CareerAhead Admin

Author: Rahul Guha

  • #5 Crucial Reflections of a Test that may Change Your Mind!

    #5 Crucial Reflections of a Test that may Change Your Mind!

    Have you ever had the feeling after an interview that you answered fairly well, but your words were not too impressive? We all know how that feels. Although I am taking the example of an interview in this case, I am sure this applies to many more life situations. In this article I will be discussing psychometric tests and their impact.

    Hiring mistakes can have multiple adverse effects on business. In my professional career, I remember one such incident where a senior management employee could not handle his team and deliver what was expected, on account of a sheer lack of leadership abilities. This scenario was never anticipated during the multiple rounds of interviews conducted during the hiring process. One such hiring mistake for the role of a key leader could lead to many problems for a company – loss of momentum, team demotivation or even exits of key team players, financial losses.

    The slip-up, in this case, was that the pre-hiring psychometric analysis of the candidate had been omitted. Mostly such tests are conducted prior to the interview, enabling the interviewer to prepare aptly with questions that ratify the test observations.

    An impressive resume that meets the job description is not enough for a job seeker to succeed in interviews. Many people do not anticipate interview questions and are not prepared to handle them. The interviewer frames questions with suggestions mentioned in the psychometric tests. 95% of job seekers are either unaware or do not attach importance to this crucial factor and keep wondering about the reasons for failing an interview.

    But before you start thinking about cracking psychometric tests, let me explain what these tests are. understanding the analysis of a psychometric test requires reading the report multiple times to find the science behind it. The test comprises simple multiple-choice questions to tap various faculties of your mind, behaviour, and attitude. Similar questions may appear multiple times to ensure that your responses are no different and you are not faking it. Modern-day psychometric tests are AI-enabled and intelligent enough to cull out exact strengths and shortcomings.

    Simply put, such tests are meant to dissect the mental ability and competence of job seekers to suggest if the person is an ideal fit for the role. The key factors that the test deals with are detailed hereafter.  

    “An impressive resume that meets the job description is not enough for a job seeker to succeed in interviews”

    Simply put, such tests are meant to dissect the mental ability and competence of job seekers to suggest if the person is an ideal fit for the role

    Personality Profile

    Personality tests measure individual traits such as your emotional state, reaction to pressure, factors that motivate you, attitude, and interpersonal relations.

    Personalities develops over time as you age. It becomes increasingly difficult to alter a negative behaviour or attitude with age. Mostly, people do not recognize or accept such shortcomings. In case the test reveals a detailed analysis of such negative traits, you can consciously suppress them, if not change them. Of course, positive behavioural aspects are used effectively to score better in interviews. 

    Reasoning Ability

    Positive decision making depends on how reasonable you are and how much you can support it with logic and reasons. If your reasoning ability is good, it will be much easier to convince others in single attempt. Many people cannot build a logical framework to support their decisions.  

    Generally, logical reasoning tests measure your non-verbal abilities. You need to answer correctly from a set of questions that track your logical and abstract reasoning and your mental ability to form reasons.

    Motivation Quotient

    Motivational Quotient, also called MQ, signifies the inner drive of a person to achieve goals, grow and realize success. If anyone lacks in MQ, the person will never be able to carry forward the company’s mission, despite being diligent and knowledgeable. Again, multiple situational questions need to be answered to decode the motivational quotient of a candidate. You can find out yours if you take the right type of test that deals with MQ.

    Ability tests include numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, and critical thinking, to name a few; while personality tests include tests of motivation and situational judgment.

    A candidate’s skills and abilities can be assessed with such tools. These should ideally match what you have mentioned in your resume. Your abilities are ratified with multiple questions that judge your problem-solving and communication abilities.

    Achievement Potential 

    The name suggests the purpose. The potential of every individual varies based on their experience, determination, and risk-taking ability on any job. It is one of the most critical abilities that determine the future performance of the candidate. It analyses the past learning over the present performance. It also measures how a person understands and masters a particular knowledge to maximize success at present state.

    My purpose in detailing this subject is to raise awareness among job seekers, to take such tests to get insights on their own psychological and mental parameters. If you take this test, you will find your strengths and weaknesses and it will enable you to prepare well for any interview. Interviews are like stage shows, no replay, no second chances! If you miss such a golden opportunity to impress the interviewer, perhaps you lose it for life.

  • 5 Things to Check Before Taking Up a Job Offer

    5 Things to Check Before Taking Up a Job Offer

    “companies that focus on resolving every customer problem generally treat employees well and tend to have employee-centric culture”

    Arun was excited about his new job offer. Honestly, the offer matched about 80% of his expectations, though he was a little skeptical about accepting it. He had to be. He had started on his current job just three months ago. He had thought technology companies were doing well and that AI would have enough demand in the future.

    Another thing on his mind was the present slump in businesses, as many strive to endure the job uncertainty post-pandemic. He last job was in a promising startup, at least that’s what they had portrayed. He had never imagined that the leadership would be so rude! It was a pure mismatch of culture and morality. What if this new offer turned out to be another nightmare?

    Arun was worried he might drive his career into one more trap, and he was serious about making sure the job was a perfect match before he took another step towards it – there are plenty of stories of misadventures of young professionals in the early phase of their careers.

    I am about to share five key traits that can help you recognize organizational behaviors that are conducive to growth – these are traits shared by the companies that are worth pursuing in your career!

    Arun’s story talks about a culture mismatch. Every organization has a distinctive culture. Culture percolates from the top down. You may find enough reviews in Glassdoor, AmbitionBox, or mouthshut.com to help you form an opinion about the culture of the company. But let me share another way to learn about an organization’s culture. Look for the reactions of users or customers. Companies that focus on resolving every customer problem generally treat employees well and tend to have employee-centric culture.

    “If a company caters to a niche market with less competition, they tend to flourish”

    Another factor to consider is the uniqueness of the product and services provided. If a company caters to a niche market with less competition, they tend to flourish. Companies that reap growth usually share the fruit with employees. The quality and uniqueness of products or services can be gauged by reading industry sectoral news, company reviews, and scanning websites. Companies that offer to resolve a common cause of discomfort for people tend to fetch a premium value from the market; and if the company prospers, employees thrive.

    A third point to focus on is whether employee policies are attuned to social, cultural, and global trends. These are indicators of an employee-friendly organization. Many organizations strictly follow employee grievance mechanisms and keep KPIs for stakeholders to reduce dissatisfaction. Some have policies on gender diversity and inclusion or help employees deal with mental health conditions. Such details are usually not made public, and websites may carry only a few details. The real gauge of these policies is the experience of employees. Find a friend inside the company, and they may share the true picture.

    Fourthly, find out how transparent the organization is in communicating and sharing information. Transparency is another name for genuineness. During the final offer stage, many companies share their present and future business plan, strategic investment goals, or career growth assistance for talent, to keep a newcomer aligned. If a company has a secretive culture and keeps this information classified, be cautious. The best way to tap this trait is to ask the hiring manager during the last stage of the interview about these plans and goals and to note their reaction.

    “Transparency is another name for genuineness”

    Finally, another key element that decides organizational behavior is financial stability. Scarcity of funds may lead to many hurdles and changes in stakeholders’ behavior. Companies can restrict investment on research, innovation, or upgrading their facilities. Such behavior sometimes becomes claustrophobic for employees as they find themselves stuck in a routine with no promise for growth. People may misconstrue infusion of funds as an indicator of growth and join the company where promises are never met, as these are meant to cover the losses. Study financial reports to decipher facts, consult an insider, find a friend within the organization to get the real picture.

    Many people pick up a new job that turns into a disaster in urgency or in excitement. When you buy a car, you spend time researching its functionality, technology, fuel efficiency, and best value for your money. You never go for just the look and lure of commercials! You need to show similar diligence in evaluating a company before you decide to take up an offer. If you progress only when the probability of a match to your expectations is high, your career will find the right flight trajectory!