Central Hudson Test – Ultimate Career & Employment Guide
Part of the CH Energy Group and most well-known for its subsidiary organization — Central Hudson Gas & Electric — Central Hudson delivers natural gas and electricity to the residents of a 2,600 square mile area from New York City to the Capital District at Albany.
In the hiring process, Central Hudson uses the Central Hudson test to ensure that the company selects and employs the very best candidates. The test helps determine who the candidates are whose character traits and skill sets will enable them to fit seamlessly into the team working ethos of the business.
If you are going to take the Central Hudson, making sure you are well practiced and prepared will give you the best chance of success in securing a career with Central Hudson.
Table of Contents
What is the application process for Central Hudson?
Online Application
This is the first stage of the application process and will typically be done online. You may also be asked to include a covering letter and attach a copy of your resume. It is important to refer to the job description in your covering letter and include relevant correlations between the skills and experience that you possess and the ones required in the vacancy.
Make sure that your resume is accurate and up to date, as you may be asked to refer to it or answer questions related to it at the interview. If you are not entirely truthful on your resume, it will be much more difficult to speak confidently about it during an interview and you may make careless mistakes.
Aptitude tests
As with most organizations these days, Central Hudson will require you to undergo some psychometric tests prior to your interview as an integral part of the hiring process. These tests are a proven way to fairly and efficiently sift through large numbers of candidates prior to a face-to-face meeting and ensure that your skillset and personality traits match those valued by the organization.
The type of aptitude test you take will largely depend on the type of position for which you are applying, although they will all be fairly standard in their formats.
Tests you may encounter are as follows:
Personality Test
Researching the organization prior to application will give you a good idea of the tests and test publishers that they use specific to your role. This will give you a better chance of being adequately prepared.
Employers are obviously looking for more than one personality trait in a candidate and they will be looking to assess whether or not you possess the main traits that fit with company culture and the demands of your proposed role. It is possible that you could be asked to sit a Big Five personality test.
Psychologists define an individual’s personality based on five basic personality traits. These are:
- Openness to experience
- Conscientiousness
- Extraversion/Introversion
- Agreeableness
- Neuroticism
People who do not possess any of these traits could be viewed as rather plain by future employers.
In order to define your personality type, you could be given statements similar to the ones below and asked to rank where you sit on the line from strongly agree to strongly disagree with variations in between:
- You find it difficult to introduce yourself to other people
- You hate a messy inbox and respond to emails as soon as possible
- From a selection of pictures, pick the animal that you would be based on how you feel
- If you are going to a party but don’t know many people there, how would you feel? (Choose on a sliding scale from very comfortable to very uncomfortable)
- How much effort do you put into achieving your goals?
- How happy do you feel right now?
- How often do you complete all of your daily tasks?
Knowing which behaviors are the most crucial for your chosen role will help you to understand what the company is seeking from an ideal candidate. It is important to answer truthfully but also thoughtfully if you are to be successful.
Personality tests can be amongst the most interesting of all the aptitude tests used by employers and can provide some really crucial information relating to a candidate’s strengths, weaknesses, and work-related skills. Job Test Prep can help you to experience the tests in the way that they will be administered on the day.
Central Hudson CAST Test
In this test, there are four sections:
- Graphic Arithmetic
- Mechanical Concepts
- Reading for Comprehension
- Mathematical Usage
All of these sections are available in the Job Test Prep practice pack to help you prepare and practice for the test and will measure the abilities you have that are essential for a skilled trade.
Central Hudson SOPD Test
The SOPD test measures the abilities and skills you will need for any operator position within the organization. There are also four sections to this test which you can practice via the Job Test Prep pack.
The four sections comprise:
- Mathematical Usage
- Analytic Thinking Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Multitasking Simulation
How can I prepare for the Central Hudson Test?
The best way to prepare for the Central Hudson Test is to take as many practice questions and exams as possible. You can do this by using a reputable job test preparation company such as Job Test Prep. They have specific study materials and practice questions for the Central Hudson Test.
Job Test Prep is able to use their considerable industry experience to provide you with the resources and practice test materials that will allow you to familiarize yourself with test formats and ace your Central Hudson application tests.
Interview stage
The interview part of the application process for Central Hudson can be challenging. It is important to bear in mind that the recruiter will begin to assess you from the moment you enter the interview room. Making sure you are appropriately dressed and appear well prepared and confident will greatly improve your chances of success.
It is just as important to practice and prepare for the face-to-face interview as it is for the written tests. Rehearsing your main points and preparing any questions or question answers will add to the professional impression that you create.
Interview questions that you are likely to encounter include:
- In what way has your college experience prepared you for this job?
- Describe a situation when you made a mistake. How did you handle your mistake?
- Name something that you have learned from a previous job
- What qualities do you think you will bring to this job?
Use the STAR method to prepare your interview answers: situation, task, action, result.
Doing your research and learning about Central Hudson from its website and other official sources will help you to prepare intelligent and relevant questions and answers. It will also help you be fully versed in the demands of your chosen role. Focusing on key competencies and showing enthusiasm and genuine interest will help you to present yourself confidently and professionally.
Who is Central Hudson?
The organization is a regulated transmission and distribution utility service that serves around 300,000 electric customers and 80,000 natural gas customers. The company itself has strong beliefs in teamwork, safety, and outstanding customer service.
They have a long history of promoting from within and, as such, are committed to the educational development and satisfaction of their diverse workforce, offering numerous opportunities for transition and growth. Other benefits of working for Central Hudson are the medical, dental, and vision packages, as well as life insurance and vacation allowances.
Positions at Central Hudson
Some of the most popular positions at Central Hudson include general laborer, roofer, site manager, maintenance worker, superintendent, and contract administrator.
Other assessments that you may encounter, depending on your chosen position, could include:
- Entry-level Automotive Mechanic
- Maintenance
- Mechanical
- Basic Skills – General
- Specialized Item Sets
In such a competitive job market, preparation is everything. Job Test Prep is committed to helping job seekers get employed by providing comprehensive and professional resources and test materials to help you achieve your dream career!
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Written by Karen Stanley
Karen is a former teacher of 20 years and ten times published author. She writes content for educational organisations and businesses, nationally and internationally. She coaches new and budding writers through to publication and is passionate about creativity; she runs creative writing workshops in schools and fostering agencies.
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.
