Liam Healy & Associates, Chartered Occupational Psychologists
Windows 7/Vista Compatible
"I was offered the job today after 3 hours of interviews and tests. Your tests were invaluable and very close to what I was tested on....... Cheers. " (August 2009 - IT Consultancy Position)
Many businesses now use powerful and highly accurate Aptitude/Ability Tests as a method of assessing individuals when carrying out recruitment. Whilst psychometric tests such as these were once mainly used for senior positions, today they are used for all job types and at all levels.
Taking a Psychometric Test is likely to be one of the most worrying and nerve racking experiences a person can face. Tests are designed to stretch people - there would be no point in a test which was so easy that everyone got all of the answers right!
Psychometric test publishers do not make their Aptitude and Ability tests generally available to the public. While some do produce familiarisation materials, these usually consist of only a few specimen questions and do not allow you to try out a full set of tests under real life conditions.
We can help you prepare for your psychometric assessment with SOLUTIONS practice tests :
Knowing what to expect is probably the single most effective way of reducing your anxiety about being tested, and this alone will improve your performance. SOLUTIONS is designed specifically to help you do this. It will allow you to familiarise yourself with the psychometric testing process, and give you an opportunity to complete a full set of ability and aptitude tests and undergo a full 2½ hour simulated test session (or you can just dip into the tests for a quick look!).
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All the tests you need in one place - SOLUTIONS now contains all of the commonest types of Aptitude/Ability Test in a single package. |
Graduate/Managerial Numerical Reasoning Ability
Graduate/Managerial Verbal Reasoning/Critical Thinking Ability (English Language)
Verbal Ability (English Language)
Standard Numerical Ability
Abstract Reasoning Ability
NOTE : If you are preparing for a test for a higher level or managerial position SOLUTIONS ADVANCED (MANAGERIAL) may be a useful additional or a more appropriate set of tests to help you prepare.
Developed by our expert team of Chartered Occupational Psychologists, SOLUTIONS consists of the five most common types of psychometric test used in occupational selection - verbal reasoning ability, numerical reasoning ability and abstract problem solving ability. In addition it contains tests of Graduate/Managerial Level Numerical Reasoning Ability and Verbal Reasoning/Critical Thinking Ability.
Each is a full length 30 minute aptitude test, allowing you to quickly skip through the questionscomplete a full 2½ hour test session. You can do this in your own home. There is no limit on the number of times you can use SOLUTIONS and the correct answer to every question is also provided.
SOLUTIONS closely approximates a real psychometric testing session - each test is strictly timed, although you are given the option to disable this timer and take as long as you wish to complete the tests.
SOLUTIONS will calculate individual specific aptitude scores as well as overall general ability scores, and can help you gain some insight into where your own ability strengths and development areas may be. The test is not normed, and the question difficulty level assumes no more than a basic educational attainment level. Your results are interpreted in comparison to what an average adult might be expected to score.
SOLUTIONS provides hints and tips on how to prepare for and approach a test session; how to deal with specific types of test and what to expect during and after the testing process.
Once you have placed your order on line you will be automatically emailed with instructions on how to download and activate the software for use on your own computer.
There are a plethora of practice psychometric/ability tests on the market. We should know - we were one of the first to offer practice tests via the internet way back in 1995!
We only attracted between 10 and 25 visitors a day back then, a lot has changed since and we really do want you choose the best solution for you, whether from us or from another provider.
When choosing where to obtain your practice tests please consider these issues :
1. Have the tests been developed to an industry standard level of quality?
It is a simple enough task write a 'test' that looks like a test - to the untrained eye it may look plausible enough. However, the quality of a test is determined by it's psychometric and scaling properties, and not what the test items look like. Our practice tests have been developed according to the guidelines laid down by Kline (1995) and other respected experts in the test development field.
2. Do the tests prepare you for the 'whole' testing process?
Simply trying a list of questions will not prepare you very well for a test session. From our experience with candidates we know that it's anxiety about the psychometric testing process, rather than lack of familiarity with the test questions, which causes poorer performance on tests. Many candidates perform well below their true level of ability because they are nervous - it is as simple as that, but not surprising given the very real consequences of poor performance on a test.
As a result, our tests are not simply lists of test questions, but have been designed to simulate the actual testing session/process, which can often last for an hour or more, from dealing with the instructions through to external time control, whole test scoring (with explanations) and detailed feedback. The tests have been developed as coherent, stand-alone tools in their own right which are designed to help you prepare for the whole experience - they are not just unstructured lists of example questions.
There are no legal or statutory controls over who can publish a test.
Our team of developers are fully qualified, BPS registered Chartered Occupational Psychologists. Our lead developer, Liam Healy is also a member of the BPS Board of Assessors in Occupational Psychology and an experienced test developer, having worked on test development projects for both central government and a range of commercial and not-for-profit organisations. Liam is also the author of More How To Win at Aptitude Tests, Harper Collins, 2001; and Psychometric Testing for Dummies, John Wiley, 2008; and has been lead test developer for most of our own in-house psychometric tests.
Psychometric tests are not like school exams. Test scores are usually interpreted in relation to the scores obtained by a group of known ability e.g. graduates, the general population etc. So, there is no such thing as a pass mark. Incidentally, this is also why test development is such an expensive process.
Whilst 'cut-off' points are sometimes used, these are dependent upon selection ratios and base rates (in simple terms, the number of candidates an employer has to choose from, and the natural ability level within that group). Be wary of anything that offers you the chance to 'Pass' psychometric tests - it may betray a lack of understanding as to what the testing process is about.
4. How up to date are the tests?
Unless the test developers are delivering psychometric assessment projects in the real world on a regular basis, they may not be up to date with the latest developments in both testing practice and what employing organisations are looking for.
Our psychologists are all experienced business consultants in their own right, and our practice tests reflect the very latest in thinking on test use in selection and recruitment. We keep one eye on the academic world, but we earn our livings in the real one.
5. How much do the tests cost?
You get what you pay for! You might ask the question - how much technical care and expertise went into developing any test which is given away for free?
Over the years we have tested thousands of candidates - we know what candidates need from a set of practice tests, and our practice test development was driven by a desire to satisfy that very real candidate need.
Over 90% of our commercial clients are HR managers or Directors, so we understand the other side of the testing equation. We have spent, and do spend a lot of time developing our practice products, and have invested a lot of our own expertise into them.
6. Tied to the Internet? or the Postman?
Our tests are downloadable, stand-alone software packages. You can for instance transfer them to a laptop for practising when on the move, once you have downloaded them you do not need to be on line again to use them.
Furthermore, because you can download them, you can get going as soon as you have received your password (which happens automatically as soon as you order). You do not need to wait for the postman to arrive with a CD Rom to begin.
If you buy SOLUTIONS and SOLUTIONS ADVANCED together you will receive a discount on your order and receive a free copy of our Job Application Tracker Software. See our order page for more details.
Price : £9.95
Our ordering process is 100% secure - we are a Bank of Scotland Merchant Account Holder.
