Don’t Leave It to Luck! – Prepare for Your Next Interview

Don’t Leave It to Luck! – Prepare for Your Next Interview

If you’ve gotten to this point, you are probably aware of the importance of writing a great resume.

But where do you go from there? What should you do after sending in your resume? Should you simply wait by the phone for a call from the company you hope to be employed by? The answer, of course, is no.

So then, what is the best course of action? What is the best way to use this time?  The answer is simple—start getting ready for your interview.

The sooner you start to prepare, the greater your chances of being hired. However, one must take into consideration that preparing for a job interview in this competitive, contemporary market is becoming increasingly harder.

As the market is flooded with talented, educated, and ambitious individuals, the screening process — the process employers use to ensure they choose the most suitable applicants—has become more complicated.

One of the most popular ways organizations screen candidates is job assessment tests. Job assessment tests are varied, and different employers conduct different types of assessments.

So, what is the best way to gain an advantage and to outperform your competition? The answer for this is also quite simple—start practicing in advance.

You can begin practicing even before you send your resume, but it is much more important to start preparing upon submission of your application.

Before you begin to prepare, it is crucial to know which test you’re about to take. Not all employers provide this information, as they would prefer that the first time you encounter the test questions be during the assessment itself.

However, it is likely that some information is out there, especially if you’re applying to a big company. Do your own research and find out what kind of assessment test you will face. There are generally two main options:

1. Aptitude tests

Aptitude tests assess a candidate’s cognitive abilities, including, but not limited to, numeracy skills, literacy skills, and spatial awareness.

Numerical tests usually include numerical literacy questions and examine proficiency in basic arithmetic operations as well as in numerical reasoning. Verbal tests involve text analysis as well as contain linguistically-based questions.

Other tests examine deductive reasoning, abstract reasoning, technical skills, and computer skills. After learning which type of aptitude test you’re about to take, find some online resources and start practicing.

Free materials usually provide basic information about the exam, but they won’t provide you with the self-esteem, knowledge, and familiarization with the test you need to succeed.

This is where paid resources come in. Even if resources aren’t free, the quality preparation you’ll receive from using them will enable you to increase your salary demands.

2. Behavioral tests

Behavioral tests are aimed at assessing an applicant’s dominant character traits. This information is then used to determine whether the applicant is the most suitable candidate for a certain position.

Behavioral tests may take the form of personality tests, situational judgement tests, or motivation and leadership questionnaires. Although it may seem as if these tests do not pose questions with “right” or “wrong” answers, this is not really the case.

As each individual position requires different characteristics, some answers will help you get hired, while others will definitely not.

Therefore, it is just as important to prepare for behavioral tests as it is for aptitude tests. There are many online preparation resources. Find one and start preparing today.

The hiring process today is both more complicated and more demanding than it was even 5 or 10 years ago.

Conclusion

Writing a great resume is important, but this is only the first step. To ensure you are offered your desired job, it is equally important to prepare for job assessment tests. One thing is certain — other candidates will definitely make an effort, so don’t let them create a gap. Prepare for your job assessment test.