Aptitude tests employers use, and how to practise for them
Many employers screen applicants with a short online test before any interview. These pages explain the common kinds, what they ask and how to prepare, with free timed practice for each.
- CCAT: 50 questions in 15 minutes, mixing verbal, math and logic, and spatial reasoning.
- Numerical reasoning: tables, charts, percentages and ratios under time pressure.
- Abstract and inductive reasoning: finding the rule in a grid or sequence of shapes.
- Mental arithmetic: around 80 sums in 8 minutes with no calculator, as trading firms set.
- Probability interview questions: the dice, card and game questions asked for quant and trading roles.
- Attention to detail: error-checking tests that ask what changed between an original and a copy.
- Planning puzzles: Tower of London-style puzzles scored on the fewest moves.
- Game-based assessments: the reaction, attention and risk games some employers use instead of questions, and what practice can and cannot do.
Sent a named test?
Each page gives the publisher's own figures, with sources, and says which practice fits.
- Criteria CCAT: 50 questions in 15 minutes.
- SHL numerical reasoning and SHL inductive reasoning: the Verify tests as SHL describes them.
- Aon cut-e scales: short numerical, verbal and inductive tests, finish as many as you can.
- Korn Ferry and Talent Q: numerical, verbal, logical and checking.
- Cubiks Logiks: verbal, numerical and abstract, 50 questions in 12 minutes at the intermediate level.
- Wonderlic and Predictive Index: 50 questions in 12 minutes.
- Watson-Glaser: critical thinking, as Pearson describes it, with practice for recognising assumptions.
- McKinsey Solve: what McKinsey says about its assessment game, and practice for the same kinds of thinking.
- UK Civil Service verbal and numerical tests.
- Optiver 80 in 8: the 8-minute arithmetic test for trading roles.
- SAT Math: 44 questions in 70 minutes, calculator allowed, as College Board describes it.
- GRE Quantitative Reasoning: the two quantitative sections and their four question types, as ETS describes them.
- GMAT Quantitative Reasoning: the 21 problem-solving questions, without a calculator, and where to practise each topic GMAC lists.
- Game-based assessments from Harver (pymetrics), Arctic Shores and Aon.
Read next
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- All articles: straight answers, with sources, to what people ask about these tests.