To start with, I have to mention our excellent information sheet on psychometric tests available here.  Prepared by a group of careers advisers, this leaflet provides the best introduction to different types of selection tests: aptitude, numeracy, verbal and personality tests. At the end of the sheet there is also a list of books to help you prepare and a few websites, so I definitely recommend you take a look at that first. This Prospects page also provides a good overview of the tests with examples.

In this post I just wanted to list a few more online practice tests and websites, to highlight the fact that there are plenty of opportunities for free practice.

The tests can be fun to do (well maybe the personality ones more than the rest…) and quite revealing, so even if you haven’t got any assessment centres lined up, they may help you with your career choices.

Multiple tests available

• SHL – practice numerical, verbal, personality, motivation and inductive reasoning tests, and online interviews. SHL are a major supplier of aptitude tests, so these ones are particularly good to practice. Complete a practice ability test by the 31st March 09 and as well as getting free feedback, you will be entered into a draw for a 120GB iPod!
• ASE – practice numerical, verbal, non-verbal, abstract, spatial and mechanical reasoning tests. Practice test no longer available – 18/05/09
• Kenexa – practice numerical, verbal and logical reasoning tests.
• Psychometric Success - practice numerical, verbal and abstract reasoning, spatial, technical and clerical aptitude tests. More information on different types of test is available on their website.
• TimesOnline - practice personality, verbal and numerical tests.

Numeracy

• Top Employers - Graduate Jobs Numeracy Game. Written by investment bankers, this test includes graphs, charts and data interpretation questions based on a pool of 200 questions.
• eFinancialCareers – numerical tests, similar to those used by investment banks. Optional timer to increase the pressure and simulate real test conditions.

Reasoning

• P&G Careers – Practice reasoning test for Procter & Gamble – available in a number of languages.

Personality

• Keirsey temperament sorter - Personality test – the basic report is free, just note there is a scale of prices for more detailed results. The questions here are a similar style to the MBTI testing we do through University of London careers services. MBTI workshops for non-students are available through C2 Careers.

Computer programming

• Berger aptitude for programming test- sample questions

Many firms who use aptitude and psychometric tests will provide details and sample questions on their own recruitment sites, like Procter & Gamble above, so it is worth checking their website. If they don’t and you have been invited to an assessment centre, you could try emailing your contact there to see if they will tell you which tests are being used. They might not want to give too much information (sometimes recruiters prefer candidates to be unprepared so the tests are more ‘honest’), but it won’t do any harm to send a short, polite query. You can also check WikiJob to see if there is an entry for that company, as they often outline which tests have been used.

For more resources to help you prepare, including lots of relevant books, try browsing the Careers Tagged listings for psychometric and aptitude tests.

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