What are Aptitude Tests really Testing?

There are many different types of aptitude test: some measure your ability to work or reason in a certain way, some claim to analyse aspects of your personality and character.

But there are three things that all aptitude tests measure.

• Firstly, your ability to turn up on time, settle down, concentrate and work hard for a reasonable amount of time.
• Secondly, your ability (or lack of it) to follow instructions and work neatly - absolutely essential if you want to score any points at all on any kind of psychometric test.
• And lastly, of course, your ability to understand precisely what you are being asked to do.

These are qualities every organisation looks for in its staff, including its graduate recruits. They want your timekeeping to be reliable. They want you to be able to settle down and work quickly and effectively and not mess about. They want you to respect the organisation's culture and follow laid-down procedures, not make up your own rules as you go along. They want you to get on with your job and not waste time pretending to be ill, gossiping or playing computer games.

Your references may not be entirely honest. Your CV may exaggerate your achievements. You may be able to impress whole armies of interviewers with a show of confidence, charm, friendliness and even sex-appeal.

But with a psychometric test, you are on your own. You can see why employers like them so much.