Manager Assessment Test: A Complete Preparation Guide for 2024

by Sarah Duncan

If you’ve applied for a management position at a company, you might be asked to do a manager assessment test. But the prospect of taking a test might seem daunting at first.

Luckily, these tests are a good way to help you show what you can bring to the role. They come in a few different types and formats, which we’ll be covering in this article.

Today, we’ll dive into:

• What manager assessment tests are assessing
• The skills you need to show during the test
• Some tips and tricks for preparing for the test

Let’s get into it!

Understanding the Manager Assessment Test

Management assessment tests are used by recruiters to screen potential candidates. It can be used either before or after interviews as a way of assessing the skills you need to possess to be a good manager.

The recruiter will be looking at the results to see if you have what it takes to succeed in the role. This can include things like leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

For example, one part of the test might ask you how you’d react to a workplace problem. This is called a situational judgment test (SJT). You also might be asked to complete a cognitive assessment.

There might also be a personality aptitude element to the test, too! While this doesn’t test your leadership skills, it tells the recruiter more about your personality and how you’ll fit in with the pre-existing team.

The form of the manager assessment test might vary between companies. Some tests will contain multi-choice questions, whereas others might involve a bit more logic and reasoning skills.

Therefore, the easiest way to succeed is to learn what the questions are really asking!

Skills Assessed in Manager Assessment Tests

Management assessment tests generally test your leadership skills. We can break these skills down as follows:

Communication skills

One of the most important skills you’ll be tested for is how well you can communicate. Being able to listen to others and communicate valid feedback is a key part of a manager’s position.

Good communication skills also involve conflict management. Being able to change your communication style when addressing different situations is another important aspect.

You need to demonstrate your ability to help motivate your team towards success and give relevant advice.

Problem-solving and strategy-based skills

Another important leadership skill is being able to solve problems in unique ways. Being able to work on your feet and solve real-life problems is a key part of a manager’s work, so you’ll be tested on how well you can do this.

You also might be tested on how well you can make decisions that benefit the team. This kind of skill might be specific to the role you choose, so make sure you’re prepared to explain your answer!

Organizational skills

Finally, things like time management, planning around deadlines, and delegating tasks. These may sound like basic skills but are important for managers to learn.

Speaking of learning, these skills are hard to learn quickly, and you’re more likely to pick them up on the go.

However, demonstrating your capacity for growth and change (especially if this is your first management role) is an easy way to put yourself forward.

Preparation Tips and Strategies for Candidates

Ask about the tests you’ll be sitting

If you can ask about the tests before sitting it, you’ll know what you can expect. Every manager assessment test will be slightly different, and asking what the questions are like and how long you’ll have will help alleviate the stress.

It’ll also help you know what you need to study for, such as if there’s a cognitive test, you can brush up on your reasoning knowledge. And if you have to do a personality test, you’ll know what you can expect on test day.

Research the company

It’s important to understand that the results of the test are interpreted by the company themselves. So getting to know the basics of what they’re looking for is a good way to start preparing.

 

Research the team and their history, and find out what they value highly in their workplace. For example, are they all about individual achievement, or fostering a team culture?

Take practice tests

Taking practice tests is a great way to get familiar with the testing material before actually sitting the test. It’s also good to see what skills you’re lacking, so you know what you need to focus on while preparing for test day.

Try out JobTestPrep’s tailored practice tests. These give you access to simulated test questions so you know what you can expect on the day.

Sample Question

*Question 1: You are managing a department that includes 2 small teams of 3 people, each of which has a supervisor. One of the teams schedules a meeting with you, in which the team members complain that their supervisor has inconsistent responses to their work.

They are unsure about how they are expected to work and feel criticized for unclear reasons. They have tried to discuss the issue with their supervisor in the past, but feel that nothing has changed. They feel uncomfortable to talk to him again about the situation, and ask for your help.

How would you respond to their request?

• A. They shouldn’t have gone behind their supervisor’s back like this. You decide to tell them that you are sorry that they feel this way, but they should speak directly to their supervisor about this.
• B. Ask the team how they think their supervisor can improve. Encourage an open discussion to raise ideas that can help him improve, and then present them to him in a one-on-one meeting.
• C. You want to help the team but also not hurt the supervisor’s feelings, so you send him to a supervisor training course without telling him your reasons.
• D. Speak openly to the supervisor, that you have received a complaint about his methods and suggest that he pays more attention to his responses to his team.
• E. Talk to the supervisor. Ask how he feels about his relationship with his team members and suggest ways to improve his communication with them.

Answer: E. This answer demonstrates good communication and conflict management in this situation while respecting the chain of command.

Test Day Tips for Candidates

Once it’s time for test day, there are a few different things you can do to prepare.

First of all, save the revision for the night before. Don’t cram things into the morning of the test – you’ll tire yourself out before you’ve even taken the test! It’s best to revise the night before and then go over some quick key points on the day of.

Speaking of the night before, make sure you get a good night’s sleep before test day. Look after yourself and your body so you’re running at full capacity for your test.

For the final bits of preparation, don’t forget to re-read the job description before you sit the test! Understand the key skills you need to show to the recruiter and remember to answer questions to the best of your ability.

Post-Test: Interpreting Results

There’s a chance you might not be sent a copy of the test results. Or if you are, they might be hard to figure out!

But don’t panic, your test results only give a slim indication of your performance. For example, personality tests aren’t based on a right or wrong answer.

Also, don’t worry if you don’t get a high score. The only people you’re competing against are the others vying for the role, and there’s no way of knowing how well they did.

The questions might be subjective too, so as long as you can support your results, you’ll be fine.

If you have a follow-up interview after your test, you’ll likely be quizzed on your results.  Make sure you know how to back up your answers and give a good impression of the manager you’ll be!

Final Thoughts

Preparing for a manager assessment test can be a daunting task. But with the right attitude and strategies, you can succeed.

Manager assessment tests are a great tool to help you shape your future career in management. They might be scary now, but they’re important for recruiters to get an idea of how you would succeed in the role.