Online assessments are used early in hiring to filter large applicant pools before investing interview time. Most candidates treat them as an afterthought — especially after the effort of writing a CV and cover letter. That's a mistake. A surprising number of strong candidates are filtered at this stage, often because they didn't practise or underestimated the time pressure.
Why employers use online assessments
Online assessments serve a specific purpose: filtering at scale. When an employer receives hundreds of applications for a role, interviewing everyone isn't feasible. Online tests allow them to filter on cognitive ability, judgment, and fit before any human time is spent.
The most common assessment types are:
- Numerical reasoning — interpreting graphs, tables, and data to answer questions
- Verbal reasoning — reading comprehension and logical conclusions from text
- Situational judgement tests (SJT) — how you'd respond to work scenarios
- Logical/diagrammatic reasoning — pattern recognition and abstract thinking
- Personality questionnaires — preferences and style (usually not "scored" in a pass/fail sense)
Numerical reasoning tests
These are not maths tests. They test your ability to interpret data presented in charts, tables, and graphs, and draw correct conclusions from them. Mental arithmetic plays a part, but the harder skill is data interpretation.
Prepare by: Practising with published test materials from SHL, Korn Ferry, or Saville (the main test publishers). Focus on speed — tests are timed and most people don't finish. Learn to read graphs and tables quickly for the relevant piece of data without getting distracted by irrelevant information.
Common mistakes: Spending too long on any one question. Misreading units (thousands vs millions). Not using a calculator where permitted — always use one if it's allowed. Calculating first and then reading the question.
Verbal reasoning tests
You're given a passage of text and asked whether a statement is true, false, or impossible to determine from the text alone. The key skill is strict logical interpretation — don't bring in outside knowledge.
The most common error: Marking something as "true" because you know it to be true in the real world, when the passage doesn't actually say it. The rule is: answer only based on what's in the text.
Prepare by: Practising reading quickly for main ideas, then re-reading the specific sentence relevant to the question. Speed matters — aim to spend no more than 30-40 seconds per question.
Situational judgement tests
SJTs present a realistic workplace scenario and ask you to rank or choose how you'd respond from several options. They're assessing judgment, values, and whether your approach to situations aligns with the employer's.
Unlike numerical and verbal tests, there's limited "right or wrong" preparation for SJTs. However:
- Research the employer's values and competency framework — SJT answers are designed around these
- Generally, the "best" answers involve communication, seeking to understand, and constructive resolution rather than avoidance or escalation
- Avoid extreme options — neither "do nothing" nor "immediately escalate to management" tends to be the preferred answer
Practical tips for the day
Use a desktop or laptop, not mobile. Online tests are designed for larger screens and interfaces. Mobile devices introduce technical risk and are harder to use under time pressure.
Choose a quiet time with a stable connection. Don't take the assessment on a commute, in a noisy environment, or on spotty WiFi. Technical issues mid-test rarely get accommodated.
Check the requirements in advance. Some tests require a webcam, a calculator (or ban one), or specific browser versions. Read the instructions before starting.
Don't rush the instructions. The instructions section is usually untimed. Read them carefully. Questions about format, timing, and navigation are clearest here — not once the timed section has started.
Practise first. Most test platforms offer practice questions before the scored test. Take all of them — they calibrate your pace and familiarise you with the interface.