What the aptitude test at an interview reveals about you

Today, recruiters are increasingly depending on aptitude tests in order to shortlist candidates for various job roles. Aptitude tests can reveal so much about a candidate! Have you ever wondered what the potential employer sees in the results of your aptitude test? Here, we get a look into exactly what is seen!

Let us first understand what the aptitude test is.

It is basically a fundamental part of a psychometric test. It attempts to measure the Intelligence Quotient (Trait Intelligence) and cognitive ability that can indicate your efficiency in processing knowledge. There are two types of intelligence –

1. Crystallized Intelligence: This involves verbally accumulated knowledge that is generally developed via life experiences and education.
2. Fluid Intelligence: This indicates the flexibility and adaptability in the occurrence of novel experiences that may not infer to automatic reasoning.

The aptitude test attempts to reveal both of these kinds of intelligence of the candidate to the interviewer. Making a match between the candidate and a job opening is crucial for both the employee and the employer and there are several advantages to this. Here are the 4 most important aspects that the aptitude test reveals about you:

1. The aptitude test can to a good extent gauge your weaknesses and strengths.
2. Mostly, a few times of face to face interviews alone may not be enough to get a good understanding about you. In such cases, the aptitude test is a must.
3. As per research and case studies, aptitude tests are an accurate way of measuring your potential for success in the job role.
4. Aptitude tests not only helps with initial hiring, employers also go back to check the results before giving promotions.

Different kinds of Aptitude tests and what they reveal:

There are 4 different kinds of Aptitude tests:

1. Ability Test: This test reveals the cognitive or mental ability of the candidate. It is seen as a greatly reliable method which helps measure the performance level of the candidate
2. Personality Test: There are various types of personality test that help the employer measure a candidate’s ability on emotional stability, extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness to learn etc. These again, help with testing the performance and give a good in-depth understanding of the candidate.
3. Skill Test: As the name suggests, this reveals the skill of the candidate on specific functional roles. Skills like coding and written communication can be easily measured.
4. Knowledge test: This reveals the hold of knowledge you have over the subject to the potential employer in your area of work.

There are several preparatory aptitude certifications and tests available that can help you enrich your profile, give you good exposure and highlight your aptitude to the employer. Aptitude tests may seem daunting the first time, but you can prepare yourself well, by practicing them prior to attending an interview. Preparation is key – even in the case of aptitude tests. That is why IIHT has its own job preparatory portal – jobready.iiht.com that helps students with preparation for the aptitude round. Go ahead, be our guest and try out some of the free aptitude tests that can help you get interview ready!