Prepare for Your NSW Government Pre-Hire Assessments & Interview

What Tests Does the NSW Government Use?

The exact type of test you will be taking on your NSW Government hiring process depends on your position and specific agency. Here is a list of the most common types of tests used by the NSW Government:

The Revelian Cognitive Ability Test (RCAT)

The RCAT is the most common cognitive ability test used by the NSW Government and the one which you are most likely to take. It measures your reasoning abilities by relaying your ability to acquire, organise, retain, and apply information. You will be given 20 minutes to complete 51 verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning questions.

The NSW Government Graduate Program Test Battery

If you apply to the NSW Graduate Scheme, you will take a 3-step hiring process which includes SJTs (Situational Judgment Tests), the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) test, and a video interview.

Take a free online Hogan Test

SHL

SHL is one of the largest test providers in the world. The NSW Government mostly uses SHL tests to screen candidates for senior positions and directors.

Talent-Q Elements

A unique test used by the NSW Government mostly for finance-related positions.

Assessment Centres

The assessment centre is usually the final stage of the NSW Government application process. In it, you will be evaluated through a series of assessment centre exercises, including both individual and group tasks. 

The NSW Government hiring process will involve a number of pre-hiring tests, interviews and possibly other hurdles at the test centre. To help you succeed, JobTestPrep has devised all-inclusive study guides, video format guides and more to help you jump through the NSW Government hoops.

The interview process starts the moment you are contacted, whether you’re faced with a “proper” phone interview, a brief sweep over the job details and confirmation you’re interested, or even just a NSW Government representative scheduling you for an interview. In any case, make sure you’re cordial, elaborative when necessary, and any inquiries you have are made politely.

Assessment Centers are gaining popularity these days due to a common belief that they provide a more accurate measurement of job candidates’ suitability for the position than any other means of assessment. Employers maintain that neither testing nor interviewing is enough to make a correct hiring decision about job candidates’ professional aptitude. Hence, during an assessment day, they ask job candidates not only to take several written tests but also participate in group discussions, case studies, and in-tray exercises. Applicants also make oral presentations and show themselves during various social events organized by employers. While applicants are engaged in these activities, assessors subject them to scrutiny and give them points summed up by the end of the event. Candidates who collect more points get interviewed by companies’ high managers and owners.

NSW Government, like many other companies, uses personality assessments in order to evaluate their applicants’ workplace competencies and personas. Each company possesses its own unique culture and standards, so in using personality assessments during the recruitment process, NSW Government has the ability to find the candidate with the personality profile that is the best match for their company.

The Verbal Reasoning Test is evaluated not according to the number of correct answers that you get on it. Your score on the test is estimated against the scores of other applicants who are also taking it or those who already work in the positions similar to yours. Employers prefer this method of scoring on the Verbal Reasoning Test, because it allows them to choose the top candidate from the pool of applicants. Yet this method can be the bad news for candidates themselves. It is more difficult to withstand the competition, when your results are calculated relatively to the scores received by others. Even an objectively high score may look comparatively low, if all other test results are higher. Your 89% of correct answers will not open you the door to a face-to-face interview, if your peers got 90% of answers right. Do not hurt your chances of qualifying for the desired position by not preparing for your Verbal Reasoning Test. Purchase our exclusive PrepPack™ and outshine other job applicants.

Your face-to-face or sit down interviews will either be held one-on-one or as a group/ panel. Your skills and abilities pertaining to the job being offered will certainly be the central focus of most traditional interviews, however, your non-verbal communication will also be evaluated. It is important to not only be mindful of the questions you will be expected to answer during the interview process, but also your body language, posture, and facial expressions. Being courteous to the staff members you happen to be meeting while following the tips above will definitely leave a favorable impression on your interviewers.

Many employers believe that basing their hiring decision on an applicant’s CV and answers to the interview’s questions is insufficient. Neither the CV nor interviews convey a fair picture of applicants’ professionalism and personality. Their skills and personality traits show better through their answers to questions posed on pre-employment tests. This is why employers invite their job candidates to take various tests as a part of their hiring process. You cannot receive a job offer, if you do not excel on your test. Do not come to your test without preparation then. Practice with JobTestPrep’s comprehensive resources. Our top-notch resources will lead you to employment.

The importance of asking relevant questions during the interview cannot be overstated. You need to show yourself interested in the company and in your future position. Focus your questions on the employer’s expectations from you and your contribution to the company’s growth and how it will be measured. If you know you may be nervous in the interview and forget some questions you wanted to ask, prepare a list of questions at home. You will look professional and prepared, if you refer to them during your interview.

You will most likely encounter line managers or human Resources consultants who will be in charge of assessing your performance and monitoring your activities. They are in charge of tallying scores and judging competencies and creating a summary of all tests and assessments to help the hiring manager arrive at a final decision.