Free Practise Psychometric (Aptitude/IQ) Tests
Many employers and recruitment agencies use a form of psychometric testing as part of their selection process. For some people this testing can be quite daunting, particularly if it's your first time or it's been awhile since you've been tested. By using practise tests to prepare not only will know what to expect but you could identify areas you need to brush up on.
Disclaimer: This information has been compiled by Excellerate to assist you with your career development. No endorsement is made of the services, nor is warranty given as to the completeness or accuracy of the information provided by the sites listed. Each link will take to you the site where you should use your discretion when providing personal details or actiing upon the information provided.
SHL is an internationally known and very reputable firm of psychometric test designers. Many HR departments and recruitment companies use their instruments. Their website provides the opportunity to practise with "real" online questionnaires.
SHL Example Tests »
Have a go at examples of the types of tests or questionnaires (with answers) you may be asked to complete when applying for a job eg:
Verbal reasoning
Numerical reasoning
Inductive reasoning
Personality questionnaire
Motivation questionnaire
Full Length Practice Tests »
To help prepare you for an upcoming assessment you can complete a full-length practice test in one or all of the following:
Verbal and numerical reasoning tests
Inductive reasoning tests
Personality questionnaires
Motivation questionnaires
Interview-style tests
Speed and Accuracy
More Free Tests
Professional IQ Tests International High IQ Society | IQ Test
A multiple choice timed test consisting of 50 questions assessing your verbal, math and spatial reasoning and problem solving skills. The High IQ Society website states that they're the first to provide a range of standardised free IQ tests on the internet. And with more than 20 million users since 2001 their question pool enables them to provide more than 2.4 billion tests.
Fun Mensa Test | IQ Test
From Mensa International this quiz is provided for entertainment purposes only; it is not an IQ test. Answers to questions and discussion of the answers are provided at the time you submit your answers .
Multiple Intelligence Quiz |
MI Quiz
Use this quiz, based on Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences, to discover your unique preferences and style of thinking Contains 60 questions Time approx 10 minutes
In the heyday of the psychometric and behaviorist eras, it was generally believed that intelligence was a single inherited entity. Nowadays an increasing number of researchers believe that a multitude of intelligences exist, quite independent of each other; and that each intelligence has its own strengths and constraints.
Background Information on IQ Testing
The term IQ usually refers to the attempt to measure a person's general ability to solve problems and understand concepts. IQ tests measure this general intellectual ability in a number of different ways such as:
Spatial ability: Visualising the manipulation of shapes
Mathematical ability: Solving problems and using logic
Language ability: Completing sentences or recognizing words when letters have been rearranged or removed.
Memory ability: Recalling things presented either visually or aurally
IQ (intelligence quotient) is the number derived from a set of standardized tests that measure a person’s cognitive abilities (”intelligence”) in relation to their age group within the general population. IQ is described as a “quotient” because, originally, it represented the ratio between a person’s “mental age” and actual chronological age.
Understanding the IQ Scale and Your Score
IQ tests use a standardized scale with 100 as the median score. The ranking of typical ranges of IQ scores and what they mean are summarized below:
Over 140: Genius or near genius
120 - 140: Very superior intelligence
110 - 119: Superior intelligence
90 - 109: Normal or average intelligence
80 - 89: Dullness
70 - 79: Borderline deficiency
Under 70: Indicates mental retardation
On most tests, a score between 90 and 110, (or the median 100 plus or minus 10) indicates average intelligence. Roughly 5% of the population has IQ scores under 70. On the other end of the scale, only 1% of the population falls in the 135 and above category, which is the benchmark for genius.
Can you increase your IQ?
Because IQ tests measure your ability to understand ideas and not the quantity of your knowledge, learning new information does not automatically increase your IQ. There is evidence that maintaining an intellectually stimulating atmosphere (by learning new skills) boosts some ability, in a similar way that an exercising boosts physical ability, but these changes aren't permanent and don't have much effect on IQ scores. However, IQ tests are only one imperfect method of measuring different aspects of intellectual ability. Critics point out that IQ tests don't measure social skills, wisdom or physical intelligence as demonstrated by athletes or creativity as demonstrated by musicians and artists or a host of other things we consider to be aspects of intelligence. (which is why we included Gardner's Multiple Intelligence quiz)
The value of IQ tests however is that they measure general cognitive ability, which has been proven to be a fairly accurate indicator of intellectual potential. There is a positive correlation between IQ and success in an academic environment but there are many, many cases where IQ and success do not coincide.
IQ scores and Occupational Groups
(A rough ranking)
140: Top Civil Servants; Professors and Research Scientists.
130: Physicians and Surgeons; Lawyers; Engineers (Civil and Mechanical)
120: School Teachers; Pharmacists; Accountants; Nurses; Stenographers; Managers.
110: Foremen; Clerks; Telephone Operators; Salesmen; Policemen; Electricians.
100+ Machine Operators; Shopkeepers; Butchers; Welders; Sheet Metal Workers.
100: Warehousemen; Carpenters; Cooks and Bakers; Small Farmers; Truck and Van Drivers.
90: Laborers; Gardeners; Upholsterers; Farmhands; Miners; Factory Packers and Sorters
Success Tips for Candidates Taking Employment Tests
Read our article on test taking tips for personality and psychometric testing | Test Tips
Personlity Tests
You may like to try these free online personality and career orientatation tests to identify your personality type and best job fit | Free personality tests
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