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What sort of things can be tested?
There are about 50 human abilities that can be
tested, such as general intelligence, verbal, numerical and diagrammatic
reasoning, spatial and mechanical aptitude, speed & accuracy of information
processing; and well over 30 aspects of personality, ranging from sociability,
tough-mindedness and anxiety, to flexibility, personal organisation and
creativity. In addition tests can be used to measure things like memory,
reaction time and colour vision.Top of page
Who uses tests?
Some private
schools use tests as part of the careers guidance process but it is
comparatively uncommon in public schools. This does not mean that tests do not
add value - simply that the cost and availability of teacher's time has
prohibited or limited use. If you pay to visit a private careers adviser or
industrial/occupational psychologist for advice they will generally use
tests.
Additionally, about 75% of medium to large sized organizations use them as part of their
selection procedure alongside interviews or other face-to-face assessment
techniques. Top of page
Can you prepare for tests?
It is possible to prepare or revise for knowledge based tests.
However many tests are designed so that
particular problems have to be solved from scratch, maybe by analysing
sequences of words or numbers or by assessing information presented in a more
complicated way, for example in the form of a piece of prose or a series of
charts and diagrams. In cases like these practice will not, unfortunately, turn
you into a numerical genius, but it will make you more confident when you are
presented with the real thing.
Many bookshops stock books containing practice material and it is also possible to
access example tests through the internet.
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Where can I get practice tests?
If you apply for a job and you are invited to a
test session you may well receive practice tests in advance, and if you don't
it is always worth asking for some. Most publishers produce 'warm-up' material
and Career Analysts is no exception - a practice test is available
for the Morrisby Profile via your test administrator or complete the on-line
Practice
Questions.Top of page
How are tests used to select people for jobs?
When tests are used in selection procedures they
are used to measure attributes which are important in the performance of a
particular job. These are typically abilities or aspects of personality which
have been found to distinguish between those who do the job well and those who
perform less well. Results can then be used to match applicants to the 'ideal'
profile for a job or to discover if certain minimum requirements are met.
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Do people need training to use tests?
There are some tests which are available without special training and many of
these are available on the internet. However most
ability and personality measures require users to be trained by the test
publisher.Training is required to to use the Morrisby Profile.
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Where do the Morrisby tests come from?
The tests are based on extensive research into abilities, personality and interests and have been
developed over 30 years.
The modern Morrisby Profile was launched in 1991/92. Over the last few years it has undergone a number of
refinements; the associated guidance reports are revised each year.
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Why do the tests take so long to do?
The tests are designed to assess all the main
aptitudes, work-based personality and occupational interests. This amounts to
12 different tests and an interests questionnaire so it's not surprising that
it takes just over 3 hours to complete.
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Why are the tests timed?
Individual tests are timed so that we can see how you do compared to someone
else who completes the tests under the same
conditions.Top of page
How can I get better test scores?
It is difficult to increase your scores on aptitude tests.
This is simply because they are looking at your underlying potential and not
what you have learnt. However some familiarity with the way the questions are
posed will help to reduce anxiety and may mean that you do better, because you
work quicker. A practice test is available for the Morrisby Profile - ask your careers
adviser for details or follow this link
Practice Questions.
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Is the Morrisby Profile like the tests that are used to select people for jobs?
The Morrisby Profile is similar to some of the
tests that are used by businesses as part of the recruitment and selection process.
If anything it looks at things in far more detail and is currently used by
companies in the aviation, engineering, financial, food and manufacturing
industries.
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Could I show my report to an employer?
You could if you wished to but remember that not all
employers are familiar with psychometric tests or reports. It's probably better
to check with your careers adviser or Career Analysts first.
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What would happen if I did the tests again?
If you did the tests again after a reasonable
period of time had passed, you might well get slightly higher scores. But it is
unlikely that the 'shape' of your profile would have changed.
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Do people get better or worse at tests as they get older?
There is some evidence to suggest that test performance decreases with age.
In Morrisby terms, the tests that seem to be the most affected are the Compound
Series (solving problems from first principles), Perceptual (diagrammatic
reasoning), Shapes (moving two-dimensional shapes in three-dimensional space),
Speed & Accuracy and Manual Speed. In addition, flexibility seems to
decline.
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My first language isn't English, can this affect my results?
This really depends on your fluency with English.
If you have a reading age in English of 10 years or greater then your results
should not be markedly affected. If you don't, the three tests that are most
influenced are the Verbal (understanding and reasoning with simple words),
Mechanical (which contains descriptions of mechanical situations) and Speed
test-3 (making up four letter words).
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Do men and women do differently in different tests?
There are some differences between the performance of men and women.
On average, men do better at the mechanical ability test and women with the speed
and accuracy (awareness) and manual speed tests.
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Why do you ask about exams on the interest questionnaire?
If a person had taken some exams and they know the results, it provides extra
information that can be used to help focus our job suggestions.
Currently there is no State examination before Year 12 that gives you a feel of how you
are performing. Where we don't have the information (as in Victoria) we have to predict how you
might do from your test results.
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What about things like musical interests or ability in sport?
People have all sorts of different skills and
interests, some of which are difficult to assess using psychometric tests. If
there are things that you think may not be taken into account, make sure you
discuss them with your careers advisor.
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