Online Assessment Tests

What are online assessments?

Online assessments are designed to determine your ‘personality’ (your preferred style of behaviour) and your ‘aptitude’ (your ability in certain areas, like verbal and numeracy skills) helping prospective employers to assess your knowledge and skills.

Why do some companies use these tests?

Lots of employers today use online tests to check your abilities, judgement skills, and personality type—normally as the first step once you’ve applied for a job. They’re nothing to worry about and can even help you show skills you don’t get to demonstrate in an interview. These tests can help you to show employers how you might perform in the workplace as well as your typical/preferred ways of working.

Well, these assessments help employers measure the kind of skills you’ll need for a particular job. For example, if you apply for an IT role, you might be asked to take tests to show you understand concepts and ideas, visualised with the use of diagrams and imagery. And some large multinational companies will often look for specific personalities and behavioural traits for a certain position; these tests are a useful tool to help them find suitable candidates.

Types of online assessments

Psychometric/aptitude tests

These are designed to test your knowledge and skills on a specific area or industry to assess how well you approach tasks.  They can also look at your character and attitude.  Example tests include verbal, non-verbal reasoning, numerical, written communication and abstract reasoning tests.  These style tests often consist of a series of multiple choice questions where you submit your answers within a time limit.

Personality tests

These help to assess your personal attributes and core transferable skills e.g. behaviours, leadership, and teamwork.

Adjustments for neurodivergent candidates

Being neurodiverse might mean you think and process information in a different way, which may possibly impact you while in test environments.

Some organisations can assist you by making alternative arrangements to accommodate your needs when completing assessments. This can include:

• Providing additional time to complete the tests.
• Modifying the presentation style i.e font/size, style, or colour contrast
• Providing you with previous test examples

Don’t be scared or embarrassed to ask for extra support if you need it, for further guidance on how to request adjustments for your assessments visit the SHL website.  

Practise online assessments

There are free tests available to help you prepare for something you might see in the interview, which can help you to feel confident when the time comes. Visit the SHL Website to practise.