Cognitive abilities are an important aspect for many professions and more employers are administering cognitive assessment tests during their hiring process. Prepare for cognitive ability tests and assessments with JobTestPrep's resources. Our study materials include test information, practice tests, detailed answer explanations, score reports, and more. Start preparing for your test today to ensure your success.
A cognitive ability test is another name for the aptitude tests or intelligence tests commonly used throughout the hiring process. When the term cognitive ability test is used in the context of a psychometric assessment, it usually refers to a collection of questions (20–50) that span a wide array of topics (numerical, verbal, deductive, logical, etc.) and allow for very short response times.
Here are some of the most common types of cognitive ability tests and questions:
Some companies use cognitive ability test batteries that include numerical, verbal, and non-verbal questions. Surprisingly, the question styles across all tests are quite similar. Compare test formats and topics for a better understanding of each test.
Wonderlic – This test comes in two versions: the Wonderlic Personnel Test-Quicktest (WPT-Q) with 30 questions that must be completed in eight minutes and the Wonderlic Personnel Test-Revised (WPT-R) with 50 questions that must be completed in 12 minutes.
Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) – The Criteria Cognitive Aptitude Test (CCAT) is a general pre-employment aptitude test that measures a candidate's aptitude, problem-solving abilities, skill learning capabilities, and critical thinking. It consists of 50 questions and has a 15-minute time limit.
Predictive Index (PI) Cognitive Assessment – The Predictive Index Learning Indicator (PI Learning Indicator), formerly known as the Professional Learning Indicator (PLI), is a 12-minute test comprised of 50 questions. The PLI is given to potential hires to test for skills not easily found on a resume or during an interview. The purpose of the PLI assessment is to measure your cognitive ability or your capacity to learn and adapt in the workplace.
This example question is a verbal analogy question, asking about the relationship between pairs of words.
The answer is: 25.
Answer explanation: This series is a variation of the famous Fibonacci sequence: each term equals the sum of the two previous terms minus 2.
This sample question is a figural reasoning question. This type of question involves reasoning using patterns, shapes, and symbols that have no mathematical or verbal meaning. This question asks which shape is the next in the series.
The answer is the first one on the left.
Answer explanation: The patterns here are that each hexagon is divided into three parallelograms, each of them containing a shape. In each hexagon, there are two similar shapes but of different sizes. The smaller shape is always in the lower parallelogram.
Cognitive ability tests present two major obstacles: short time frames and questions that include known tricks and distracters. Luckily, you can overcome these two obstacles with the right practice.
JobTestPrep's preparation pack offers a comprehensive review of all the question types seen on contemporary employers' cognitive ability tests. Practicing the full range of numerical, verbal, deductive, spatial, and logical reasoning questions under strict time frames can greatly assist in improving your scores. We also provide detailed answer explanations, helping you to understand the logic behind each question. Furthermore, our insightful score reports can help you assess your own cognitive strengths and weaknesses. Start preparing today to ensure your success.