The Six Types of Aptitude Tests in Psychometric Assessments

January 20, 2009 – 3:01 am
by T.W. Stan

Psychometric assessments are given by approximately 65% of employers to find the best candidates for jobs. Work experience and longevity on a job are no longer the only considerations an employer uses when looking for a potential employee. Assessments are believed to be accurate indicators of future job performance.

There are two distinct parts of a psychometric assessment: aptitude tests and personality assessments. This article will discuss the six types of aptitude tests.

Aptitude tests assess an individual’s verbal and numerical abilities as well as abstract reasoning capabilities. These tests are always multiple choice with definite right or wrong answers. They are also timed tests.

There are more than 5000 aptitude tests available to employers with new tests being added on a regular basis. All of these tests are diverse in their names and acronyms, but they can all basically be classified into six distinct types:

verbal reasoning numeric reasoning abstract reasoning spatial reasoning mechanical reason data checking

We will describe each aptitude test and explain why an employer would want to give this test to applicants.

Verbal Verbal ability is tested because the employer needs to know if a prospective employee communicates well. These tests usually include grammar, analogy (the association of words), and following written instructions. There may also be tests in spelling, reading comprehension and completion of sentences.

Numeric Most employers are interested in an applicants ability in basic mathematics even if this ability is not used much on the job. These tests may involve basic arithmetic such as adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing skills. Also tested is the ability to recognize number sequences and some mathematical skills such as fractions, decimals, etc. Calculators are normally banned while taking numeric tests.

Abstract reasoning This test measures intelligence and the ability to learn new skills or information quickly. Diagrams are used to test logical sequence.

Spatial This test is given only if the job requires the applicant to have good spatial abilities. This test measures the ability to manipulate shapes mentally.

Mechanical This test requires specific knowledge of levers, pulleys, gears, springs, tools, electrical circuits and shop arithmetic. This test is given only if the job requires this specialized knowledge.

Data checking Data checking measures the ability to quickly and accurately find errors in data. Two columns of information are compared and determined if they are the same of different. This test is usually given to clerical and data entry cnadidates.

These six aptitude tests that are included in psychometric assessments give an employer an accurate measurement of the skills and abilities of prospective employees.

About the Author:
Talent Q enables employers to recruit and manage talent through sophisticated assessment of the personality and intelligence of its people. Visit us for more information on psychometric testing and personality assesment.
By T.W. Stan | Posted in Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

How Does 360 Degree Feedback Work? Can It Benefit Your Business?

January 19, 2009 – 9:06 am
by Theo Benmanson

We all like to get positive or constructive feedback and when it is delivered in the right way it can really benefit both the individual and the business. Even so, with evidence to support this idea, it is the fact that people do not receive feedback that is considered to be the major contributor to their decision to leave their workplace, so it really is important to provide feedback to your employees. It is a wise decision as it allows you to find out where employees may require support or skills development to enable them to raise their performance levels.

So, why is 360 degree feedback used? It has been generated from the requirement to provide an increase in frequency and quality of feedback to employees. This is in addition to the annual appraisal where the employee visit’s the manager’s office to be given a summary of their strengths and weaknesses.

Throughout time it has been the job of the manager to give this feedback and as a result of increasing workloads, the feedback has not always been comprehensive. 360 degree feedback increases the circle of feedback and includes not only the manager’s comments, but also peer evaluation, self evaluation and direct reports. What results at the conclusion of this process is a comprehensive report that provides the individual with a comparison between how they perceive their performance and that of their associates. This report will then allow them to make any necessary changes through a targeted improvement plan.

There are a number of positive aspects to 360 degree feedback: the perspective that employees gain concerning their behavioural weaknesses gives them the ability to manage their careers effectively as they address interpersonal skills and leadership abilities and the business benefits from a productive workforce that has both a high level of skill and great experience.

What are the key elements of a successful 360 degree feedback process?

There are six of these elements.

1. Top management must have ownership of the process and support its implementation. Employees need to gain the skills necessary to provide constructive feedback. Most importantly, managers must be willing to use the skills that they have attained to provide any relevant ongoing coaching.

2. Any survey that is conducted should relate to the companies ethos and the competencies that they are looking for, addressing the skills necessary to attain individual and company success.

3. Everyone concerned with the process must attend a 360 orientation. At this orientation they will be informed that 360 is merely a developmental tool and should never be used in performance appraisal. Confidentiality is also stressed to make sure that all involved are comfortable with the process.

4. A questionnaire or survey is completed. The majority of these surveys are completed online with special encryption software that allows for secure data collection.

5. These surveys are collated into a report, including any comments made verbatim and presented to the individual. The report should be in an easy to read format. Senior management is usually given a group summary report where numeric ratings are tallied to indicate strengths and weaknesses on a group level. This information can then be used to decide upon training initiatives that match the needs of the group.

6. Any necessary coaching is then given to individuals to make the required improvements. The best coach is one that remains impartial and who focuses on goal setting that is helpful and realistic. Managers can also take on a supportive role in coaching; this will reinforce any skills attained and ensure accountability.

So, how can this benefit your organisation? It all depends on how much you are willing to put into the process. The degree of change is directly related to the amount of feedback given and to the level of support that is provided. 360 degree feedback can be a very potent tool to engender the feedback required to make those changes in your organisation.

About the Author:
Theo Benmanson has been developing personnel for that last 15 years. He has written many articles on the topic. Click the links for additional articles on 360 degree feedback. Or visit the website at www.engauge.co.uk.
By Lyndon Wright | Posted in Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Six Sigma In The Startup Industry

January 19, 2009 – 8:45 am
by Craig Calvin

Many people believe that Six Sigma is only appropriate for large, multinational corporations, but immediate cost-saving results can be achieved by implementing six sigma in a startup company. For years, the most massive businesses on the planet have utilized Six Sigma to save billions of dollars through both cutting costs and increasing profit. Many believe that the implementation of Six Sigma strategies should be confined to large, public companies that employ thousands of employees and whose projects costs millions or billions of dollars to undertake. But the startup industry is a prime candidate for Six Sigma implementation, and start-up company managers especially can benefit from Six Sigma Certification. Six Sigma, at its core, forces managers to take an analytical, quantitative approach toward justifying new projects — and no industry should be more cautious of wasting capital than the startup industry.

Six Sigma certified managers at a small company is always an assest. New startup managers with Six Sigma Black Belt training will only flourish at young companies with a few employees, and as their careers advance, they will look toward larger companies at which to use their skills. Six Sigma teaches a tried and true method of increasing profits by controlling costs. Its that simple, and remains a basic tenet of running a business of any size. When an employer of a startup company hires a Six Sigma trained employee, he has the comfort of knowing that his company will be run with a sharp eye dedicated to increasing profit.

Startup companies are also plagued by lack of process control and optimization, a skill that is honed through six sigma training. 6 sigma certification can teach start up managers to scrutinize what processes they do have in place and identify areas where new processes need to be constructed. This type of 6 sigma training can help start up companies diminish their burn rates, increase their cash flows, and, ultimately, become profitable — which is the entire goal of six sigma training in the first place.

A good startup manager understands his employees, but he also risks becoming too oriented with the social aspect of work to pay attention to the processes that are losing money for the company. A six sigma certification teaches the manager to zero in on the profitability of a project — it teaches the focus and business dexterity that’s needed to identify how to make projects profitable. Startup managers more than any manager in any other industry need this focus because it literally is the source of life or the cause of death in nearly all young, pre-profit companies.

A background which includes Six Sigma training will allow the manager of a startup company to get that company past its incubation stage and into a medium sized business. Often when the company grows, the management doesn’t. It is not uncommon for the business owners to hire on professionals with impressive backgrounds to run the company as it continues to grow. Six Sigma experience will give that startup manager the ability to not only build the company into a stronger concern, but to continue on with the company as it continues to grow.

About the Author:
If you are beginning a startup company and are looking for managers and employees, you would be smart to hire those with 6 Sigma certificates. The internet’s highest regarded source for Six Sigma certification is www.SixSigmaOnline.org. They specialize in the lauded Six Sigma Black Belt certification.
By Craig Calvin | Posted in Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)