The application process for a job or study program often includes, in addition to an interview, a test day or various online practice exercises. The tests included in the application process—aptitude tests, ability tests, and suitability assessments—can vary greatly depending on the position being applied for. The most common types of tasks are aptitude tests, general knowledge tests, various psychological tests, and personality assessments or exercises.
You can practice for an aptitude test and prepare for a general knowledge test by taking our short, free practice tests.
Aptitude test
An aptitude test (or ability test) includes tasks of varying difficulty in spatial, verbal, and numerical reasoning. You will get the most benefit from taking the test if you familiarize yourself with and practice different types of tasks beforehand. This also allows you to assess what you have already learned.
The test contains 10 different tasks, which are very similar to those used in many aptitude tests that measure problem-solving skills. The practice test prepares you for the actual test day, even though it is shorter than the full aptitude test typically used in assessment processes.
In the practice test, answering—or not answering—a specific task does not affect the difficulty level of subsequent tasks. There is no time limit in this test, so you can take as long as you want to consider the correct answer.
At the end of the test, you will see your overall score and can review the correct answers for each task. Detailed explanations help you understand how to arrive at the correct solution.
General knowledge test
A test day may include a short questionnaire aimed at assessing the applicant’s general knowledge. The questions can relate to culture, sports, economy, history, natural sciences, or practically any topic.
In a real test situation, you will only have a pen and paper, so you cannot look up answers online. By practicing tasks that test general knowledge, you learn what types of questions you may be asked. Questions can be multiple-choice, or you may need to know and write the correct answer yourself.
Although the questions in a general knowledge test are always unique, it is still worth preparing and practicing. In general knowledge tests, as in many other types of tests, reasoning skills are often key. The more similar tasks you have done, the easier it is to find the correct answer.
The general knowledge test contains 10 questions. There is no time limit, and at the end of the test, you will see your overall score.