Career Aptitude Tests 101

More and more these days, interviewers are using aptitude tests to help them choose the right person for a position. What exactly are aptitude tests? Well, they are tests that have been specifically designed to measure an applicant’s ability to perform in certain situations.

Though these tests vary greatly, depending on the industry, there are a few basic skills that all aptitude tests measure. These include: the applicant’s ability to comprehend complex instructions, to apply acquired skills and knowledge, to make the best decisions possible with the available information, and also their ability to keep their emotions in check when the going gets tough.

Some of the more general tests focus solely on abstract reasoning based on maths, verbal and spatial abilities. In truth, these aptitude tests are really nothing more than IQ tests, only shorter. They are designed to gauge an applicant’s natural mental and intellectual abilities, rather than his acquired knowledge.

Why do companies subject candidates to these tests? Most of the time a company just wants to see how quickly a candidate can absorb and apply new information. But because IQ tests are not only too long, but also politically incorrect, they call them aptitude tests.

However, there are also aptitude tests that attempt to measure your abilities as a leader or how well you are likely to get along with coworkers. These tests tend to concern themselves more with social skills and psychology than they do with intellectual ability.