Graduation is a crucial stepping stone in the life of a young adult. It not only marks the end of an academic journey but also heralds the beginning of professional life. One of the first hurdles faced by graduates when trying to enter the professional world is aptitude tests carried out by graduate employers. In this guide, you will find top tips to ace these tests and make a lasting impression on potential employers.

What Is an Employer Aptitude Test?

Before diving into the tips, it’s essential to understand what an employer aptitude test is. Graduate employers use these tests to assess the skills and abilities of a candidate. These tests focus on quantifying your command over numerical, verbal, logical, and even visual information to predict your potential to perform in a job role.

Top Tips to Crush Employer Aptitude Tests

Here are some invaluable tips and tricks to conquer employer aptitude tests.

1. Understand the Test Format

Graduate employers use various formats for their aptitude tests. The format could involve numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, and more. Therefore:

  • Get to know your prospective company and the type of test they use.
  • Research the type of questions involved in that test well.
  • Practicing past questions can potentially give you a significant advantage.

2. Brush Up on Basic Skills

Aptitude tests usually call upon basic knowledge and skills. Be sure to brush through areas like:

  • Basic arithmetic: Adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, percentages.
  • Understanding of graphs, charts, and data interpretation.
  • Basic grammar and comprehension skills.

Don’t allow simple mistakes in these areas to cost you the job.

3. Time Management

Almost all aptitude tests are timed, and therefore:

  • Develop strategies to manage your time effectively.
  • Avoid spending too much time on a single question. Rather, keep the test flowing and return to challenging questions if time allows.

4. Practice, Practice, Practice!

There is no substitute for practice when it comes to acing graduate employer aptitude tests.

  • Dedicate regular time to practice.
  • Use online resources to simulate as many aptitude tests as possible.
  • Review your performance each time and address areas of weaknesses.

5. Keep A Calm Mindset

During the test:

  • Stay calm, collected, and focused. Anxiety may hamper your performance.
  • Don’t rush your answers. It’s important to understand the question before attempting to solve it.

Preparing for Employer-Specific Aptitude Tests

Not all graduate employers use the same style or format of aptitude tests. To offer an idea, here are some of the leading graduate employers and the kind of aptitude tests they implement.

1. PWC (PricewaterhouseCoopers)

A global leader in auditing and consulting services, PWC places a heavy emphasis on numerical reasoning in its aptitude tests. Graduates applying here should fortify their number-crunching skills.

2. Google

The tech giant’s aptitude tests are a mix of cognitive abilities, logical reasoning, and job-specific skills. A broad range of preparation will be beneficial here.

3. McKinsey & Company

This leading management consulting firm primarily uses the Problem Solving Test (PST), which measures analytical skills and numerical proficiency.

Wrapping Things Up

Graduation may be an exhilarating time, but it’s important to be focused and diligent as you embark on your professional journey. Passing graduate employer aptitude tests need not be a daunting task if you prepare wisely and implement these top tips diligently. Make sure to understand the format, brush up on basic skills, manage your time effectively, maintain consistent practice, and stay calm during the test. With the right approach, you can confidently step into the professional realm and impress your dream graduate employers! Small steps can lead to big opportunities, make every one of them count.