Cognitive Skills Test – Basic Reading & Math

Pre-Employment Test

Purpose: The Cognitive Skills Test screens for problem-solving, basic math and writing skills and is appropriate to use for a wide variety of job titles and work settings.

About the Test: This test should take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and is comprised of two parts:

• An untimed Basic Math – Arithmetic test
• A Reading Comprehension test with 6 reading passages, timed at 16 minutes

Recommended for: We recommend using this test for general office and clerical workers, customer service and sales representatives, support staff assistants, and a variety of entry-level to supervisory positions. It should be used to hire temporary or permanent workers who need to comprehend reading materials (training manuals, instructions, customer correspondence), and perform math calculations (counting, inventory, simple spreadsheets).

High scorers: People scoring high on this test are usually faster in completing math-related and writing tasks and they make fewer mistakes. They are quicker to learn and less likely to need constant supervision and repeated training.

Low scorers: People scoring low on this test are slower to complete math-related and writing tasks. They make more mistakes which then take extra time to resolve. Low scorers may also need constant supervision to make sure they are producing error-free and accurate materials.

What the Report Gives You: A graphical display of five separate percent correct math scores and a single percentile score of reading comprehension; score interpretation guidelines are also included.

Testing Process: Test proctoring is preferred but not necessary. Online, remote testing can be done from any device with a reliable internet connection. The use of mobile phones is discouraged. Test results are provided immediately.

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(Sample questions differ from actual test appearance and do not contain real test content.)