Berke Assessment Explained: Prep Guide & What to Expect
If you are on a job search you are quite likely to meet the Berke Assessment in the course of your search. This pre-employment test is unique in that it is tailored to a company’s specific needs.
Having to take any assessment test can be daunting. But, as long as you prepare properly, there is nothing to fear. Read on to discover all you need to know to prepare for the Berke Assessment and land your next job.
Table of Contents
What is the Berke Assessment?
The Berke Assessment is a test many people have to take when applying for a new job. It helps employers choose the most appropriate candidates for the role. It will measure a candidate’s aptitude in a variety of aspects. These range from personality, to logic and problem-solving, to intelligence.
The Berke Assessment also gives post-test reports to the potential employer. The employer who ordered the test is given a Job Fit report detailing how well the applicant matches what the employer is seeking in an employee.
An Interview Guide provides the employer with a list of questions that he may want to ask you when you progress to that stage.
Can I prepare for the Berke Assessment?
Preparation is essential for any test. Before you begin your preparation you need to get accurate information on the test you will be given. To get this information we advise relying on the services of an experienced test preparation company like Job Test Prep.
They will supply you with the information you need as well as test preparation resources in the form of a test prep pack. The test prep pack contains sample test papers modeled on the real test, detailed explanations of questions and a means of checking your scores as you do the tests.
Having received your test prep pack from Job Test Prep your first task is to become familiar with the assessment process.
What is measured in the Berke Assessment?
Personality and cognitive abilities are measured in two tests. Using these two tests the Berke Assessment can give your prospective employer information on your talent, personality and intelligence.
The assessment measures the applicant’s skills in some or all of the following areas:
- Teamwork skills
- Communication skills
- Customer skills
- Problem-solving skills
If asked to take the test you can also expect a personality test. The personality test will be able to profile you under the following headings:
- Assertiveness
- Intensity
- Optimism
- Responsiveness
- Social adaptability
- Sociability
- Structure: Tests your ability to see order, certainty and correctness.
What companies use the Berke Assessment?
As the test can be adapted to specific needs of different companies, a range of companies use the Berke Assessment.
Beazer Homes uses it when filling positions in sales. Other companies that use the test are:
- David Weekley Homes
- The Renaissance Network
- Polaris
- Geico
- ExpressCare
- And many others
What format does the Berke Assessment follow?
Depending on the position you are being tested for the test ranges from 12 to 55 minutes.
Depending on the position you can expect to be tested on:
- Your ability to produce ideas in a rapid sequence
- Your logical problem-solving skills
- Your rapid-fire problem-solving skills
- Spatial Visualization Test yourself with this free spatial reasoning test
- Ability to think in 3 or more dimensions
- How quickly you can understand and learn new ideas
Expect multiple-choice questions to be in some of the following formats:
- You may be given sentences with missing words. Your task will be to choose a word from a list that best fills an empty space.
- You may be asked to select words that are related to one another.
- You may be asked if you agree or disagree with a statement.
- You may be asked to type a paragraph in 30 seconds
Preparing for the Berke Assessment
Now that you can see the challenges posed by the test it is time to put your preparation plan in place.
Cognitive Ability Test
For effective preparation for the cognitive ability test use your sample papers as the backbone of every preparation session you engage in. This will ensure you are :
- Working on questions modeled on the real exam
- Becoming more familiar with the style of questioning with each test paper you do
- Able to measure your progress from test to test
- Able to identify areas that may need more work
Personality Test
Preparing for the personality test use the sample papers in the same fashion. However, a lot of applicants find the personality test more challenging than the cognitive ability test.
They misunderstand the test and think they are being assessed on the type of personality they are. However, personality is measured from the type of behavior you exhibit in answers to questions.
Here are some questions from a Hogan Personality test:
“I always plan my expenses in advance.”
Do you 1) Strongly Disagree, 2) Disagree 3) Agree, 4) Strongly Agree with this statement?
And
“I like being in charge because I can make things happen.”
Do you 1) Strongly Disagree, 2) Disagree, 3) Agree, 4)Strongly Agree with this statement?
Try answering these questions then sit back and decide what type of personality you are presenting in your answers. Your next task is to try changing your answers and again assess the personality type you are presenting.
Working through the personality tests in your test prep pack will show you what you will likely come up against. Essentially you are learning to build the personality profile that best matches the type of person likely to be employed in the job you have applied for.
Important factors in your preparation
For an effective preparation plan try the following tips:
- Work to a timetable excluding the day before assessments from the timetable. You will need that day to clear your head in preparation for the assessments.
- Work in short blocks of time none longer than 50 minutes
- Take a 10-minute break after every 50 minutes of preparation
- Keep an eye on your scores. If something is causing you to lose scores, rectify it as soon as you can, otherwise, it will become a habit that raises its head in the real assessments.
- Get sufficient rest, nutrition and exercise. Your brain will work better as a result.
Doing the test
Expect to be a little nervous, that is natural and may even give you an extra edge.
However, if you become over-stressed it can sabotage all the work you have done. Have some stress-busting exercises in your arsenal. You may have some of your own, if not try breathing or stretching exercises.
Finally, get in there and give it your best shot!
If you are facing the Berke Assessment you will find all the resources you need here.
Related Study Guides
- Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment
- Ford Pre-Employment Assessment
- How To Prepare for the BKSB Assessment? – Ultimate Study Guide
Written by Elizabeth O Mahony
With 25+ years’ experience as a teacher and state examinations corrector, Elizabeth now writes for the education and careers industry. Her experience preparing students for examinations and running an academy for supplementary education give her invaluable insights into what it takes for job seekers and graduates to succeed in assessments.
Sarah is an accomplished educator, researcher and author in the field of testing and assessment. She has worked with various educational institutions and organisations to develop innovative evaluation methods and enhance student learning. Sarah has published numerous articles and books on assessment and learning. Her passion for promoting equity and fairness in the education system fuels her commitment to sharing insights and best practices with educators and policymakers around the world.
