Job interviews and aptitude tests
xWINNING WAYS FOR JOB INTERVIEWS AND APTITUDE TESTS
Are you a first timer in the job market? Or are you among the multitudes of applicants who are now used to writing aptitude tests without getting any positive response from prospective employers because you did not score up to the required cut-off mark? Then this is for you. Well let me assure you that you are not alone, there are many tens of thousands like you out there too seeking for that dream job. This precarious condition has been made worst in recent times due to the global economic downturn which has led to retrenchments of workers.
Today’s job recruitment process has become so competitive and rigorous that only the very best and most prepared job applicant has any chance of getting the job. Are you wondering why you are not been called after submitting your CV in several organizations. And for those who are fortunate enough to be invited for aptitude tests, the most common phrase you get to hear from the organization is “sorry we are unable to select you for the next stage of the interview”. Sometimes you never get to hear from them afterwards.
Imagine getting to the venue of an aptitude test and low and behold is a multitude of other applicants probably numbering a thousand or more and you wonder how many spaces do this organization have to offer these candidates. Well that’s the scenario in most interviews today. Therefore it is imperative that you are well prepared ahead of these tests so you can have any chance of getting the job. In this series I will be providing you with a few tips that will literally put an end to that job search.
Good news! In addition to the important tips on “WINNING WAYS FOR JOB SEARCH AND INTERVIEWS” that I will be sharing with you as you read on, I also have for you a well researched package on various real tests and answers to them. This package is comprehensive and includes tests on verbal, quantitative, mechanical accuracy and a whole lot of other psychometric tests that have been used in the last one year by some oil and gas multinationals, banks, and manufacturing organizations. Also included in this package are eBooks on “Interview skills that win the job” and “How to answer 64 toughest interview questions”. I guarantee you that by the time you practice these tests and read the e-books also included you can be sure you will be among the few selected for the job.
……when opportunity and preparation meets the end result is success!
JOB SEARCH
This is the process of seeking for available vacancies. It requires doggedness and a consistent effort on the part of the job seeker. The various avenues for job search include
-Newspapers
-Online (This is an important avenue for job search today)
-Networking(This includes joining career forums and establishing individual contacts)
WRITING AN EFFECTIVE CURRICULUM VITAE
An excellent CV is a perfect script for your interview. It is your selling tool and goes along way in determining if you will be called for an interview. Therefore it is important that your CV is professionally tailored to the job you are applying for.
The first page of your CV is critical. Make sure to include your best qualities here leaving your weaker points for the second page. The modus operandi is to blow your trumpet. Emphasize your strengths and suppress your areas of weakness.
The following should be observed when writing CV’s
ØFollow traditional ordering styles. Start with your contact information at the top of the page and then your full name boldly typed. This is followed by your career objectives and then your personal details. If you have strong academic records but little experience, do not fail to include your educational background before any employment experience and if you have poor academic records but plenty of job experience then you should put your employment experience before your educational background.
ØMake sure that your CV is concise and straightforward. It is important that the interviewer be able to quickly and easily scan through your CV.So do place each heading in well demarcated sections.
ØCheck to make sure there is no error in spellings and grammar.
ØTailor your CV to the job description.CV’s that readily highlight the aspects of your qualifications and experience relating to the job applied for are more successful than those written for general purpose.
ØUse bullet points to highlight your qualities and responsibilities in previous jobs.This save space and more importantly it is easier for the interviewer to read.
ØDo not be too elaborate about designing your CV by using a wide range of fonts and graphics.
ØDo not use unnecessary spaces with references. Simply put “references will be provided on request”
ØDo not send out photocopies of your CV.Make sure each CV is printed and not stained or smudged in anyway.
WRITING APTITUDE TESTS
Now that you have been shortlisted, having scaled through the CV screening, the next stage of the employment process is the interview stage.
These days, due to the teaming numbers of job applicants, employers use various methods to assess the competency of job applicants in order to select the best candidates for the job. These methods include oral interviews, written tests and exercises otherwise known as aptitude tests, group discussions and practical exercises.
Aptitude tests have become a popular tool to pre-qualify job applicants for the final stage of the recruitment process which is the oral interview. Aptitude tests are structured and standardized ways of evaluating the competence of job applicants through written exercises in which scores are compared and a cut-off chosen to select the best applicants.
Aptitude test are been increasingly administered in the following forms.
- Numerical reasoning – They are questions meant to evaluate mathematical abilities and may include graphical data interpretation, problem solving, data sufficiency problems and quantitative comparison
- Verbal reasoning – These questions are designed to test the ability to understand, analyze and interpret written information. This may be in various forms including comprehension passages, analogy, synonyms and antonyms, determining whether a statement is true, false or cannot say based on the information given.
- Non verbal reasoning – This test evaluates the ability or skill required to identify to identify the relationship between a set of objects. It is also called diagrammatic or spatial ability test.
Passing the aptitude tests stage is crucial to qualifying for the final stage of the recruitment process (oral interview).
JOB INTERVIEWS
A job interview is a strategic conversation between a potential employer and a prospective job applicant. It could be an unstructured /behavioral interview in which the employer seeks to find out how the applicant was able to manage past challenges or situations. This is based on the belief that past behaviours can predict future behaviours and actions. In responding to such questions the job applicant should provide a clear example of an outstanding performance. One that obviously illustrates skills the organization requires.
The other type is the structured/traditional interview in which the employer concentrates on direct questions relating to the job applied for.
The various forms of interviews include
-One on One interviews
-Panel/Board interviews
-Stress interviews
-Impromptu interviews
-Work sample interviews
-Telephone interviews etc.
Preparation for interviews
Succeeding at interviews entails capturing your interviewer(s) and demonstrating that you can do the job .It is often said that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. You will probably have less than 3 minutes to answer each question thrown at you. So make sure to provide concise, intelligent and practical responses. To create a good impression of your preparedness for the interview please observe the following
-Your nails and hair should be well groomed
-Clothes pressed and professional
-Arrive early to the venue of the interview
-Exhume confidence and enthusiasm
-Give concise and complete response to questions asked
-Maintain eye contact with the interviewer not necessarily staring at him.
vWhat do employers look out for
-Broad based skills
-Future potential
-Technical experience and expertise
-Can do (Aptitude) and willing to do (attitude)
-Team spirit
-Organisational fit (the ideal worker)
vSelect five (5) of your most marketable skills. How to do this is to:
-Examine your previous experience
-Examine your key roles/responsibilities
-Zero in on your strengths and achievements
This will help you answer questions such as
i.Tell me about your self
ii.Why should we hire you
iii.Why do you want to work for us
vDo your research into
-The culture
-Vision/Mission
-Products and Services
-Market share
-And the industry in which the organization operates.
This will help in answering questions such as
i.What do you know about our organization?
ii.What important trend do you see in our industry?
iii.What do you feel this position should pay?
vQuestioning the interviewer
One big mistake a job applicant can make during interviews is not to ask any question regarding the job or company. It may indicate lack of genuine interest in the job.
You can ask questions relating to the following
-Organisational structure/reporting lines
-Organisational future plans
-Critical success factors for the job
-The indices use by the organization to rate performance
vNegotiating Salaries
-Salary is a delicate topic and when asked how much should you be paid avoid tying yourself to a figure. When the question is asked early during the interview just say you wish to know more about the key roles and responsibilities of the position i.e. first make sure that you have established a value for yourself.
-Research what obtains in the industry
-Provide a range of figure should the interviewer insist.
At the end of the interview do thank the interviewer
vInterview Follow up
Most job applicants relax and just wait for a response from the organization. This laid back approach does not help. Job hunting requires doggedness. You just need to show that you are very much interested in the job. Send a “thank you” message and follow up with a telephone call if you have not received a response after a reasonable period of time.
Having a dazzling CV is not just enough to secure a job in today’s highly competitive job market. Aptitude tests are now an integral part of the recruitment process. The belief is that those who do well at aptitude tests are more likely to do well on the job since they possess high intelligence quotient (IQ).So; it is hardly surprising that seemingly well qualified candidates are overlooked in favour of applicants that excel at aptitude tests.
Dear Friend, this is the time to take a positive action to increase your chances of success. I am presenting to you a comprehensive package on aptitude tests. These tests include verbal,numerical,spatial,mechanical and a variety of other tests from well known test prep organizations like SHL,GMAT etc.If you have written Shell, Total, Mobil Scholarship Test,Unilever and a few other tests in the past one year you will agree with me that they are SHL tests.Infact, most recruitment organizations simply pick questions from the catalogue of these prep organizations without any editing.So,having a copy of this aptitude test prep package is like an expo!Each test types contains examples and plenty of practice tests with solutions to help you study independently. Also included in this package are e-books on “Interview skills that win the job” and “How to answer 64 toughest interview questions”.
Before you attend that next interview this Year make sure that you have gotten your copy of this Aptitude test prep package and have practiced the tests therein. I guarantee success in your next interview.
So, what are you waiting for? Start your preparation now. The key to succeeding at aptitude tests is advance preparation. Be familiar with the various tests you are likely to come across on the day of the interview. It is then that you can have that important edge that will make the difference.
Best wishes
NB: Please do note that all test materials in this package are in PDF formats. You will therefore require Adobe reader installed on your computer to be able to view them. If you require hardcopies sent to you instead you can contact me through the phone number
To order for your own copy of this Aptitude test prep package or if you wish to make further enquires regarding this, please do contact me on the following lines:
08186509686, 08027125898 OR email: [email protected]
Pathfinders
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