions to gain an insight into whether you have the key
intellectual skills that are the foundation for success in a managerial position. Consequently,
these questions are usually restricted to graduate and management level tests.

Sample Verbal Reasoning Questions

1. Pedro goes either hunting or fishing every day. If it is snowing & windy then Pedro goes hunting.
If it is sunny and not windy then Pedro goes fishing. Sometimes it can be snowing and sunny.
Which

of

the

following

statements

must

be

true:

goes

hunting.

A. If it is not sunny and it is snowing then Pedro goes hunting.

B. If it is windy and Pedro does not go hunting then it is not snowing.
C. If it is windy and not sunny then Pedro goes hunting.
D. If it is windy and sunny then Pedro goes hunting.
E. If

it

is

snowing

and

sunny

then

Pedro

2. The cost of manufacturing tractors in Korea is twenty percent less than the cost of manufacturing
tractors in Germany. Even after transportation fees and import taxes are added, it is still cheaper
to import tractors from Korea to Germany than to produce tractors in Germany.
Which

of

the

following

assertions

is

best

supported

by

this

information?

A. Labor costs in Korea are twenty percent below those in Germany.

B. Importing tractors into Germany will eliminate twenty percent of the manufacturing jobs
in Germany.
C. The costs of transporting a tractor from Korea to Germany is more than twenty percent of
the cost of manufacturing the tractor in Korea.
D. The import taxes on a tractor imported from Korea to Germany is less than twenty
percent of the cost of manufacturing the tractor in Germany.
E. It takes twenty percent less time to make a tractor in Korea than it does in Germany.
3. In 1695 about 11,400 doctors who had treated plague sufferers died and about 23,670 doctors
who had not treated plague sufferers died. On the basis of these figures, it can be concluded that it

was more dangerous for doctors not to participate in the treatment of plague sufferers than it was
for
them
to
participate
in
it.
Which of the following statements would cast most doubt on the conclusion above?
A. Expressing the difference between the numbers of deaths among doctors who had treated
plague sufferers and doctors who had not treated plague suffers as a percentage of the
total number of deaths.
B. Examining the death rates for doctors in the years before and after 1695.
C. Separating deaths due to natural causes during the treatment of plague suffers from
deaths caused by other causes.
D. Comparing death rates per thousand members of each group rather than comparing total
numbers of deaths.
E. The figures quoted may vary by plus or minus ten percent from the actual figures.
4. There are 900 bottles to be filled. Jim and Molly working independently but at the same time take
30 minutes to fill the bottles. How long should it take Molly working by herself to fill the bottles?
Statement
Molly

fills

Statement
Jim

would

Which

the

of

half

1
many

as

bottles

Jim.

as

2
take
statements

above

45
make

minutes
it

possible

himself.

by
to

answer

the

question.

A. Statement 1 alone is sufficient, but statement 2 alone is not sufficient.

B. Statement 2 alone is sufficient, but statement 1 alone is not sufficient.
C. Both statements together are sufficient, but neither statement alone is sufficient.
D. Each statement alone is sufficient.
E. Statements

and

together

are

not

sufficient.

5. Of the teams competing in the world archery championships, twenty percent are from Europe.
Half as many are from the United States and one twentieth are from Africa. What fraction of
teams
are
from
neither
Europe,
the
US
or
Africa.
A. 13/20

B. 15/20
C. 13/15
D. 17/20
E. 13/17

Answer to sample verbal Reasoning questions.

It is not always easy to assess whether someone has the ability to interpret information in an
analytical way and to make sound judgments based on their conclusions. This is particularly true
if individuals are applying for their first management job and do not have a track record of
successful decision making. Critical reasoning questions require you to demonstrate your ability
to make logical decisions and even to recognize that insufficient data has been provided for a
definitive answer to be reached, as would be the case in many real-life situations.

Power Tests
Personality is a term which is used to describe behavior. It is generally defined as an individual's
characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and acting across a wide range of situations. In other
words, what makes people unique?
Personality tests focus on aspects of our preferences and developed habits. The importance of an
individual's personal qualities and manner in which they interact with others is increasingly
recognized. As a result the use of psychometric or psychological tests has grown enormously in
the last few decades, so much so that if you apply for a job in a medium to large organization, the
chances are three to one that you will be required to take a psychometric test at some stage
during the selection process.

What are psychometric tests?

Psychometric tests attempt to objectively measure aspects of your mental ability or your
personality. They are used to provide employers with a reliable method of selecting the most
suitable job applicants or candidates for promotion.

What are job aptitude tests?

Job aptitude tests aim to provide a potential employer with an insight into how well you work
with other people, how well you handle stress, and whether you will be able to cope with the
intellectual demands of the job.

What are recruitment and selection tests?

If you are currently applying for a job then the chances are that you will need to sit a recruitment
and selection test as part of the process.

What are employee selection tests?

Employee selection tests provide a potential employer with an insight into whether you will be
able to cope with the demands of the job.

Why do employers use psychometric assessment?

Psychometric assessment can be applied to screen-out candidates who are likely to be unsuitable
for the job or to provide guidance on career progression to existing employees.

Can psychometric test examples help me?

If you are wondering whether practicing for aptitude tests will help, the answer is a very definite
yes. Now, you may have heard that it is very difficult to significantly improve your scores on
these tests. This view is debatable, but even if it were true you do not need to achieve a
significant improvement a marginal one will do!

Can I prepare for psychometric tests?

Everyone, if they practice, can improve their test scores. The biggest gains are achieved quite
quickly and result from becoming familiar with the types of question and from getting into the
groove of answering them.

Can I prepare for aptitude tests?

You can influence your scores in these tests significantly by understanding the question types and
practicing them.

Can I prepare for personality questionnaires?

The only sensible way to prepare for personality questionnaires to learn enough about how
personality tests work to make an informed decision about which approach to take.

Where can I download free psychometric tests?

If you are going to take a psychometric test, aptitude test or ability test as part of the recruitment
process then you should download free psychometric tests from this website and work through
them before you do the real thing.

What is a cognitive ability test?

Cognitive ability is a generic term describing the process of information processing (perception,
conceptualization, problem solving, etc.); the term is frequently used in psychological
assessment
as
a
synonym
for
intelligence.
What are verbal ability tests?
Verbal ability tests are designed to measure your ability to understand concepts framed in words,
your ability to find commonalities among different concepts and to manipulate ideas on an
abstract level. They assess both your knowledge of English and your reasoning ability.

What are verbal aptitude tests?

Verbal aptitude tests evaluate your ability to spell words accurately, use correct grammar,
understand word meanings, understand word relationships and analyze detailed written
information.

What are verbal reasoning tests?

They are designed to test your ability to take a series of facts expressed in words and to
understand and manipulate the information to solve a specific problem.

What are verbal analogy questions?

The purpose of verbal analogy tests is to assess your verbal reasoning ability. They concentrate
on relationships, specifically the relationship of one word to another and therefore of one idea to
another.

What are numerical ability tests?

Numerical ability tests are used by employers to measure your ability to perform tasks involving
numbers. The questions range from simple arithmetic operations like addition and subtraction to
more complex questions where you need to interpret numerical information presented as tables,
diagrams, and graphs.

What are numerical aptitude tests?

Numerical aptitude tests are administered under exam conditions and strictly timed, a typical test
might allow 30-40 minutes for 30-40 questions.

What are numerical reasoning tests?

Numerical reasoning tests represent a particular type of numerical ability or aptitude test.

What are numerical series tests?

Numerical series tests are a type of numerical aptitude test which require you to find the missing
number in a sequence. This missing number may be at the beginning or middle but is usually at
the end.

What are numeric reasoning tests?

If you are going to sit an aptitude test as part of the job selection process then it will almost
certainly include a numeric reasoning test.

What are numerical reasoning ability tests?

Numerical reasoning ability tests assess your ability to use numbers in a logical and rational way.
The questions require only a basic level of education in order to successfully complete and are
therefore measuring numerical reasoning ability rather than educational achievement.

What are abstract reasoning tests?

Abstract reasoning tests show a series of figures arranged in a pattern or sequence and you are
required to identify the missing figure or the next in the sequence.

What are diagrammatic reasoning tests?

Diagrammatic reasoning tests are closely related to abstract reasoning tests. They are used to
select information technology specialists who need to work through complex abstract problems
in an analytical way.

What are spatial ability tests?

Spatial ability is required in production, technical and design jobs where plans and drawings are
used, for example; engineering, architecture, surveying and design.

What is a spatial aptitude test?

A spatial aptitude test measures your ability to manipulate shapes in two dimensions or to
visualize three-dimensional objects presented as two-dimensional pictures.

What are mechanical reasoning tests?

Mechanical reasoning tests measure your knowledge of straightforward mechanical and physical
concepts.

What are mechanical comprehension tests?

Modern mechanical comprehension tests often include fault diagnosis questions which are used
to select personnel for technical roles where they need to be able to find and repair faults in
electronic control systems.

What are fault diagnosis tests?

Fault Diagnosis tests are used to select personnel for technical roles who need to be able to find
and repair faults in electronic control systems.

What are clerical aptitude tests?

Clerical aptitude tests are designed to identify candidates who can work quickly and accurately
in administrative roles.

What are technical aptitude tests?

Technical aptitude tests are designed to identify suitable candidates for technical roles within the
emergency services and military as well as for craft and engineering jobs.

What are data checking tests?

Data Checking tests present you with a various items of information which must be checked
against each other. These tests are used to select candidates for clerical and data input jobs,
particularly where accuracy is important.

What are concentration tests?

Concentration tests are used to select personnel who need to work through items of information
in a systematic way while making very few mistakes.

Why not try our personality questionnaire and get a free feedback report?
Other examples:
Verbal reasoning
Numerical reasoning

Inductive reasoning
Motivation questionnaire

I like to take my time summing up a situation

I do my own thing

I like to spend a lot of time with my friends

My feelings can be easily hurt

4

daffodil 23; Asse

I am interested in the welfare of others

I find it easy to relax

I sometimes like to break the rules at work

I stick with tasks until they are completed

5

daffodil 23; Asse

I dislike setting long-term goals

I seek variety in all things I do

I am organised

I feel positive about the future

I keep my opinions to myself

Enjoying an activity is more important than winning

I tend to conceal my feelings

I make decisions without consultation

8

daffodil 23; Asse

I find people are rarely dishonest

Formal situations make me feel uneasy

Achieving in my career is very important to me

I enjoy controlling the work of a team

11

daffodil 23; Asse

I find people are rarely dishonest

Formal situations make me feel uneasy

Achieving in my career is very important to me

I enjoy controlling the work of a team

11

daffodil 23; Asse

/w EPDw UJODY3

Assigning tasks to other people comes easily to me

I am often impatient with those who struggle to

handle their own tasks

I am not too confident in getting others to accept what

I believe

I am usually accurate in identifying potential pitfalls

\I always keep track of changes and developments in

my field

I am exceptionally thorough with my work

I always feel unprepared for change

I am more comfortable to let others take charge

I am the one team members turn to for support

I can persuade people to do something if I need to

I always set myself demanding goals

I am often the one to get the ball rolling in a

brainstorming session
I am often prepared to overlook minor regulations to
speed up productivity
I am sometimes intimidated by change

I am usually quick to make up my mind

I focus on my own objectives rather than helping

colleagues achieve theirs

I easily become acquainted with others

I am usually the one to point out the pitfalls in a

proposal
I am usually quick to learn new techniques

I bend the rules from time to time

Inductive reasoning examples

An inductive reasoning test measures abilities which are important in solving problems. They
may also be referred to as abstract reasoning tests or diagrammatic style tests. Inductive
reasoning tests measure the ability to work flexibly with unfamiliar information and find
solutions. People who perform well on these tests tend to have a greater capacity to think
conceptually as well as analytically.
In each example given below, you will find a logical sequence of five boxes. Your task is to
decide which of the boxes completes this sequence. To give your answer, select one of the boxes
marked A to E. You will be told whether your answer is correct or not.

Questions
Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Numerical reasoning examples

In a numerical reasoning test, you are required to answer questions by using facts and figures
presented in statistical tables. In each question you are usually given a number of options to
choose from. One, and only one, of the options are correct in each case. If necessary, use a rough
sheet of paper and/or a calculator. However, it is important to note that the use of a calculator
may not be permitted in all tests.
For each question below, click the appropriate button to select your answer. You will be told
whether your answer is correct or not.

Newspaper Readership

Daily Newspapers

Readership
(millions)

Percentage of adults reading each paper in

Year 3

Year 1

Males

Year 2

Females

The
Chronicle

Daily

3.6

2.9

Daily News

13.8

9.3

24

18

The Tribune

1.1

1.4

The Herald

8.5

12.7

30

23

Daily Echo

4.8

4.9

10

12

Question 1 - Which newspaper was read by a higher percentage of females than males in Year 3?

The Tribune

The Herald

Daily News

Daily Echo

The
Daily
Chronicle

Question 2 What was the combined readership of the Daily Chronicle, the Daily Echo and The
Tribune in Year 1?

10.6

8.4

9.5

12.2

7.8

Amount Spent on Computer Imports

Question 3 In Year 3, how much more than Italy did Germany spend on computer imports?

650 million

700 million

750 million

800 million

850 million

Question 4 If the amount spent on computer imports into the UK in Year 5 was 20% lower
than in Year 4, what was spent in Year 5?

1,080 million

1,120 million

1,160 million

1,220 million

1,300 million

Aptitude Tests > Diagrammatic Reasoning

Tests
The term diagrammatic reasoning is often used interchangeably with abstract reasoning. Some
of the companies who produce psychometric tests refer to abstract reasoning tests as
diagrammatic reasoning tests. This is presumably because abstract tests use diagrams or pictures
rather than words or numbers. If you are told that you need to sit a diagrammatic reasoning test
then it may be just another name for an abstract reasoning test. Or it may not.
If you are applying for a job in information technology then you may be faced with questions
which test your abstract reasoning ability in a very specific way. These are referred to on this
web site as diagrammatic reasoning tests to differentiate them from 'normal' abstract reasoning
tests.
These diagrammatic reasoning tests measure your ability to infer a set of rules from a flowchart
or similar diagram and then to apply those rules to new situation. These questions are often found
in tests aimed at selecting information technology specialists who need to work through complex
problems
in
an
analytical
way.
Example
Questions
1) The functions 'M' and 'S' transform the input shapes in a certain way. You need to use the
diagram to determine what effect each of these functions has. Apply them to the input shape in
the question to arrive at the correct output.

Another type of question that appears in these tests measures your ability to follow a set of
logical instructions. In the next example, the operators are defined in the first diagram. Each
operator acts on the figure that it is attached to. The sequence of operations is from top to
bottom. Use this information to answer the questions.

In the street plan above, for example, Shakespeare Road is one-way between Cole Street and
Trenchtown Road. This means that if you were driving south on Trenchtown Road you could not
turn right into Shakespeare Street.

2) Which figure results from the operations shown?

3) Which figure results from the operations shown?

Answers
1. B - Function 'M' inverts color (black > white and white > black). Function 'S' rotates
shape anticlockwise through 90 degrees.
2. B - Work from top to bottom, making a note of the effect of each operator at each stage.
3. D - Remember some of the operations involve changing the relative position of figures.
Remember, you are unlikely to be asked questions if this type unless the job calls for a high level
of analytical abstract reasoning skills. These types of question are usually restricted to technical
jobs in information technology but may also be used to select for technical jobs in the finance
industry.
If the employer has made any mention of diagrammatic reasoning then you should ask them to
clarify exactly what they mean, and if possible to supply some example questions.

RATING STATEMENTS
You may be asked to rate yourself on a number of phrases or statements. After reading each
statement you would mark your answer according to the following rules:
Select circle 1

If you strongly disagree with the statement

Select circle 2

If you disagree with the statement

Select circle 3

If you are unsure

Select circle 4

If you agree with the statement

Select circle 5

If you strongly agree with the statement

In the example below, the first statement has been completed: The person has agreed that 'I enjoy
meeting new people' is an accurate description of him/herself. Try rating yourself on the other
example questions. Remember there are no right or wrong answers.

I enjoy meeting new people

I like helping people

I sometimes make mistakes

I'm easily disappointed

I enjoy repairing things

Making Choices
This is the second format widely used with personality questionnaires. You are given a block of four
statements: A, B, C and D. Your task is to choose one statement which is most like your behaviour in
work situations and one statement which is least like your behaviour. You should indicate your choices
by clicking the appropriate button in the columns marked M for Most and L for least.
In the example below, the first statement has been completed: The person has indicated that they
most like organising people and least like seeking variety. Try choosing which statements are most and
least like you in the following example questions. Remember that there are no right and wrong
answers.
I am the sort of person who.......
M

1 A Has a wide circle of friends

B Enjoys organising people

C Relaxes easily

D Seeks variety

2 A Helps people with their problems

B Develops new approaches

C Has lots of energy

D Enjoys social activities

3 A Has lots of new ideas

B Feels calm

C Likes to understand things

D Is easy to get on with

4 A Enjoys organising events

B Sometimes gets angry

C Is talkative

D Resolves conflicts at work

Another variation of this format type gives you a block of three statements: A, B and C. Just as above
your task is to choose one statement which is most like your behaviour in work situations and one
statement which is least like your behaviour. You should indicate your choices by clicking the
appropriate button in the columns marked M for Most and L for Least.
The first statement below has been completed: The person has indicated that they most like trying out
new activities and least like understanding the underlying theory. Try choosing which statements are
most and least like you in the following example questions. Remember that there are no right and
wrong answers.
M

1 A I try out new activities

B I consider other peoples feelings

I like to understand the underlying

theory

2 A I have highly original ideas

I am prepared to tell people if

B they
are mistaken

I am modest about what I have

achieved

3 A I conceal my feelings

B I am nervous before big events

C I review work critically

4 A I like meeting new people

B I enjoy setting long-term goals

C I usually feel relaxed

Verbal reasoning

Verbal reasoning examples

In a verbal reasoning test, you are usually provided with a passage of information and required to
evaluate a set of statements by selecting one of the following possible answers:
A True (The statement follows logically from the information or opinions contained in the passage)
B False (The statement is logically false from the information or opinions contained in the passage)
C Cannot Say (Cannot determine whether the statement is true or false without further information)
In the example below, give your answer to each question by clicking on either A, B or C. You will be
told whether your answer is correct or not.
Many organisations find it beneficial to employ students over the summer. Permanent staff often wish
to take their own holidays over this period. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for companies to
experience peak workloads in the summer and so require extra staff. Summer employment also
attracts students who may return as well qualified recruits to an organisation when they have
completed their education. Ensuring that the students learn as much as possible about the
organisation encourages interest in working on a permanent basis. Organisations pay students on a
fixed rate without the usual entitlement to paid holidays or sick leave.

Statement 1 - It is possible that permanent staff who are on holiday can have their work carried out
by students.

Statement 2 Students in summer employment are given the same paid holiday benefit as
permanent staff.

Statement 3 Students are subject to the organisations standard disciplinary and grievance
procedures.

Statement 4 Some companies have more work to do in the summer when students are available
for vacation work.

Numerical reasoning

Numerical reasoning examples

In a numerical reasoning test, you are required to answer questions by using facts and figures
presented in statistical tables. In each question you are usually given a number of options to choose
from. One, and only one, of the options is correct in each case. If necessary, use a rough sheet of
paper and/or a calculator. However, it is important to note that the use of a calculator may not be
permitted in all tests.
For each question below, click the appropriate button to select your answer. You will be told whether
your answer is correct or not.

Newspaper Readership
Daily Newspapers

Readership (millions) Percentage of adults reading each paper in Year 3

Year 1

Year 2

Males

Females

3.6

2.9

Daily News

13.8

9.3

24

18

The Tribune

1.1

1.4

The Herald

8.5

12.7

30

23

Daily Echo

4.8

4.9

10

12

The Daily Chronicle

Question 1 - Which newspaper was read by a higher percentage of females than males in Year 3?

The Tribune

The Herald

Daily News

Daily Echo

The Daily
Chronicle

Question 2 What was the combined readership of the Daily Chronicle, the Daily Echo and The
Tribune in Year 1?

10.6

8.4

9.5

12.2

7.8

Amount Spent on Computer Imports

Question 3 In Year 3, how much more than Italy did Germany spend on computer imports?

650 million

700 million

750 million

800 million

850 million

Question 4 If the amount spent on computer imports into the UK in Year 5 was 20% lower than in
Year 4, what was spent in Year 5?

1,080 million

1,120 million

1,160 million

1,220 million

1,300 million

Verbal reasoning

Verbal reasoning examples

In a verbal reasoning test, you are usually provided with a passage of information and required to
evaluate a set of statements by selecting one of the following possible answers:
A True (The statement follows logically from the information or opinions contained in the passage)

B False (The statement is logically false from the information or opinions contained in the passage)
C Cannot Say (Cannot determine whether the statement is true or false without further information)
In the example below, give your answer to each question by clicking on either A, B or C. You will be
told whether your answer is correct or not.
Many organisations find it beneficial to employ students over the summer. Permanent staff often wish
to take their own holidays over this period. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for companies to
experience peak workloads in the summer and so require extra staff. Summer employment also
attracts students who may return as well qualified recruits to an organisation when they have
completed their education. Ensuring that the students learn as much as possible about the
organisation encourages interest in working on a permanent basis. Organisations pay students on a
fixed rate without the usual entitlement to paid holidays or sick leave.
Statement 1 - It is possible that permanent staff who are on holiday can have their work carried out
by students.

Statement 2 Students in summer employment are given the same paid holiday benefit as
permanent staff.

Statement 3 Students are subject to the organisations standard disciplinary and grievance
procedures.

Statement 4 Some companies have more work to do in the summer when students are available
for vacation work.

Inductive reasoning

Inductive reasoning examples

An inductive reasoning test measures abilities which are important in solving problems. They may also
be referred to as abstract reasoning tests or diagrammatic style tests. Inductive reasoning tests
measure the ability to work flexibly with unfamiliar information and find solutions. People who perform
well on these tests tend to have a greater capacity to think conceptually as well as analytically.
In each example given below, you will find a logical sequence of five boxes. Your task is to decide
which of the boxes completes this sequence. To give your answer, select one of the boxes marked A to
E. You will be told whether your answer is correct or not.

Questions
Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Personality questionnaire examples

Personality questionnaires assess personal behavioural preferences, that is, how you like to work.
They are not concerned with your abilities, but how you see yourself in the way you relate to others,
your approach to problems and how you deal with feelings and emotions. With this type of assessment
there are no right or wrong answers.
The questions which follow are examples of the type of question you may come across in personality
questionnaires.
There are three formats to personality questionnaires. In one format, you are asked to rate yourself.
In the other two, you are asked to choose between different statements, which look at different
aspects of personality.

Rating Statements

You may be asked to rate yourself on a number of phrases or statements. After reading each
statement you would mark your answer according to the following rules:
Select circle 1

If you strongly disagree with the statement

Select circle 2

If you disagree with the statement

Select circle 3

If you are unsure

Select circle 4

If you agree with the statement

Select circle 5

If you strongly agree with the statement

In the example below, the first statement has been completed: The person has agreed that 'I enjoy
meeting new people' is an accurate description of him/herself. Try rating yourself on the other
example questions. Remember there are no right or wrong answers.

I enjoy meeting new people

I like helping people

I sometimes make mistakes

I'm easily disappointed

I enjoy repairing things

Making Choices
This is the second format widely used with personality questionnaires. You are given a block of four
statements: A, B, C and D. Your task is to choose one statement which is most like your behaviour in
work situations and one statement which is least like your behaviour. You should indicate your choices
by clicking the appropriate button in the columns marked M for Most and L for least.
In the example below, the first statement has been completed: The person has indicated that they
most like organising people and least like seeking variety. Try choosing which statements are most and

least like you in the following example questions. Remember that there are no right and wrong
answers.
I am the sort of person who.......
M

1 A Has a wide circle of friends

B Enjoys organising people

C Relaxes easily

D Seeks variety

2 A Helps people with their problems

B Develops new approaches

C Has lots of energy

D Enjoys social activities

3 A Has lots of new ideas

B Feels calm

C Likes to understand things

D Is easy to get on with

4 A Enjoys organising events

B Sometimes gets angry

C Is talkative

D Resolves conflicts at work

Another variation of this format type gives you a block of three statements: A, B and C. Just as above
your task is to choose one statement which is most like your behaviour in work situations and one
statement which is least like your behaviour. You should indicate your choices by clicking the
appropriate button in the columns marked M for Most and L for Least.
The first statement below has been completed: The person has indicated that they most like trying out
new activities and least like understanding the underlying theory. Try choosing which statements are
most and least like you in the following example questions. Remember that there are no right and
wrong answers.
M

1 A I try out new activities

B I consider other peoples feelings

I like to understand the underlying

theory

2 A I have highly original ideas

I am prepared to tell people if

B they
are mistaken

I am modest about what I have

achieved

3 A I conceal my feelings

B I am nervous before big events

C I review work critically

4 A I like meeting new people

B I enjoy setting long-term goals

C I usually feel relaxed

Motivation questionnaire

Motivation questionnaire examples

A motivation questionnaire can be used to understand which situations may increase or decrease your
motivation and can assist in securing your job satisfaction. These types of questionnaires try to rate
how conditions found in the workplace could affect your motivation (i.e. whether you would work
harder or not in a given situation). As with the personality questionnaire, there are no right or wrong
answers.
In the example questions below, you are asked to rate each statement as to how it would affect your
motivation to work. You are then required to choose the appropriate option (A to E) to complete the
sentence.
Try the example questions below and remember, there are no right or wrong answers.
Options:
A

Greatly reduces my motivation to work

Tends to reduce my motivation to work

Has no effect on my motivation to work

Tends to increase my motivation to work

Greatly increases my motivation to work

For example:
A

Being expected to take responsibility for tasks

Having to train a new member of staff