23rd February 2012: Delegates attend a practice test session as part of a The Knowledge Channel workshop.

What do Situational Judgement Tests Involve?

There has been an increasing use of Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) within recruitment and selection processes over the last 15 years, particularly by large employers offering competitive graduate schemes.  Typically, SJTs are computer-based and consist of multiple-choice questions drawn from real-life job scenarios which have been designed by experts in the relevant field. Candidates are required to evaluate or rank different response options according to their effectiveness. SJTs are often combined with aptitude tests (e.g. numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and inductive reasoning), personality questionnaires and other job-simulation tasks (e.g. in-tray or e-tray exercises).

What do SJTs Show Employers?

SJTs are multi-dimensional, psychological assessment tools. Candidates’ responses are believed to reflect many different facets; such as their general knowledge, common-sense, previous life experience, decision-making and problem-solving skills. SJTs are also believed to tap non-cognitive skills, such as personality traits, professional attitudes and ethics.  Unlike aptitude tests, SJTs are said to provide employers with an insight into how candidates would function practically on the job.

Tackling your Situational Judgement Test

SJTs vary according to the specific job role and the competencies required for that position. Therefore, in preparing for the test it is useful to establish what core skills the recruiter is likely to be looking for and to have these in your mind when answering the questions.

Unlike aptitude tests, SJTs are rarely timed. Take advantage of this by ensuring that you read all the information carefully before answering, whilst being mindful not to spend too much time over-thinking each item.  Practicing these tests will enhance your familiarity with the SJT format and enable you to develop your own test technique. With this in mind, we at AssessmentDay have designed practice tests to help get you ready for your Situational Judgement Test.

Gaining feedback after you have completed psychometric tests can be extremely valuable when you are going through the job selection process. Whether you have been offered the position or not, it is always beneficial to know your strengths and weaknesses, particularly if you are looking to improve your performance on future assessments.  Some recruiters may write to you with your test results, or arrange an individual feedback session face-to-face or over the telephone. However, many organisations are unable to do this on account of time constraints. This can often be true of large graduate employers who deal with vast numbers of potential candidates and large volumes of test results.

Asking recruiters for feedback

It is always worth trying to get feedback from the employer by contacting them directly, via email or in writing. You may like to try requesting a written report of your test results. It is also good practice to enquire in advance about an employer’s feedback processes if you know you will be completing psychometric tests, and the employer should provide you with feedback as a matter of courtesy and good practice. Employers abiding by the British Psychological Society guidelines on psychometric testing (i.e. most employers) have agreed to provide feedback to candidates, so you are perfectly within your right to ask for it.

Evaluating your own performance

In the absence of feedback from the employer, you may need to rely on self-evaluation. In doing so, it is important that you think constructively about your performance across each of the psychometric tests you completed. Ask yourself what your strengths and your weakness were and what you might have done differently next time around. For example:

• How was your pacing? Did you spend too much time on the early questions and compromise the latter ones?
• Did you struggle to make sense of the symbols or diagrams used in the numerical reasoning test?
• Were you familiar with the vocabulary used in the verbal reasoning test?
• Was there anything that felt easier or more enjoyable? What tests do you not need as much practice on next time?

Your answers will give you some clues as to what you need to practice in advance of future assessments. But be warned – we are often our own worst critics, so use the self-evaluation approach with caution and be sure to always pick out the strengths in your performance.