What is a Korn Ferry verbal test?
Korn Ferry verbal tests are a form of psychometric assessment used by several employers in many different industries.
The Korn Ferry verbal test is an adaptive assessment that evaluates an individual on their verbal reasoning ability. That is their aptitude in reading, understanding, interpreting, and making reasoned conclusions from written text.
Questions on the Korn Ferry assessment based on the candidate’s performance. If questions are answered correctly, the following question will be more challenging. If a question is answered incorrectly, or the test taker takes too long to select their answer, the next question is easier.
Questions in the test are given as short text passages, followed by a list of statements. Candidates must carefully read the text and select which of the multiple choice statements answers the question, based on their understanding of what they had read.
The Korn Ferry verbal test is an online timed assessment that is scored based on an individual’s speed and accuracy of answers.
Below are some tips to help you perform to the best of your ability in a Korn Ferry verbal test.
1. Don’t make assumptions
The Korn Ferry verbal test assesses your ability to understand, analyze and interpret written information.
When completing this test, it is essential that you base your answers only on the information you have read and not on any prior knowledge. All the information you need to answer the question will be contained in the text. Don’t make assumptions but interpret the passage literally.
Questions are asked according to whether a statement is true, false, or you can not say. Understanding what these answers mean in relation to the passage of text helps you select the correct response based only on the information provided.
2. Manage your time carefully
Korn Ferry verbal tests are timed assessments. Candidates are scored on how quickly they answer a question and whether the answer they select is correct.
To give yourself the best opportunity, it is vital to manage your time throughout the test. Ensure you know how long you have to answer each question. Be clear on the total number of questions in the test and the time limit.
Effectively managing your time and being mindful of it as the test progresses means you have the opportunity to answer as many questions as possible correctly in the allotted time and prove your verbal reasoning capabilities.
3. Practice
Before sitting the Korn Ferry verbal test, it is essential to practice tests. When practicing, make sure you practice tests in the format that you will be asked to sit.
Simulate test conditions. Practice in a quiet room free from distractions and under timed conditions.
Practicing helps you become familiar with how the test questions are structured and how you react to the time pressure of a timed assessment.
Through practice, you can also determine strategies to help you solve the questions and ways you can keep yourself focused and calm during the test.
4. Get into the analytical way of thinking
If you find verbal reasoning assessments tricky, hone your ability in this area. Read the information and try and determine the key messages of the information. Spend time practicing tests to develop your analytical skills.
Read business blogs or newspaper articles. Try to determine the key messages or arguments the writer is trying to make. Honing your analytical thinking skills before sitting a verbal reasoning test will enable your inherent verbal reasoning ability to shine through.
5. Understand where you went wrong
Make sure you practice as many sample questions as possible before the test. When doing so, if you struggle or get an answer wrong in your practice test, take the time to understand where and why you went wrong.
Understanding your mistakes can improve your knowledge and approach to solving verbal reasoning questions. Most sample questions come with a detailed explanation of the answer. Review the correct answer alongside the answer you selected and your interpretation of the text.
6. Read the question and answers carefully
The Korn Ferry verbal assessments are timed tests. An individual’s overall score is based on both the speed and the accuracy of answers. While it may be tempting to skim-read the questions, ensure you read them properly.
All of the information needed to answer the question is contained within the passage of the text. By reading and re-reading the passage, you ensure you have a complete understanding of the information and can correctly analyze and interpret the passage of text.
The same approach should apply to the statements that follow the text passage. To ensure you don’t misinterpret the statements, read and re-read the information before selecting your answer, basing your response only on the information you have read.
7. Test your equipment
As the Korn Ferry is an online timed assessment, it is essential that you test your equipment before starting the test. This includes checking your internet connection and broadband speed. Ensure you’ve enabled any updates to your PC/laptop. Disable or allow any pop-ups or blockers on your PC.
To perform to the best of your ability, you must focus fully on each question in the assessment. Eliminating any potential distractions, such as social media or email notifications, ensures you can give the test your undivided attention. It is also advisable to place your phone on silent so you aren’t disturbed by any calls or messages that come through halfway through the test.
8. Have a strategy for completion
Using a strategy to help you tackle the questions in a verbal reasoning test can help you manage your time and put you in a positive mood going into the test.
Common strategies include reading the question first and ensuring you understand what is being asked of you. Reading the passage of text to analyze and interpret the information you have been given. Or, once you have read the passage of text, look for prompts or keywords in the information to help you eliminate the irrelevant parts.
If you struggle with the question, starting at the end of a sentence to de-code and decipher the meaning may also help.
By practicing tests, you can determine what strategy works best for you, giving you the confidence to tackle the questions in the test itself.
9. Keep calm
If you feel one part of the test hasn’t gone well, try not to panic. Keep calm and focus your attention on the remainder of the test. Focus on each question in the test and use your strategies to approach the questions and help you determine the correct answer.
Use what you have learned from the practice tests to help manage your nerves, paying attention to the information in front of you rather than focusing on previous questions. Keeping a clear mind will help let your natural, logical thinking and verbal reasoning ability shine through.
10. Ensure you are well-rested
The Korn Ferry verbal test is a comprehensive assessment of an individual’s verbal reasoning ability. A clear and focused mind is essential to perform well on the test and to the best of your ability.
Give yourself the best chance of doing so by getting a good night’s sleep, eating a healthy breakfast and keeping yourself hydrated.