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Take The Aptitude Test

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

I remember the first time that I took a student aptitude test in high school. At first, I was tempted to turn it sideways and scribble on it like my friends were doing, but curiosity got the best of me. Was there anything to these aptitude tests, I wondered? I figured that there was really only one way to find out. I answered all of the career interest questions diligently. I am sure that you remember how idiotic these things are. The questions are so idiotic and simplistic that it is really hard not to fudge all of the answers. After all, if that aptitude test does not tell you something that you already know, you probably do not know yourself all that well.

It is strange, then, that years later, I find myself in the position of designing skills aptitude tests for several different business clients. It is one of those strange jobs that you wander into accidentally. Few people wonder about where all of those standardized test questions come from. I know that I never even thought about it until I saw the job posting on the local community bulletin board. It was for a national testing company, looking for people to write questions on spec.

At first, I was designing scholastic aptitude test questions, focusing primarily on English language comprehension. It did not take long, however, for me to get into other areas as well. You may not realize it, but a great proportion of the standardized tests printed in this country are in the hands of a very few large businesses. Once you get into the loop, the jobs keep pouring in for as long as you want them. At first it takes too long to be really lucrative, but once you get the hang of it, you can make good money.

The money is so good, in fact, that I was able to pay my way through college on it. I still had to take out a few student loans, but for the most part I made my money writing testing questions. I now know one of the dirtiest secrets of the professional world: half of the business aptitude test questions are written by college undergraduates.

Tags: aptitude tests, scholastic aptitude test, scholastic aptitude test questions, student aptitude test

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Temporary Placement Agencies Are A Great Resource

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

In the next few paragraphs, we will explore new ideas and thoughts about temporary placement agencies. Hopefully that may help you achieve your goal and decide what is best for you.

Trying to enter the work force after you’ve been a stay-at-home mom or dad for several years can be challenging. Having a large gap in your resume is often difficult to explain. Many companies are looking for potential employees who have recent experience with new software programs and if you’ve been home tending to a two or three-year-old, the computer was likely something you rarely used. Although its a great idea to take a few night classes to get up to speed on whats hot and current in the world of office software, you do need a job now. Temporary placement agencies are a wonderful resource for individuals like this and can often offer positions that will not only pay the bills, they’ll also fill up that resume.

We’ve all heard of temps, people who come into an office for a few weeks at a time when extra help is needed or someone is ether on maternity leave or is out ill. Temporary placement agencies have a list of qualified individuals at the ready. They screen potential hires and often even give them aptitude tests to see where their strengths and weaknesses are. When a position comes up that matches that temp, they are sent out to take over the job for the prescribed period.

For the rest of this article, we will discuss the meaning behind what we have learned about this subject so far.

The best place to start if you want to utilize a service like this is in your own community. Almost every city is home to several temporary placement agencies. Its wise to go in and talk with each individual agency to see what they have to offer and their rate of placement. If you visit one that places almost every applicant and one that rarely places any, its an easy choice.

Once you’ve filled out an application form with the agency you prefer, they’ll review it. If they feel you have something to offer, you’ll be called for an interview. The interview process with temporary placement agencies is a little more relaxed than a standard job interview is. You still need to look professional though. You’ll explain what you are proficient at, your background in terms of your career thus far and your education. They’ll also want to know what hours you are willing to work and how many days a week you are interested in.

Its really important to remember that unless you want to continue to work sporadically and move from job to job, you should continue your search for a permanent position. Although many individuals who start with temporary placement agencies do find full-time employment through a temp job, this isn’t always the case and certainly shouldn’t be counted on. With each temp position you complete, add it to your resume and soon you’ll be able to impress every interviewer you see, until you land the right permanent job.

No matter which way you look at it, having a firm understanding of temporary placement agencies will benefit you, even if it is just slightly.

Tags: application form, aptitude tests, Job Interview, placement agencies

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