Aptitude tests are tests designed to identify the innate abilities of a candidate. They can be used to find out what a person would be good at in the work force and they are usually taken before applying for jobs. They have been used in industry for the past century to help determine qualifications and potential job performance. The use of aptitude tests is becoming more and more common in other professions as well. Colleges and employers are relying on the results of these tests to make important decisions about hiring, firing and promotions. The tests are also being used to determine the best type of education a child should receive and the type of school they should attend. Aptitude tests have also become part of the learning process for teachers and students as they study a particular subject. Many students develop test anxiety at the thought of sitting for an aptitude test but it is important to understand why these tests are used and how they work.
1. Inborn Talent :
Your talents are inborn and there is little you can do to improve them. They exist naturally and you can use them on any job in any setting where you have to apply them. Your capacity to retain information, solve problems and use tools is determined by the innate talents you were born with. It is impossible to overestimate the influence of your inborn talents. These abilities are the gold standard with which you can measure every other talent you have. The capacity to learn and retain information is innate.
2. Learned Skill :
Your skills are those things you have learned how to do, or been trained to do, and there are no innate limits on how well you can perform them. You can improve your skills by continued practice and they will continue to improve over time. Your ability to use a computer program improves with each project you complete. You learn a lot about how to drive a car by driving it on many different kinds of roadways in many different situations with different kinds of traffic conditions at different times of day in all types of weather. Many skills can be improved with practice over time.
3. Acquired Skill :
Skill is a learned ability that comes through education, practice and experience. It comes from trying, failing, learning from your mistakes and persistence. You develop skills by working to improve your ability in an area. Many library assistants who wish to become librarians take a variety of classes and read extensively about the subject of library science. Many surveyors spend a great deal of time surveying for different clients to build up a stable of contacts that can lead to regular work in the future.
4. Specialization :
This is something that makes you a specialist rather than a generalist. A specialist has such a defined, specific area of expertise that he or she is often called upon by others for the contribution this specialization brings to the job. These skills are usually acquired but sometimes they are inherited talents. Regardless of how they were acquired, there is no doubt that each person has some specialty or area where he or she excels and this ability needs to be identified during the aptitude test for hiring.
5. Oral Comprehension :
This refers to your ability to understand a spoken message and remember it for later use. You understand what others are telling you and you remember most of it. You are a good listener, remember most of what you hear and are able to use the information effectively. This skill helps you understand people and what they are trying to tell you, including the details they might leave out. People who lack oral comprehension tend to be confused when others speak, forget what they hear and miss important details that could be used in future situations.
6. Creativity :
Creative people are able to generate new ideas, and their innovative thoughts improve the human condition. Creative people have a curious and open mind that is willing to see things in new and different ways. It takes creativity to create something new or do things in a better way than before. Creative people can look at things in new ways without following accepted norms or traditional rules of thought or behaviour. They think outside the box. These are the people who create great art, music, literature, technology, ideas and products which help to improve our lives.
7. Learning Style :
Your learning style is the manner in which you assimilate and retain information. You can develop special learning styles to suit your own needs. You can become more precise and efficient when you learn specifically what you need to know. Some people are better at learning by listening, others by viewing, still others by reading and so on. Brainstorming and computer conferencing are learning styles that involve the use of computers to make presentations, lectures and discussions. Some people like being lectured for long periods of time on a subject matter while others prefer to learn by doing.
8. Cognitive Level:
Cognitive level is a measurement of your intellectual ability and what you can actually do with that ability. In other words, cognitive level is not just about how much intelligence you have but how well you use it to produce results. You use a great deal of your intelligence on a daily basis. You use your cognitive level to solve problems, to design products, to become a skilled worker, to think clearly and logically and to do the things you consider yourself to be good at. Some people have a high cognitive level but low ability because they use their intelligence in ineffective ways.
Mercer | Mettl is a platform for personality tests in the realm of aptitude test used to measure skill levels. It is used as a tool for employers to select suitable candidates for a job based on their personality traits. This test comprises a set of questions to be answered by the candidate being tested. These questions are designed to obtain accurate and reliable insights into the personality traits of the candidate.