Psychometric tests- anyone done one recently?

[Simon813]

I need help! I have applied for a high potential development scheme at work. The first stage is a set of tests as follows-

Watson Glaser test
RANRA test
Ravens Progressive Matricies

There is very little in the way of examples of any of these tests on the net. Does anyone have any idea what they consist of or has anyone completed them in the past?

Thanks in advance.

Simon

[Jack Blag]

It's a psychometric test, not a test of your knowledge or experience. You can't revise or study for it. Just turn up, stay calm and answer the questions honestly. Good luck!

[fade2grey]

yup, I'd second that.. I've just done some for a job I was looking at & it's a personality thing, there are no right or wrong answers.

[Brown and Boris]

fade2grey said:

yup, I'd second that.. I've just done some for a job I was looking at & it's a personality thing, there are no right or wrong answers.

Those three tests listed are ability tests so there are definitely right and wrong answers.


Watson Glaser (WG) is a critical thinking test and Ravens is a pure intelligence test. Ranra is based on the WG and is a numerical reasoning test.

This job must have one hell of an intellectual load or a manager who has just qualified on their level A course and wants the practice!

There should be practice tests on the publisher sites?

http://www.pearson-uk.com/product.aspx?n=1342&... but I think Harcourt publish them used to be Harcourt Brace)?

What type of HP programme is it? Usually bigger programmes use bespoke versions . Seems that it is public sector or an orgabnisation with concerns over testing bias?

I have sat WG. Basically they give you a piece of text with data, facts and figures and then a statemnet such as "all of the wood produced in Brazil for export is hardwood". You havwe to reduce if that statemnet is defincitely true, could be true or is false. Simoplified but you get the idea.

Ravens is an old fashioned IQ test (but still a good one), shape sorting, pattern spotting etc. It is usually used where they have concerns that some other types of IQ test may have cultural bias.

I haven't sat RANRA but I have seen tests by John Rust before. He is one clever dude! His tests are unusual and not just about adding up and taking away, it will have some clever angle or approach I think. It will be interesting I am sure but there seems to be more about his test than many others on the net, just not much on what it looks like. If it partners the WG they may have a similar format? You may find that it mirrors WG but in numbers. I have seen some low bias tests (The Able series)where they try to measure you natural talent for dealing with new information/problems and although this is speculation, John Rust would be into that! The test is 2002, so it is relatively new and not just another 'maths' test. Sorry I can't be of much help with RANRA , so I have just rambled.

[Simon813]

Thanks for all the info, thats a great help. I don't want the answers, just an idea of the format of the tests.

FYI it's a Police HP development scheme.

Thanks again

Si

[Brown and Boris]

Simon813 said:

Thanks for all the info, thats a great help. I don't want the answers, just an idea of the format of the tests.

FYI it's a Police HP development scheme.

Thanks again

Si

Surpised HPD are using off the shelf stuff. It looks like they have just taken all the 'culture free' tests they can find off the shelf. Having said that a police force approached me earier this year (while HPD was on the back burner) for some advice on selecting senior managers and I had recommended WG. Can't see why they need a numberical reasoning test like RANRA though; all BCUs have a finance bod. I am alos surprised that their managemnet board have sanctioned Ravens as it often feels a bit Janet and John to managers.