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Online Testing: How to Succeed?
www.local.gov.uk
Anna Buttenshaw, Adviser – Leadership and Localism
www.local.gov.uk
First Impressions
What words would you use to describe online testing?
Why do you think so many employers use online tests?
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The Who and Why
The Who• Background in English Literature and History
• Four years’ experience managing graduate programmes• Trained to administer and give feedback for online and in-person tests
The Why• The myths of online testing
• Their prevalence in the graduate marketplace• The disproportionate impact on students from diverse backgrounds
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The ngdp
Up to 120 graduates with a 2.1 or Merit at Master’s level
Work at a participating local council for two years of varied experience, complete a postgraduate
qualification in leadership & management and network with other like-minded graduates!
Times Top 100 and Guardian UK 300
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Why Online Tests?
Accurate, Fair, Accessible, Multi-skill.
Affordable, manageable, easily charted results, verifiable.
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How Do They Work?• Provide one or two practice questions before you begin.
• Time limited to prevent cheating.• Purposefully create a pressured environment.
• Often work from a bank of questions so no two tests are identical. In this case, the test will generate a range of
questions based on answers you have already got right or wrong.
• Score all questions equally.• Rely on you to practice!
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Numerical ReasoningMathematical skills tested: percentages,
multiplication, division, addition, subtraction, geometry/patterns.
Why? Budgeting, problem solving, data analysis.
http://www.practiceaptitudetests.com/numerical-reasoning-tests
/
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Verbal ReasoningVerbal skills tested: attention to detail,
grammar, spelling.
Why? Emails, reports, research, analysis.
http://www.practiceaptitudetests.com/verbal-reasoning-tests
/
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Situational Judgement/Strengths Test
Situational judgement test: the organisation’s key skills and behaviours (aka:
competencies or strengths).
Why? Organisational “fit”: hiring someone who understands the culture of the
organisation is proven to improve job performance and retention.
You are about to attend an important meeting with your project manager and several senior political figures. This is your first high-level meeting at such a level so the project manager advises you to observe. Half-way through the meeting, however, they begin to discuss a topic that really interests you and you want to start contributing. Please indicate what you would be most and least likely to do.
Most likely Least Likely
Try to get the attention of the project manager to ask if you could join the discussion.
Hold your tongue – you were told just to observe and do not want to disrupt the meeting.
Take notes of the discussion and what your own thoughts were so you can discuss them later.
Politely interrupt and express your ideas so you can share your expertise with the group.
You’ve been really enjoying your current placement in children’s services where your main project has been facilitating a partnership initiative with social workers, doctors and other council workers. Your manager, however, has just asked you to take on a totally different project which she says is more urgent and says you can hand your current work over to a new intern. Please indicate what you would be most and least likely to do.
Most likely Least Likely
Write up a project handover note your current work for the new intern and start work on the different project.
Arrange a meeting with your manager where you make a case for keeping the current project in your workload.
Contact the partnership group you have been working with and ask for them to support you staying on in the project.
Take on the new project and try to stay on top of the old one too – you’ll still do a better job than a new intern could.
The council you are working within operates with a very outdated IT system and is very heavily paper-based. Your manager asks you to look at plans for an IT modernisation plan including new technology but also workplaces practices like hotdesking and going paper-free. Several of the longer standing employees are resistant to your suggestions, however. They state that things have always been done a certain way, and that your changes will not work.How do you proceed? Please indicate what you would be most and least likely to do.
Most likely Least Likely
Listen to their arguments, analyse them and then come up with counter-arguments to demonstrate the need for change.
Ask any sceptical colleagues what problems they have with the current system and then outline how they would be supported through the change process.
Empathise with the views of people who disagree with you but explain that the new changes are for the best for everyone.
Begin to implement your changes without the delay of consulting old fashioned and resistant employees.
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Reasonable adjustments
Ask in advance.Be specific.
Get and give documentation.
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Any questions?
