If you past the initial screening, aka, if your CV and Cover Letter were successful, you are either directed to an Interview directly, or you are asked to perform online tests (like for Procter & Gamble, for example) or games (like for Unilever).

Online tests vary depending on the role you have applied for.

TYPES OF TEST

There are different types of online tests (that I know about):

• numerical test
• behavioral test
• reasoning test
• logical test

NUMERICAL TEST

The numerical test usually assesses how fast your calculations are and how good your analytical skills are are. It is very popular for financial roles. You usually are racing against time in order to solve 30 to 60 problems which involve charts, diagrams, tables of data and graphs.

It’s meant to calculate how quickly you can filter the elements you need to resolve the question and how effectively you can calculate the answer.

Usually, numerical tests are presented as multiple questions. Moreover, they often require you to tick only one correct answer. Therefore, if you are running out of time, just make sure you give an answer to every question! This said, don’t bank on this method to save you: there are usually 5 answers. This only gives you a 20% chance to get the correct answer every time.

How To Practice

In order to prepare for this kind of test, you need to find as many past papers as possible online. Try a couple every day, for 3 consecutive days before you take the real test and one on the same day. This will help your brain get sharp and ready for whatever is coming.

Please remember that some of the tests you will find online can be either too easy or too hard. Do not freak out if you are being slow or if you are only able to do half of the past papers in the given time. Sometimes, it is made on purpose.

My biggest tip for this test is to never mentally give up during the test. Even you didn’t manage to find the answer for 10 consecutive answers, you need to attack every question with the same energy. That is the main difference between those who pass and those who don’t. Often, very capable individuals do not pass only because they had a lack of faith and gave up. It happened more than once that people with half of their knowledge and speed passed instead of them simply because they did not stop fighting until the very end.

So do not give up. I want to hear you roar at the end of it like you did your best!

BEHAVIOURAL TEST

The behavioural test usually assesses how you think and how you describe yourself. In my experience, you are given a series of statements, around 50 of them) and you get to put on a scale from Very Unlikely to Very Likely  how much you relate to the statement.

For example:

When in a social setting, I usually tend to introduce myself:

Very Unlikely   Unlikely    Neutral   Likely   Very Likely

You are basically measuring how true the statement is for you and how you perceive yourself.

For this one there isn’t really a right or wring answer like in the numerical test. You are the way you are however try and understand what kind of person they are looking for beforehand. However, you need to stay as truthful as yourself as possible: they will test it through contradictions. 

How To Practice

In order to prepare for this kind of test, I would go on the company’s website and look at the core values and beliefs of the organization. Secondly, I would stalk a few of the people who work for the company on LinkedIn  to get an idea of what kind of personality is preferred.

My biggest tip for this test is to contact a few current employees and ask them what are the 3 main characteristics of a great employee.

REASONING TEST

The reasoning test usually assesses how you would react in certain situations.

It is not necessarily limited in time but it gives you a scenario and a few options on how you would act in that situation.

For instance:

Kevin is being bullied at work by Sara. Would you rather:

1. Ignore the conflict
2. Tell Kevin to leave with you
3. Go up to Sara and kick her in the balls
4. Tell Sara that her behavior is inappropriate

These are my favorites as I always seem to score high in these.

For these kind of tests there isn’t really something to help you train. It should be your innate impulsive reaction to act the correct way in a company. Just do what is right, and look online at a few scenarios in order to understand the reasoning if you ever need clarifications.

LOGICAL TEST

The logical test usually assesses your reaction time to threads of shapes and logical games.

These are tests that vary enormously between each other. The ones I have always been used to were the shapes in a line that were following a logic and you had to pick the next one out of 5 options of shapes.

But I recently had a logical test with P&G… it was the hardest. You looked at dots on the screen, and needed to memorize their position. Then, you were distracted by being shown two shapes: you needed to figure out within 2 seconds if the two shapes were mirrored or different. Straight after that, I was back with the spots and needed to place them where the computer showed them in the first frame…. It is hard to explain, very messy.

How To Practice

I strongly recommend you look online for logical tests with figures and try them out. The weird thing about these tests is that you will never know how well you scored on them. You just do it and hope for the best.

GAMES

Unilever usually asks you to download an app. You are then asked to play a series of 10 games more or less. Each game is around 2 minutes long and you have absolutely no time to strategize or think during them. It is made on purpose to calculate with your reasoning, decisions and speed… and personality, weirdly.

Unilever gives you a PDF document where you can read your top skills and your worst skills. Also it tells you more about your characteristics. All that thanks to 10 little games. It is crazy the amount of data these companies have on each individual!

How To Practice

For these kind of tests, good luck. There little to nothing you can do to practice. They are literally scanning you to see if yay or nay, naturally, you belong to the company or not. So just do what feels right and do not care too much about the outcome. It is better that they figure out now what kind of person you are because, even if you managed to fake it, you will be unhappy if you get the job and have to pretend to have different impulses than the rest of them.

Once the tests have been completed, it is time to face a few of your bosses during interviews. And these are by far the best minutes of my application process!

HOW CAN WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER (ONLINE OPPORTUNITY)

If you are struggling to find experience and are interested in Copywriting, Marketing or Entrepreneurship then we are looking for people to become editors of this website. I will form you and teach you everything I know. If you want to get involved with this blog then please do not hesitate to contact me via this Contact Form or via my Instagram account. This is a unique opportunity. Again, you can contact me for more details on how this may help you!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOU

Over the years I have created many guides and checklist that aim to help you save time. Here are a list of them just in case you might miss out on a few:

1. My 1st E-Book: a resource that has help me become a boss at Time Management. Moreover, it has also helped me create more time for what I love and get to my goals faster. It is lengthy, however it is arguably the best Time Management piece of research out there.
2. The Time Management Actionable Sheets: a summary of my E-Book. These sheets have conserved the absolute essential actions you need to take to make the most out of your time. Do not skip any steps!
3. My Before & After CV Transformation: a resource that has collected my CVs for the past 7 years to help you not only craft a great CV, but to also show you that everyone can start mediocre and grow exponentially.
4. How To Land a Job Faster Guide: a resource that aims to give you all of the tips and recommendations I have used during my career. This will help you avoid some common mistakes students do when starting off with their job applications.

MY OBJECTIVE IS AND WILL FOREVER BE TO HELP YOU

To conclude, the aim of this website is to help you have the best fresh start at University and with your career. There is nothing that gives me more happiness and joy but to hear your positive feedback on how helpful my content has been. Contact me if you have any feedback for me!

BEST OF LUCK WITH IT ALL!!!!

Much affection,

Francesca Michaud