Things are hotting up in the project management marketplace and with an increase in more project management jobs being available – we also see the advice requests swing from “how can I secure my next job?” to “how can I make sure I get this job I’m being interviewed for”. You can take a look back at the recent articles on SWOT for Project Management Interviews to give you a better idea on how to prepare for the interview but in this post we specifically look at that part of the interview where you are being asked to take part in tests of some description.
Typically there are three types of testing that you could undergo for a project management interview – online testing, scenario based and presentation. We’ve previously covered off scenario and presentations in previous project management recruitment ideas so let’s turn our attention to online testing.
Online Testing for Project Management Interviews
Getting prepared to take a test for an interview can feel like a daunting task. Some people say that you can’t prepare for the testing stage of an interview and indeed why would you need advice on how to logon to a PC to sit and read and answer questions? I like to think that anything you can do to help prepare yourself for an interview – especially when it is a job you really want – is not a waste of time and for most people that got out of the habit of taking tests when they left school, it helps to be reminded of the test taking habit.
More and more organisations are using online testing as a way of helping them to shortlist candidates for the roles they are recruiting for. It makes sense to understand beforehand which type of online test you are being asked to participate in. The main categories are: verbal and critical reasoning; numerical reasoning; abstract and non-verbal reasoning. You may also encounter the personality related tests however in this post we’re going to concentrate on what are known as “ability tests”
Verbal and critical reasoning
Tests designed to understand your level of vocabularly, spelling and grammatical ability, an example:
All employees should …………….. from such a training scheme*
A: result B: credit C: succeed D: enrol E: benefit
Numerical reasoning
Numercial reasoning is very popular in project management interviews for obvious reasons and will probably feature in your tests. Numerical reasoning includes questions like;
If 625kg of fruit are required to produce 200 jars of jam, approximately how much fruit is required to produce 450 jars of jam?**
Abstract and non-verbal reasoning
Abstract and non-verbal reasoning tests are less popular in project management interviews however these tests are used to uncover logic, generally through more visual questions. An example, which image comes next in the sequence:
Taking the Online Tests – A Few Pointers
Normally these tests will be carried out by you at home. You will receive an email before your actual face to face interview asking you to logon and complete the tests at a time most suitable for you. Here are a few things to bear in mind before taking the tests;
- Complete as many test papers and examples beforehand as you can – you’ll be in the mindset for the real test and already familiar with what is expected of you
- Make sure you choose the right time to take the test – free from distractions from the family
- When you choose to start the test, make sure you complete it in one sitting – these tests are done over an alloted time period and will fail if you take any breaks during the test.
- Take your time and read each question a few times – often these online tests do not require you to get to the “end”. It is more important to concentrate on getting the answers right than rushing through them.
- Remember, online testing is only one part of the interview process and you will not be judged on the results alone. However, they are important and practice makes perfect so consider purchasing a few books to give yourself plenty of practice.
Recommended Read
The most popular interview test book at Arras People is the Management Level Psychometric & Assessment Tests book which features a number of tests for you to work through from each of the categories covered in this post. There is also a section on other management tests and presentations that you may also encounter at your project management interview.
* Examples are taken from the Management Level Psychometric & Assessment Tests book available from Amazon
Author: Andrea Shavick
**1406kg
Image – DaveBleasdale Zoovroo
