I recently sat a very lengthy interview process that began well over six months ago. Scary huh? The reason it took so long is that my data (both psychometric testing, reasoning tests and original application) was held in a separate physical location that was not remotely accessible from the new office.
After many hijinks and reported loss – my application was found. This was good as it meant that I didn’t have to do the testing again. However, I still had over 2 hours of interviews to sit through. One of the ways that I have helped myself prepare for the interviews (and in the testing) is in the use of IT. So, for the testing I was made aware that there were online ‘practical’ runs you can take to test your reasoning, numeracy and literacy skills.
This is a good way in which to prepare for the real tests as you can see what sort of questions you may face. Other sources can give you general advice on the various aspects of the testing and what exactly businesses are looking for broadly speaking. Another great – and obvious – thing to do for prep is to visit the company website. What is the feel? What is their company ethos?
Are there any values endorsed above others? The web is a great way to show one face of the company – just be aware that it may be only that. A search may bring up websites and opinions of previous or even current employees. One side of the story is always complimented with another to give you the most balanced view.
Personally this allowed me to choose between a few employers as after a little digging I found that one job I was considering was ran by a company that had very questionable ethics. So there’s a quick rundown of how you can use the net to help you prepare – if you’re in this situation then I wish you luck in your endeavours!