How to approach online assessments
- with Pakeezah Rajab
The ORT SA Career Hub hosted a webinar by the Psychologist and Psycometrist Pakeezah Rajab from JVR Psychometrics. Pakeezah shared insight into the what and the why of online assessments and gave tips on how to excel in them.
Due to the competitive nature of the corporate space that we live in today, recruitment has become more complex than before. One of the reasons for difficulties in landing out with your dream job is the requirement for applicants to conduct an online assessment. This is a formal process that asks carefully selected questions that sample aspects of a job applicant’s qualities, abilities, behaviours and thinking. The reason why employers use online assessments is because it helps them to get more information than what is written on paper. As challenging as online assessments may sound, there is a way of finessing them, and Pakeezah Rajab has given us a few suggestions:
- Prepare by resting and staying calm – nervousness can get the best of you, so it’s better to be calm.
- No distractions – for instance, switch off your phone in case of any distracting messages coming while you are doing the assessment.
- Check internet stability and system requirements – ensure that you have stable & sufficient data, up-to-date software and a compatible device, as it contributes to the assessment outcome.
- Keep contact details handy – this helps you communicate specific challenges to the prospective employer when doing the assessment.
- Ask questions – If you are unsure about something, it’s always a good idea to ask.
- Inform practitioners of disabilities/limitations – be transparent about the struggles you have, such as being honest about not having internet access or sufficient data.
- Be honest – Some assessments do have a system or systems in place to check for cheating.
- Read (and follow) instructions – this can contribute to the outcome of the assessment.
- Do not share questions or answers with family and friends – being ethical goes a long way.
Click here should you wish to watch the rest of the webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmDuE8JTvDQ&t=1s
Register to the upcoming webinars run by the ORTSA Career Hub https://www.ortsa.org.za/calender-careerhub/
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