Tests Direct: Assessment Profile

Tests Direct supply a wide range of assessment materials, ranging from high-level managerial tests, to those designed for mass market testing of lower-level jobs. Some of our more popular assessments are highlighted below.

For further details on any of these tests, click on the link to the detailed test manual.

No training is required to access our tests.

• Customer Service Inventory (CSI)
  The Customer Service Inventory specifically measures knowledge, skills, and attitudes required by individuals working in service intense environments. The test measures three dimensions Energy and Confidence, Interpersonal Orientation/Agreeableness and Productivity/Conscientiousness. The CSI evaluates candidates on the basis of attitudes and behaviours, and determines which candidates are the likeliest to be responsive and cooperative towards clients, customers and colleagues. The test has been validated and clearly distinguishes between strong and weak customer service providers.
  
  Who should use this test?
  Suitable for positions requiring sensitivity to customer (internal and external) needs. Any position requiring direct customer contact either in person or on the telephone, e.g., call centre operators, shop assistants, receptionists, phone reservationists, customer facing staff in tourism retail and leisure industries, customer service representatives, technical support staff etc. This is not a managerial level test.
  
  
• Management Aptitude Inventory (MAI)
  The Management Aptitude Inventory assists organisations by giving accurate, objective information to help them make the best possible decisions about managerial candidates. By assessing each applicants attitudes and behaviours toward key managerial indicators, the MAI predicts a candidates potential for managerial success. The MAI items cover the following dimensions: Management Confidence, Locus of control (Making things happen), Personal Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, Performance Orientation and Management Innovation. There is also an Impression Management scale. Those candidates who score highly are more confident leaders and innovative decision makers, and are more able to cope with the rigours of a senior position.
  
  Who should use this test?
  The MAI assesses critical attitudes and behaviours that relate to success as a manager in today's business environment. Applicable for supervisory to middle manager positions across all industry sectors.
  
  
  
• Management Skills Profiler (MSP)
  The Management Skills Profiler is a self-assessment tool for managers and executives. Questions in the test require individuals to rate those behaviours which contribute to individual and organisational success across a broad range of situations and allowing the individual to objectively evaluate his or her present level of competence. The MSP aims to provide motivation for the individuals self-development. Included in the feedback report are work-based measures intended to improve performance for each skill/competency.
  
  Who should use this test?
  The MSP assesses skills, attitudes and behaviours which are essential to effectiveness in managerial roles. The test is applicable for managers and executives across all industry sectors.
  
  
  
• Sales Aptitude Inventory (SAI)
  Selling is a particular skill and is highly dependent on the individual and their personal make-up. There is no true blue-print for the secret to achieving long-term success at sales but there are some specific, identifiable personal qualities, traits and talents which seem to contribute to how successful a person is likely to be in a sales career. These include the ability to influence others, customer focus, flexibility and confidence. Other factors such as financial motivation, assertiveness and control also play an important part, but they have the potential to develop into negative qualities if they become the over-riding factors behind an individuals motivation to succeed.
  
  Who should use this test?
  The SAI measures the skills and attitudes associated with successful sales techniques and is therefore suitable for positions which have a sales element, either face to face or over the telephone. e.g. field sales staff, customer service representatives, call centre operatives, and direct sales staff from all industry sectors.
  
  
  
• Business Numbers
  Business Numbers is a numerical reasoning exercise that explores an individuals ability to understand and manipulate numerical relationships and concepts. Within modern organisational settings numerical intelligence has increasingly become as important as mathematical proficiency and is now viewed as a vital business skill reaching across every market sector, professional discipline or area of expertise. A significant proportion of job functions contain some element of numerical analysis. Many senior roles require individuals to be proficient at all aspects of numerical and financial analysis, identifying variances, analysing trends and making informed, accurate projections for the future. Failure to master this skill can have a significant impact on an individuals ability to perform a crucial part of their job effectively. Unlike many other Numerical Reasoning assessments this test is designed to offer the candidate a user-friendly approach using examples from the world of work and allows candidates to use a calculator.
  
  Who should use this test?
  Business Numbers is suitable for candidates/employees in positions where numerical ability is important. A higher-level test, suitable for managerial candidates (e.g. any manager with budgetary responsibility), graduates and also staff who need to show good numerical understanding and technique in their jobs.
  
  
• Business Intelligence
  The Business Intelligence test comprises three key skills for managers Identifying Discrepancies (the ability to spot where inconsistencies occur in information, analyses or results); Analysing Trends (the ability to assess the value of information over time); Probing Variances (the ability to diagnose, analyse and explain the significance of variance when and where it occurs within a business context). Discrepancies, trends and variances may be regular and thus both predictable and manageable, for example in businesses that are affected by seasonal changes. Or, they could reflect unexpected or unidentified changes. This test provides a highly predictive indication of an individuals likely performance in managerial positions. It has been designed to be user-friendly and utilises examples drawn from the world of work.
  
  Who should use this test?
  A higher-level test suitable for graduates and managerial staff.
  
  
• Critical Reasoning
  Critical reasoning is increasingly seen as a crucial management skill. The critical reasoning tests simulate situations where managers are presented with documents that have been prepared by individuals who may well know more about a particular subject than they do. The document may have an emotive content and may be littered with errors. The manager needs to be able to resist the emotional appeal of an argument, see through the emotive content and examine both the logical coherence and the evidential basis for the argument. He or she has to be able to ask key questions - Do the conclusions follow from the analysis? Is the analysis littered with hidden assumptions? Are the inferences valid? In short, is this a strong or a weak argument in support of the recommendation?
  
  Who should use this test?
  A higher-level test, suitable for graduates and senior managers. As critical reasoning is a developable ability it is also of particular utility in training and development programmes for high potential performers.
  
  
• Who Cares?
  This assessment is unique as it is designed specifically for selection of front-line care providers. The 'Who Cares?' test assesses individuals ability to work as part of a team, show tolerance and care towards Service Users and to behave professionally and deal competently with sometimes difficult and varied situations. This test measures knowledge, skills and attitudes towards typical work within the care sector. In an increasingly important and competitive market there is a compelling need to ensure that care providers have the appropriate knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver high standards of care.
  
  Who should use this test?
  Individuals who provide front line care and and/or nursing provision, e.g., care providers in clinics, hospitals, retirement communities, residential homes for the elderly or seriously ill, social services etc.

The Tests Direct Development Programme:

At Tests Direct we listen to what our clients and practitioners in the field tell us. We are committed to producing assessment materials that are practical, technically rigorous and provide the best possible predictive information. Hence we have an ongoing programme of new product development. Some of the exciting new products currently in development include:

• Occupational Personality Indicator (OPI) A factor-based, occupationally-relevant personality assessment that avoids the problems associated with many of the ipsative tests currently available in the market and which is designed to be business-related and acceptable to candidates.
  
  
• Entrepreneurial Assessment Scale (EAS) EAS is a specialised instrument that assesses whether or not individuals are likely to be successful entrepreneurs. Of particular relevance not only in occupational counselling but also for applicants for jobs that require individuals to be creative and self motivated.
  
  
• Emotional Intelligence Inventory (EII) Emotional intelligence is increasingly accepted as a key factor in predicting successful performance, especially in situations that call for interaction with co-workers, staff, managers and customers. The Emotional Intelligence Inventory assesses an individual’s EQ levels.
  
  
• Cross Cultural Awareness Index (CAI) This specialised assessment measures an individual’s ability to function well in cross-cultural environments, where individuals from diverse backgrounds work together. It is of particular utility in assessing managers who may have to work overseas or in uniquely challenging situations. This tool is designed for use in both selection and development situations.
  

Bespoke Test Development - If you have a particular assessment need or selection problem, Tests Direct may be able to develop a bespoke assessment for your organisation. Please contact us for more details.