Selecting the right aptitude assessment company for campus placement preparation

Aptitude is a person’s ability to perform tasks. Organizations assess this skill to measure candidates’ reasoning, problem-solving, memory, verbal skills, and mathematical ability. Depending on the job role requirements, aptitude tests are used to know candidates’ ability to understand tasks and solve work-related problems. As a result, aptitude tests are widely used by organizations during campus placements to hire and retain top talent.

Companies use aptitude tests during campus placements to measure applicants’ competencies specific to the job role. Aptitude tests are better at predicting job performance than verbal interviews.

There are several types of assessments that recruiters can use:

Cognitive aptitude tests assess a cross-section of interviewees’ potential. A high score on the test implies that the individual is well-rounded, intelligent, and able to learn and perform well, regardless of the task. The cognitive test is one of the most used aptitude tests for placements and hiring.

Numerical aptitude assesses candidates’ ability to interpret and handle data accurately. Here, candidates analyze and draw conclusions from the presented data. In addition, the test checks for calculation accuracy and speed. It usually has multiple choice questions (MCQs) and is timed.

Verbal aptitude assesses applicants’ ability to understand complex verbal information and communications and accurately apply understanding to their tasks. A high verbal aptitude score indicates that employees have a high level of verbal comprehension, reasoning, and logic.

The abstract aptitude measures candidates’ lateral thinking ability and fluid intelligence. The objective is to find the accuracy and speed with which test takers recognize and interpret relationships between shapes and patterns.

Critical thinking tests assess the process of actively and skillfully analyzing and evaluating information by observing. The data processed is then used to complete a task logically. This aptitude test is used for placement in industries that require workers to assess situations case-by-case or need to apply company policies logically.

Spatial reasoning assessment evaluates candidates’ ability to manipulate 2D and 3D objects, visualize their movements, and spot patterns between those shapes. The tests are best for roles that require employees to visualize forms, such as designing and engineering. In addition, the scores indicate applicants’ ability to provide solutions with limited information.

A successful campus placement drive is indicative of an institute’s caliber because it shows that the education and skills imparted are what the recruiters need. Therefore, it is vital that universities help their students with placement aptitude preparation to improve academic performance and increase chances of campus selection.

A successful campus placement drive indicates an institute’s caliber because it shows that the education and skills imparted are what the recruiters need. Therefore, universities must help their students with placement aptitude preparation to improve academic performance and increase the chances of campus selection.

Students willing to secure a job role during campus placement must clear aptitude assessments. For this reason, it is essential that universities provide candidates with appropriate tools for aptitude test preparation. Here are some essential things that colleges should keep in mind:

Subject matter experts in the team

When selecting an assessment company, the first thing to consider is to ensure that they have industry experts on their team. These experts aid assessment design and prepare tools per the latest industry trends.

A wide range of assessments

When selecting an assessment company, the suite of aptitude tests offered is another essential factor universities should look out for. Tying up with a vendor that provides various assessments, such as pre-employment, aptitude tests, etc., helps students prepare for placement without challenges.

Validation by industry leaders

The assessment vendor should be a distinguished name in the industry. It guarantees that assessments created are trusted by leading MNCs and are on terms with industry requirements.

Customizable reports

Reports allow colleges to focus on students falling behind in aptitude test preparation for placements. These customizable reports can focus on the whole group and individuals. This way, institutes can concentrate on a group of students or a specific type of assessment to ensure their students are prepared for campus placement.

Proctoring capabilities

With almost every element of campus placement going online, students are taking aptitude tests from the comfort of their homes. Proctoring integration ensures that students taking assessments are not partaking in any misconduct to perform better. Therefore, it is essential to collaborate with a vendor that provides proctoring capabilities.

Mercer | Mettl is a global leader in online assessments, and takes a thorough approach to assessment curation, considering several factors to create them.

1. Competency framework creation:

Mercer | Mettl receives the course curriculum from the respective university or institute. It forms the base for creating the competency framework of assessments. A dedicated team of in-house subject matter experts works intricately to curate the list of competencies and sub-competencies that need to be measured.

2. Assessment tool mapping:

Once the skill or competency framework is sealed, these competencies are mapped to one or more relevant tools for the assessment. These tests can range from psychometric tests to domain tests for specific industries or skills like IT, healthcare, and personality assessments. In addition, the assessments can be in different formats, such as multiple-choice questions (MCQs), situational judgment tests (SJTs), and world-class coding simulators.

3. Question creation and curation:

Once relevant tools for assessment are mapped, the next and most critical step is creating test questions. These questions can be sourced from Mercer | Mettl’s existing bank of one million+ questions covering more than 3000 skills. Alternatively, universities can create their questions as well. The Mercer | Mettl assessment platform supports various question formats, such as multiple-choice questions (MCQs), situational judgment tests (SJTs), essay-type questions, coding questions, database (DB) query questions and more.

4. Assessment configuration:

The assessment platform is fully customizable. It allows universities and institutes to select the difficulty level of the questions, set up the order of questions, allot specific time to each section and much more. They can also send invites to candidates in bulk or during a selected time slot. Additionally, universities can send customized invites or follow-up emails reminding candidates to take the assessment.

Furthermore, the Mercer | Mettl proctoring tool can seamlessly integrate with any learning management system (LMS) to enable hassle-free test proctoring online. Institutes can also opt for ID-based authentication, and AI and human proctors for stricter anti-cheating controls and have the complete test recorded.

Organizations use aptitude assessments for campus and L&D planning, among other things. However, universities looking to give their students an edge during campus placement should provide aptitude preparation classes.