Situational Judgement Test 3 things to think about

The instructions on a situational judgement test may well request you select the item which comes to mind as quickly as possible and not to think about it. However, the choice of items to choose will be limited and the one you want to choose is not actually there. This creates a dilemma.

1. Understand what the organization wants, what is it's mission statement and what are it's values?

For example, if a house is burning down and the SJT is for the fire brigade an impulse might be to run into the burning building. Alternatively, the impulse might be to grab a fire hose first. However, the question may have left out information. Like saying whether there were actually known to be people in the building, or children. It is at this point any further decision you make could be on made up information in your own head. Going beyond the information provided could prove fatal to passing the question. So if the question indicates it is a residential building on fire, and the first moto of the Brigade is to save life which it lives by, running into the burning building could be the first thing you actually do. However, if there is not an option to choose, put on breathing apparatus first and take in an axe you will be flummoxed. 

2. Contemplate whether you could apply for this post with a false application form.

If applying for a post online means a lot to you, then you want to try and get it right first time rather than be shortlisted out of it ASAP. So why not cheat? Create a false identity, email address and a real address you know exists. You could even go so far as to get a burner SIM card and number. If the first layer of the application allows you to do this, then you have gotten under their security. The employer cannot spend time vetting whether every applicant is genuine, the computer system for the SJT has to make an evaluation of whether this person has passed or not. Use a program to screenshot the questions and answers, or even take photographs of the screen questions and answers as they come up. If you fail you may be able to get feedback, and if the employer uses an automated feedback text program, this will give you an idea which questions you have failed on. Now you are armed with further information for another go. At your leisure, you can re-read through the questions and re-evaluate.

3. Spend time on the application process.

If you really want the job, then you are going to have to be smart. A lot of your spare time is going to be spent looking over the job specification, the job description, the values and code by which the organization runs itself. Or rather as one Occupational Psychologist called them the Espoused Theory of how the organization runs. For this let it be known what an organization says and how really does things is not the same. Some of those people don't follow the rules, they act differently and will have their quirks. They will be all grades of hierarchy. Some of those high level managers never went through this recruitment process and no doubt would fail if they did. The recruitment process is in many ways just a to wheedle out those who are going to be just as good at doing the job as anyone else but can't be arsed to think about what they are doing. Be different, you are going for a financial contract which is many thousands of pounds per year. 

Getting a job is hard work, but you must commit to getting it. Otherwise you'll be stuck in a job or career below your capabilities. When opportunity comes be ready.

Situational Judgement Test is not real life, so is it an appropriate instrutment

 I've had the recent unfortunate luck to come across the situational judgement test. Having never seen one before I wondered why it hadn't put a shot across my bows given I've had post graduate study in these things. Needless to say I failed the test a number of times, probably about 10 times and then hit it lucky with two passes. I do not understand how this test can relate to real life. Yes, it has been constructed by occupational psychologists, yes it went through the ringer with subject matter experts to check it's validity. However, from my first hand real life experience of the field it was testing me in, I am utterly and completely sure it is not an appropriate test to use. Given I have 20 years experience in a specific field and then found I failed the SJT has made me think how completely stupid and wrong it is. I understand every aspect of the prospective employer, they decided there would be certain traits their staff should have and they so fitted the test around those traits. They did not take any accounting of the applicants actual experience and actual abilities. The test was making a judgement on potential correct traits. 

In fact finding I had failed and then re-trying the same test a number of times and failing again. Was ridiculous. I know if they had put me in a work setting I'd do the job to a pretty high standard, in fact I'm not your run of the mill average employee. I am currently in middle management and could do senior management roles.  So I'm gutted. They have got it wrong. They have sold down the river an incredibly capable person, they did it all online and without even a single sentence between me and a recruiter.

These SJT are tailor made, they are tested on staff who are already doing the job, however, those staff had to gain experience and knowledge in the actual job before they became experts. They had to learn through real life experience and they no doubt changed as they learnt the job. The reply or answer they gave when the test was being constructed may be completely different from the answer they acquired over time and through learning. This learning process is important. The SJT then justifies itself by saying that the experts map well onto the actual questions and answers they've constructed. However, the reality of the test is it must be mapped to those who have already been employed through the test scenarios at 6 months to a year later. Further, they should employ staff who failed the tests provided and then compare them also in 6 months to a year later. There has to be not just a control but a counter control.  I'd bet given the chance the training and the experience, even those who were not considered suitable for the job would be able to do the job and some would be excellent at it. Effectively I would argue the sifting process is at fault, especially if it does not take into account someone's life experiences and past experience.

It's OK to say the test examines attributes such as Dignity, Compassion, Respect and maths ability. However, if an employee is put in a overwhelming work situation, will these aspects also control whether the candidate can keep a calm head under pressure? I doubt it very much.

So for now I have to keep my above average wage job and can not move onto a lower wage job in the same sphere because I failed the test. They don't know what they have rejected.