Searching for a job in the financial sector?

The Bloomberg Assessment Test (BAT) on campus is a multiple choice test that evaluates your abilities as relative to a career in finance and then helps you to anonymously market yourself to employers via the Bloomberg Talent Search. Through the Talent Search employers can identify and contact best fit candidates for their roles by searching on the sections of the test that are relevant to their specific job opportunity. As different employers are interested in varied skill sets, students do not need to be experts on all sections of the BAT in order to be contacted!

The session offers students and recent graduates from all levels and disciplines the chance to take the BAT free of charge. Whether you are looking for a job or an internship in the finance industry or if you just want to evaluate your skills and enhance your CV:

Visit www.takethebat.com and register for an upcoming test session. Attendance at sessions is by invitation only.

No preparation is needed for the test and you may re-take the BAT at no charge in order to improve your scores. If you would like to re-take the BAT you must email BAT@BloombergInstitute.com at least one week in advance of the session.

Verbal psychometric tests

Taking verbal psychometric tests?  Struggling a little and feel you would like some help?  Try these:

• How to prepare and How to improve
• ASK
• Internet Grammar of English An online guide written for university students

Practice psychometric tests

This is an opportunity to try some online verbal and numerical tests from Norton Assessment which should give you a preview of the full psychometric tests you are likely to encounter as part of a selection process.

These trial tests are free, and all participant data is anonymous. The links to the test trials are:

• Numerical reasoning
• Verbal reasoning

Practice psychometric tests

Free to Brunel students and graduates you’ll need to register to take these tests from Graduates First. You’ll get feedback after you’ve completed each test and – a big bonus – you can also download Q&A giving worked solutions to each question.:

• Numerical reasoning (NRT)
• Verbal reasoning (VRT)
• Logical reasoning (LRT)
• Work personality questionnaire (WPQ)
• Question identifier tool (QIT) This identifies (based on your personality) the kind of questions that you might be asked at interview

While you’re on our website also take a look at the Kenexa and SHL tests.

The PCC are open…

between 9:30am-4:45pm Monday-Friday. There may be odd days during the vacation when we’re closed so, if you’re coming from a distance, give us a call first

Job vacancies:
Visit www.brunel.ac.uk/services/pcc/vacancies/_nocache to find part- and full-time opportunities.  Just enter your student number in the prompt box and click the ‘Login’ button to view the vacancies.

Careers:

• Careers Quick Query gives you a 15 minute one-to-one session with a duty careers consultant.  It’s held daily between 2:00-4:00pm Monday-Friday. Just call 01895 266840 or visit the PCC earlier in the day to book a time
• Arrange a 30 minute appointment with the careers consultant for your course

Find out how to book a Quick Query slot or a longer appointment with a careers consultant. Don’t worry if you’re no longer close to campus as you can always get help by email or ‘phone.

Placement:
Drop into the PCC and sign up or contact your Placement Officer directly

Job Shop:
Pop into see us, email jobshop@brunel.ac.uk, or call 01895 265759

Psychometric tests

www.jobtestprep.co.uk offers preparation for psychometric tests including aptitude tests, personality tests, job interviews and assessment centre preparation.

What do you need to do?

Applying for a job? Going for an interview?  Attending an assessment centre?

Well, one of the things you definitely should do is to research the employer or organisation!

Where can I look?  What do I need to do?  Well…

• Take a look at the Business and Management resources on the Brunel Library site where you’ll find…
  • company, industry, market and country reports and data
  • company and industry financial information
  • audio and visual material resources specifically related to business.
• Think about talking to a Careers Consultant or your Placement Officer as they can advise on job search, check your CV or ‘open enders’ on an application form, help you prepare for interviews and assessment centre activities
• Use the resources on the PCC site

Psychometric tests

Taken the Kenexa test on the PCC website but feel you want to get some more practice?

Then take a look at these SHL tests:

• General Cognitive Ability Test

• Verbal Reasoning Test

• Verbal Comprehension Test

• Numerical Reasoning Test

• Inductive Reasoning Test

• Situational Judgement Test

Q.  Struggling with the maths?
A.   Contact ASK to see how they can help you

Q.  Like some more advice on how to prepare?
A.   Contact the PCC to see how we can help

What’s an IPATO?

A.  Information Processing Aptitude Test On-line (IPATO)

Developed by IBM to test logical reasoning and the ability to process information quickly, find out about it at:

• www.practiceshltests.com/companies-using-shl/ibm
• www.wikijob.co.uk/forum/it-technology/ibm-ipato-test-results (2008)
• www.thestudentroom.co.uk

Just a word of caution!  The format of tests changes all the time so you could try asking employers for some practice example questions.

The PCC website has practice tests at www.brunel.ac.uk/services/pcc/students/interviews-and-assessment-centres/psychometric-tests/sources-for-practice-tests.  Take the verbal and numerical Kenexa tests and get some feedback on how you’ve done.

A competitive time..

‘Graduate recruiters are facing increasingly challenging market conditions. A recent survey (summer 2011) from SHL (they provide workplace talent assessment solutions, including ability and personality tests and psychometric assessments) revealed that nearly a third (29%) of companies receive more than 250 applications for each graduate role advertised, with 5% receiving over 500. 70% of recruiters polled look for degrees of 2:1 and above, although 43% rate work experience as the most important attribute.’

If you’re just about to go into your final year you may like to find out how the PCC can help you?  Find out what’s on offer at www.brunel.ac.uk/pcc.

Many graduate recruiters use tests as part of the recruitment process.  Try out these resources so you can get in some practice before you take the ‘real thing’:

• PCC at www.brunel.ac.uk/services/pcc/students/interviews-and-assessment-centres/psychometric-tests
• Kenexa at www.brunel.ac.uk/services/pcc/students/interviews-and-assessment-centres/psychometric-tests/sources-for-practice-tests
• SHL at www.shl.com/TryATest/default.aspx

More new books

We’ve bought some more new books recently: 

‘You’re Hired! Psychometric Tests’ by Ceri Roderick & James Meachin.  Includes over 100 original tests and practice questions with chapters on numerical, verbal and abstract reasoning tests, knowledge and skills tests and personality and preference tests.  Also includes test taking style questionnaires to help you.

Also, take a look at ‘The Graduate Career Handbook’ by Shirley Jenner.  This book covers all aspects of looking for a job in a clear, user-friendly format.  Includes chapters on: career decisions, skills, career planning, work experience, what is a graduate job, organizational culture, choosing your first employer, jobhunting – where to look, making applications, CV building, interviews, assessment centres and starting your new job. 

As soon as we can show you the click-on images of the books again we will be doing this – once the LibraryThing widget is working on the new pcc website – until then you’ll just have to use your imagination – or you could always come in and have a look at the books!

Step 2: Psychometric tests – the lowdown

You may find these resources helpful if you’re about to sit tests:

• Online information that includes links where you can practice verbal and numerical tests .
• Take the Kenexa verbal and numerical tests as you’ll receive feedback on your performance, and also try the PreVisor sample practice tests!

Information sheet on selection tests

Plus two books you can look at in the Placement & Careers Centre: Brilliant Verbal Reasoning Tests and Brilliant Numeracy Tests, both written by Rob Williams.

Same time, same place for step 3 tomorrow ..

On the blog this week … 4 steps to assessment centres and tests

It’s that time of year when recruiters are holding assessment centres and doing psychometric testing. 

If you’ve got an interview for a job or a placement and a test or assessment centre are involved, don’t despair – here’s our 4 step guide.  Day by day this week we’ll tell you about resources you can use in the Placement & Careers Centre to help you.

Step 1 : Look at our books and handouts on assessment centres.

2 books you might find useful:  Now you’ve been shortlisted by Denise Taylor and How to Succeed at an assessment centre by Harry Tolley and Robert Wood.  Also, have a look at the online handout on assessment centres at http://www.brunel.ac.uk/pcc/students/jobhuntinghandouts.shtml

And you might want to take a look at ‘At the assessment centre’ which is an online video you can watch on or off campus.

Step 2 on the blog tomorrow ..

Tests, tests, tests…

We’ve had quite a few enquiries recently from students who have been asked to take online numerical and verbal tests by employers.  So…  try these:

• Links where you can practice verbal and numerical tests and find out about assessment centres.  Take the Kenexa verbal and numerical tests as you’ll receive feedback on your performance, and also try the PreVisor sample practice tests!
• Books in our reference library with helpful preparation hints and example questions
• Information sheets and DVDs on selection tests and assessment centres

Tried the practice tests and struggling with the maths or english?  Try to identify which problems are difficult for you and make an appointment to talk to the ASK team.

Calling all future doctors and dentists ..

If you’re thinking of going to medical or dental school you might want to have a look at a book we have here in the Placement & Careers Centre called Get into Medical School .  The book contains 600 practice questions, for all four major sections of the UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test). 

Testing times?

Phased by the thought of employer assessments such as psychometric tests and in house assessment centre activities?  PCC can offer plenty of resources to help you:

• Books in our reference library
• Online information that includes links where you can practice verbal and numerical tests and find out about assessment centres
• Attend a workshop that will explore the different types of tests
• Information sheets on selection tests and assessment centres
• Get some help to prepare by talking to a Careers Consultant

Another new book in pcc – for all those testing times ..

As the cooler days of autumn set in, we decided to treat ourselves and you to a new book. 

Just in at pcc – Now you’ve been shortlisted by Denise Taylor.  The book has chapters on different kinds of psychometric testing –verbal reasoning, critical thinking, numerical tests, abstract reasoning and also personality questionnaires.  There are also a section on assessment centres, including chapters on group exercises, written exercises, in-tray exercises, presentations and role-plays.  So come in when you like and have a look at it.

Psychometric Tests – everything you ever needed to know ..

Did you know that you can practise full length verbal and numerical tests like those currently used by employers online ?  Try the Kenexa test online and get feedback by email.

Also, have a look at two new books we’ve just bought for you to look at in the Placement & Careers Centre:

 Brilliant Verbal Reasoning Tests and Brilliant Numeracy Tests, both written by Rob Williams.