Success Tips For Your Job Interviews After College

BY JANE HURST

Just because you are ready to graduate from college, don’t think that your test-taking days are soon going to be over. In fact, they are only just beginning. Now comes the real challenge: getting out there and finding the career that you have been working towards. Gone are the days when one could rely on the strength of their resume to get a job. Today’s employers are looking at many other things, and many are doing pre-employment testing to find the best candidates for the jobs they are offering, including aptitude and personality tests. This is not something that you need to be worried about if you are prepared. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about interview assessments and how to get through them.

 

Understanding Aptitude Tests

An aptitude test evaluates your skills and lets the employer know if you have what it takes to do the job. There are likely going to be hundreds of people applying for the position, and this testing can help to narrow the list down to a few qualified candidates. There are several different types of aptitude tests, so it is unlikely you will be able to fully prepare, as you won’t know which one is being used until the interview. In most cases, these tests are provided by assessment companies.

 

Understanding Personality Tests

Not only do you need the right skills for the job, you also need to have the right type of personality and mindset. Many employers use these tests, and the answers will help them to decide if you are right for the job. It is a good idea to take several practice tests before the actual interview. You need to be able to answer as honestly as possible, while also being able to give them the types of answers that they are looking for.

 

Preparing for Assessment Testing

When you arrive at the interview, be sure to have an up to date copy of your resume. If you are still in school, create a student resume that lists your skills, grades, volunteer work, etc. Before the interview, you should do the following:

• Take Practice Tests – While you can’t be prepared for everything that is going to be asked on the tests, by taking practice tests, you can be prepared a lot, and be used to taking these kinds of tests. It will also give you a pretty good idea of what you can expect to find on the actual test.
• Be Well Rested – The night before your interview, try to get to sleep as early as possible. You will need to be well rested in order to be able to get through the testing and interview process. It is also going to help you to feel less stressed if you are able to relax the night before the interview.
• Look Over Your Resume – Also on the night before the interview, take a few minutes to go over your resume to make sure everything important is there. If you are unsure about your education information, find out how to list education on a resume, and make any necessary changes.
• Pace Yourself – When you are taking the actual tests, you need to be able to pace yourself. Don’t take too long on any one question, but at the same time, do not rush through the answers either. Yes, there is a time limit, but if you know how to pace yourself, you will achieve a high score.
• Quality, not Quantity – While it is important to answer as many of the questions as possible, employers are often more concerned about the quality of your answers rather than how many questions you are able to answer. Look for the questions that are easiest for you, and concentrate on those.

 

Byline:

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot. Follow Jane on Twitter.