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How Job Hunters Can Ace Employers' Tests

Here are four things you may be asked and how to answer effectively

By Susan Ricker and AOL Jobs

 

Here are four things employers look for when testing the skills of applicants and how you can prepare to ace their tests:

 

1. Following instructions and demonstrating creativity Ashley Schwartau, director of multimedia production at The Security Awareness Company, was responsible for hiring a new production assistant earlier this year. In order to find the best match for their team, she first assessed candidates through emails.

 

“When we posted our ad, there were five requirements for them to send us when they replied,” Schwartau says. “Anyone who didn't follow the directions we didn't even look at, since that's a pretty basic skill. But then since a couple of our requirements were on the more 'informal' or 'fun' side, we looked at how much thought and creativity the applicants put into their responses. Some of them were so creative, we put those in the 'maybe' stack.”

 

 

 

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4. Showing problem-solving skills and knowing resources A favorite adage in work and life is “If you can't explain it, you don't really understand it.” While you may have work experience and an interest in a role, if you can't explain the processes to complete it or offer insight to particular projects, you're not bringing much to the position.

 

Schwartau elaborates, saying, “When a project comes across my desk, I immediately start thinking of all the ways we could handle it from a broad branding approach, down to the 'which buttons will I click in InDesign to accomplish the effect I want?' approach. So we posed a few hypotheticals to the candidates and asked them to describe the process they would take to handle the approach."

 

It may be a lengthy process to secure a role, but demonstrating your skills and abilities and meeting the challenges of an employer is an exceptional way to ensure that both the employer and employee understand the expectations of the position.

Susan Ricker is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

 

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