Professional advice

on getting a job
 Agenda

Ability Test

Personality Test

Assessment Centre
 Neil Cowieson
Founder & Director, Human Scope Limited

• Head of HR Development, Asia Pacific at HSBC

• Regional VP, Asia Pacific at SHL Asia Pacific
• Managing Director at SHL Hong Kong Ltd
 Personality Assessment
Ability Test
Test Centre
 Ability Test 101
Verbal reasoning

Numerical reasoning

Abstract reasoning
• Similar in design, some even use the same publisher
s (e.g. SHL, PsyAsia, Cubiks)
 Test Construction
• Content-wise
Same set of Different sets Customized
questions of questions test
• Format-wise

Written test Online test

 Scoring
Top-down approach Cut-off score approach

A combination of both

• Companies use different benchmarks

– Selection ratio
– Statistical analysis performed by outside consultancies

• No universal ‘good/bad’ scoring rate

 Misconception 1:
Numerical reasoning is more important than verbal
reasoning in the accounting industry.

• Not necessarily

Accounting
Numeracy principles and
procedures

• Weighting depends on internal validation studi

es
 Misconception 2:
Companies won’t find out even
if I cheat in the online tests.
• Not necessarily
• Mechanisms detecting cheating

Irregular Verification
Graduate
patterns of test in a
recruiter
candidates’ controlled
networks
results environment
 Misconception 3:
I should make random guesses for the test questions
I don’t have enough time to finish.
• Some companies will look at patterns of answers
• Indicators of performance

Number of correct
Accuracy rate
response/score

• Recommended strategy:
– Work at speed but not at the expense of accuracy
– Method of elimination  educated guess
 Personality Assessment
Ability Test
Test Centre
 no pass/fail
concept

No general Personality organization-

standard Test personality-fit

before/in
interview or
in assessment
centre
 Job description, job analysis are systematically taken into account
• Content Analysis
• Looking into competences and behaviors of
Method 2
particular jobs
• Formal Validation Studies Method 1
• Taking sample of high job performers
Determination of ideal job profiles
 Getting an idea of
companies’ ideal job profiles

web pages Reading annual

Surfing companies’ reports

Tips
with the companies
Attending career who are familiar
talks Talking to persons
• No standard questionnaires, based on companies’ cultures Standard
• Even in same field, questionnaires can be highly distinctive
• Hard to check whether a candidate was faking
• But any inconsistency will be given consideration and it could
Validation
be fatal
• Ideal job profile are not strictly applied Use
• Companies avoid employing clones
Companies’ use of personality test
Approach when taking personality test
Avoid
faking

Avoid
excessive
Be Avoid
centralism
(being
thinking natural grey)

No need to
avoid
extreme
choices
 • More companies are Trend
adopting personality tests
• No general personality Standard
even in this field
Prevalence
• Not highly prevalent
Personality tests in the accounting industry
 Personality Assessment
Ability Test
Test Centre
 Assessment Centre

Audit ●
Group discussion
●
Presentation
Industry
 Group Discussion

Situation

●
Dominant member
●
Unfamiliar topic
●
Have a lot to say / nobody says

Misconception

●
Always be the leader
 Dominant Member
Voice
Out !
Suggesting
“that’s interesting view I heard, one
of the view I have maybe look a bit
alternatives….
different from our colleague….”

Invite others to join in

 Unfamiliar Topic
2 Way to Contribute Roles

If familiar with the topic…. Shaping

the group
Endorsin
g points
Content input Suggestin
g agenda
Facilitato
r
Commen
ting on o
Keeping thers
track
If not…… Time che
cker
Take different roles!
 Have a lot to say
1. …..
2. …..
• Dominate

?
3. …..
4.
5.
…..
….. BALANCE
• Interpersonal sensitivity
6.
7.
…..
…..
• Team work
8. …..
9. …..

Best Score
3. ……….……..
8. ………………
 Nobody Says

NATURAL !
…………….. Good !
What do
but…
you think?
No Acting
!
 Always Be the Leader
Roles

Sha
End
p
o
i
r
n
s
Take
g
in
th
g
e
p
g
o
roup
ints
Lead in
g a g e nda
Sugg e
charge
st
Facilitator
i n

o n ot hers
different
t i ng
Commen
later
Keeping tr
ack
er
ways
Time check
 Presentation
Situation

●
Provided with Presentation Aids
●
I made a mistake ?

Misconception

●
Am I bad as I was asked afterwards?
 Provided with Presentation Aids

Rare deliberate distraction

Use when it is useful

 I made a mistake ?!

Stay Confident
Lose the attention
Keep Calm
Lose confidence
Correct the mistake
Affect the fluency of
naturally if possible
presentation
Am I bad as I was asked afterwards?

Think too much !

• Clarification

• Out of personal interest

BAD

• ……
Myth about the assessment center …
 We are always observed?!
Mainly in exercise

Tips Coffee Break

/ Lunch Break
UIET !
N’ T BE Q
DO
 Get to be liked ?

Based on observation Consistency Different Situation

Different Criteria for

different companies
Warm Reminder - “Don’t switch off”
Keep
Alert

Resp
onse
Consistency

Think
Assessor’s stand point?!

Natural !
Be yourself !
Professional advice
onon
getting
getting
a CAREER
a job
Thank You!