Key Takeaways
- A verbal aptitude test is done to filter out actually qualified candidates from the pool of seemingly perfect candidates applying with AI written resumes.
- It can help you reduce the time to hire and the number of bad hires.
- The best hiring decisions come from the mix of data. For instance, these test results and genuine human interaction.
With the introduction of AI to the world, a lot of processes have changed. During hiring, companies are getting flooded with “seemingly perfect” candidates, with the majority of them using AI to write their resumes.
To reduce your bad hires, you need people who can interpret complex information, communicate ideas clearly, and draw logical conclusions from written data in reality, not just on papers. That’s when the aptitude test becomes an indispensable tool for you. But what exactly are they, what type of companies use them, and how can you use them to your advantage? Let’s find out.
What is a Verbal Aptitude Test and Why Do You Need It For Recruitment
A verbal aptitude test is a psychometric assessment designed to evaluate your candidates’ problem-solving and higher-order thinking. Majorly, to find out how they process information without making unfounded assumptions.
For instance, in a business context, this translates to how well an employee can read a brief, understand the nuances of a contract, or synthesize reports into actionable insights. The different types of aptitude tests include:
You can also make them role-specific, for instance, sales and customer success, legal and compliance, or for other technical positions. We’ll discuss them in detail in a bit.
Why Should You Care About Verbal Aptitude Tests in Recruitment?
It helps you understand which candidates can interpret complex documents accurately, articulate solutions, and spot inconsistencies in written materials. Based on these insights, you can filter out a large number of candidates and save yourself a significant amount of time and resources.
It also allows you to focus on the specific candidates that can actually turn out to be a good fit for the role you’re hiring for, reducing your rate of bad hires.
Types of Verbal Aptitude Test: Breaking Down What’s Inside
Verbal aptitude tests are designed to cover a spectrum of skills. They include:
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- Reading Comprehension: As the name suggests, in this aptitude test, candidates get a short passage, and they have to answer questions about it.
- Critical reasoning: This type of aptitude test is most commonly used in corporate hiring, for instance, SHL or Kenexa style. The questions here include “true or false” and “cannot say” statements.
- Verbal Reasoning and Logic: This part goes beyond just reading to see how candidates think. Can they move from general premises to specific, logical conclusions? Hence, the questions here include syllogisms—for instance, All managers are employees. All employees work in the office. Therefore…
How to Make Verbal Tests Role-Specific
To hire the best person who perfectly qualifies for your role, you’ll need to tailor your tests to the job at hand. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- Financial analyst: When you’re making the test for this position, you might want to include passages that are loaded with complex numbers and industry jargon.
- Marketer: To hire a marketer in this manner, you ask for an analysis of advertising copy or press releases.
- Legal roles: For these types of roles, focus on spotting inconsistencies and untangling detailed contracts.
When you customize your questions and use language from the actual job, not only do you get better insights, but you’re able to evaluate candidates based on what they’ll be doing in their day-to-day work.
Although, while doing so, make sure that your questions fit the level of the role. You can’t expect entry-level candidates to answer questions from highly technical passages. Meanwhile, your manager-level hires should be able to handle trickier logical reasoning questions.
Scoring, Interpreting, and Timing Verbal Aptitude Tests
Merely tallying correct answers, unfortunately, can’t determine specifically how a candidate has scored. Here’s how to effectively score and interpret results.
How to Read the Scores
Most modern test platforms provide you with a percentile to determine your candidate’s results. Here’s what they mean:
- Above the 75th percentile: Strong performance, indicating a high likelihood of success.
- 50th-74th percentile: Competitive performance, meets the standard requirements.
- Below 50th: Weaker performance, suggesting potential challenges in the role.
When you’re hiring for more competitive roles like consulting or finance, make sure the cut off is in the top bracket (above 75th percentile). You can use these scores later on with the interviews and other assessments to make the final decision.
How Much Time Should You Give?
The best verbal aptitude tests are realistic and pose the same pressure as they (your candidates) will get in the real work environment. They run between 15 and 30 minutes and include 10 to 20 questions. A good rule of thumb for you is to plan for 1.5 to 2 minutes per question, but remember:
- Reading passages may need up to 2 minutes per question.
- Quick grammar or vocab fixes may only need 45 seconds each.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long does a verbal aptitude test usually take?
Typically, 15 to 30 minutes with 10 to 20 questions, each meant to be answered under a bit of time pressure.
Can you customize a verbal aptitude test for a specific job?
Yes, many cognitive and aptitude test providers allow companies to choose or tweak the kinds of questions and how hard they are.
What’s the best way to read a candidate’s results?
By reading the percentiles.
Are these tests tough for people whose first language isn’t English?
They can be. That’s why fair verbal tests focus on reasoning more than high-level vocabulary. However, with a people-first approach, thoughtful verbal aptitude testing can help you choose new hires who truly fit, making your job (and theirs) a whole lot easier.
