TSB online assessments (SHL)

[melvster]

I have just completed the online application form for a Personal Banker (customer service adviser) role at TSB and have received an email from TSB stating they would like me to complete the next stage of the recruitment process - online testing. TSB have suggested i visit SHL (http://www.shldirect.com/en) and complete a few online tests however, looking at their website there is a wide range of assessments. The tests SHL have are below...

http://www.shldirect.com/en/practice-tests/

I have looked at a few tests on their website and they don't appear to be too difficult, I am guessing TSB will ask me to complete a numerical, verbal reasoning and no doubt maybe another 1/2 assessments. I am not able to view the assessments unless i click the "begin assessments" button but if i do this i am worried i will have a time limit to complete the tests whereas i would like to prepare before completing any assessment. I have 5 days from today to complete them. Does anyone have any experience on here of completing online assessments and if so, which tests did you complete ? Any advice is appreciated.

[LooneyTunes]

There will absolutely be a time limit to the tests.

Best bet would be to carve out say Saturday or Sunday morning, find somewhere you won't be disturbed, and work your way through them.

Don't worry too much about them either (any decent company should be using them as part of the process not as an absolute filter).

You'll probably discover that there's at least one type that you just don't get on with. When they ask you how you found it, it is not necessarily bad to admit that you don't like/do well at them.

[melvster]

Ok thanks for the tips. Just completed an online SHL Numerical Reasoning, 18 questions in 25 minutes. Only managed to answer 9 but scored 6/9 so 2/3 correct i dont think is bad going for first attempt. I am not sure answering 18/25 would be possible

[toastybase]

http://www.youtube.com/user/careergym

[melvster]

toastybase said:

http://www.youtube.com/user/careergym

[Lazygraduate]

The tests are not difficult. Lots of practice helps!

[LooneyTunes]

melvster said:

Ok thanks for the tips. Just completed an online SHL Numerical Reasoning, 18 questions in 25 minutes. Only managed to answer 9 but scored 6/9 so 2/3 correct i dont think is bad going for first attempt. I am not sure answering 18/25 would be possible

Worth being aware that you probably won't be scored in terms of x out of y for the real thing.

Instead they'll be looking at your performance against a peer group and marking you in percentile terms.

The "trick" to doing these is often:
For verbal reasoning: unless the question states otherwise
1) Take the literal interpretation.
2) Go from what is on the page.
3) Don't add extra information that you already know.

For numerical reasoning:
1) Try to eliminate as many incorrect answers as possible right at the start (i.e. if the question is 10245 / 12 the answer clearly won't be <100 or >1000 so you can ditch any 2 and 4-figure options straight away) - sometimes you won't even need to perform the full (or any!) calculation to get the answer.
2) Don't necessarily work to the last decimal point (only do so if the question requires it).
3) Write your workings down on scrap paper (I've sometimes had questions that are basic reworkings of earlier ones in the same question block).

In all cases don't spend too long on any one question. You can usually go back at the end if you finish the rest.

[melvster]

Well i have now completed my assessment. I was only asked to complete a numerical and i think it went quite well. Loony many thanks for your tips, they helped a lot.

[LooneyTunes]

No problem - hope you get the right outcome!