The Criteria basic skills test plays an important role in hundreds of large companies around the world in onboarding personnel. More companies are adopting these kinds of tests to ensure that they hire the right man for the job. This particular test helps reveal the candidate who has got what it takes, especially in terms of job-related skills. Here is how to practice and pass the Criteria basic skills test.

Introduction to the Criteria Basic Skills Test

Taking the Criteria Basic Skills Test is a standardized test that assesses candidates applying for job vacancies within a company. A skills inventory of all employees is important, and there is no better way than to conduct it other than when onboarding the new candidates. This is what the Criteria Basic Skills test is for, but it has way more benefits than just that.

Intention of this test

Some of the largest companies in the world do not look for fancy college degrees from ivy league institutions. Instead, many companies look for pure skill and innovative minds as the future of their workforce. The Criteria basic skills test can help companies recognize you as nimble-minded based on the score you’ll get. Although this test is basic, it helps employers recognize how teachable you are.

What does this test assess?

This test does not have some elaborate questions, but instead, it has stuck to the basics and assessed the very fundamental skills one can have. For example, the basic skills test assesses fundamental mathematical reasoning skills. Additionally, the test checks language-related skills such as grammar and other basic language skills. Although it does not seem like it gathers much information, this test reveals so much to HR departments and employers.

Criteria basic skills test structure

The Criteria basic skills test has been structured simply with a great flow of questions that are related. All the questions have been grouped according to categories, allowing you to have a consistent chain of thought. The basic skills test asks a mix of multiple-choice questions and a few open-ended ones that need an elaborate response.

Timeframe for the test

When writing this assessment, it is very important for you to keep an eye on the clock because it has been limited to a very short time frame.The criteria employment testing assessments can reveal how much time you exactly got. Generally, this test only lasts for about 20 minutes which is not much when considering the questions.

Practical tips to pass this assessment

Preparing for the basic skills test is crucial to getting a good score and being hired by the company you have applied to. One very effective method of doing so is practicing for it. How can you practice for this assessment? 

Improve on basic skills

Perhaps you learned basic skills in elementary school right through to high school. If you have graduated from college, you’ve probably built on the basic skills attained at a young age. As a result, you might underrate these basic skills and even forget some of them. Therefore, improve on language and basic mathematical skills because this will refresh your memory.

Use practice tests

Practice tests are an excellent way to gain some practical experience in writing the actual assessment. There are some great practice tests that you can use to prepare for writing the basic skills test. These will mostly help you time yourself accordingly and gain exposure to the types of questions used.

Be careful when answering all the questions

Although you have very limited time to answer the 40 questions in 20 minutes, being careful is still crucial to getting a good score. Do not rush into answering questions without understanding what is being asked. Instead, read through the entire question before giving your answer to avoid losing points unnecessarily.

Focus on your strengths

To get a great score when writing this assessment, you have to focus on your strengths. Since it is possible you might not answer all the questions, consider starting with the points you’re strong in. For example, if you aren’t good at maths, consider beginning with language-related questions.