What is Included in the Domtar Watson Glaser Tests?
Here is a brief overview of what makes these tests challenging, and then we are going to go into more detail:
The Watson Glaser Test is a 30-minute test with five different sections, a primary stumbling block is not allowing outside information to affect your answers. Next the Abstract Reasoning Test is untimed, but demands you complete logical patterns in symbols or matrices, practice is essential. Lastly, the Situational Judgement Test can in a sense be the hardest because it's not a test of clinical knowledge or hard skills, but rather about judgment calls.
The Watson Glaser Test
What Are You Tested For?
Simply this is a critical thinking test to see how you analyze and interpret various situations, written documentation, and verbal positions. While this test is primarily administered in law firms, it is also used widely in a range of companies, especially for those entering management positions. Critical thinking plays an important role in the life of any company.
Test Specs:
- Topics: 5
- Questions: 40 – 80 (depending on the version)
- Time Limit: 40 -55 minutes (depending on the version)
Test Sections:
- Inference assessment
- Assumption Recognition
- Deduction
- Interpretation
- Evaluation of Arguments
How is your Test Scored?
The Norm Group: The test will be scored by measuring your score against a "norm group.' Say you are applying to be a sales manager, so you score will be compared to other current and past candidates who have a similar educational and professional background to you.
Subscales: RED: Aside from the Norm Group you will also be placed into three subgroups called RED or Recognize Assumptions, Evaluate Arguments, and Draw Conclusions. Employers are interested in understanding your strength in these areas in relation to other candidates.
Those with the highest comparative score will move on in the hiring process.
Interpretation Sample Question:
Text: In the years 2011-12, 32% of pupils entitled to free school meals (an indicator of low socioeconomic status) achieved five GCSE passes at grade C or above. This is compared to 65% of pupils who were not entitled to free school meals.
Conclusion: Most of the pupils who were not entitled to a free school meal achieved five GCSE passes at grade C or above.
- Conclusion follows
- Conclusion does not follow
- Conclusion follows
Explanation: The logic behind this answer is mathematical: the passage states that 65% of the pupils who were not entitled to a free school meal achieved five GCSE passes at a minimum of a C grade. Since 65% is greater than 50%, we can conclude that they are the majority.
What is the Domtar Abstract Reasoning Test?
As mentioned above the Abstract Reasoning Test demands complete logical patterns of symbols or matrices, and practice is essential.
What Are You Tested For?
Can you identify rules and consistent patterns or easily explain the next step in the sequence? Your abstract reasoning test provides your future employer insight into your overall intelligence and judgement and by understanding the meaning behind the information and data and to offer solutions to problems at a level of abstract thinking.
Test Specs:
- Topics: 5
- Questions: 25 Questions
- Time Limit:
Test Sections:
- Next in series
- Matrices
- A/B Sets
- Odd One Out
- Analogies
How is your Test Scored?
This test is also scored by using a norm group. Meaning the score is weighed against competing candidates. Ensure that you get as high of a score as possible.
Matrix Sample Question
What is the Situational Judgement Test?
Generally without time limits, these test use written, audio and video formatting to present you with anywhere between 25-50 realistic life/work scenarios. Its your job to choose the most realistic and effective response to each scenario.
Test Specs:
- Questions: 25 – 50 (depending on the version)
- Time Limit: Generally Untimed
Test Scenarios:
These tests generally focus around conflict resolution and differ from position to position. After each presented conflict you will have to choose the best resolution from a number of options.
SJT Sample Question:
Question: A customer approaches you and complains about the poor service he has just received from another representative at the store.
How would you respond?
1. Suggest that you accompany him and talk to the other employee to straighten out the matter.
2. Offer to help the customer with what he needs.
3. Assure the customer that you will inform your supervisor about his complaint?
JobTestPrep Explains:
Best response: B
Subject: Customer complaint about a colleague
Competency: Problem solving
This is a question about customer complaints. Here, you want to show the competency of problem solving and coping with pressure. When facing angry customers, the first thing we want to do is take the heat off, and then change the subject of the conversation to something less emotional, and more rational and productive.
Answer choices A and C suggest responses that focus the conversation on the bad service that the customer feels they received – this is an emotional, heated subject.
Answer choice B changes the subject to something more rational – thinking of solutions. In addition, this is the only response that addresses the original need of the customer, the reason he came into the store in the first place.
Don’t let the fact that the answer choice doesn’t include an apology confuse you. Of the options given, this is still the only one that shows your ability to handle the pressure of an angry customer and change their focus to problem solving.
