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How to Prepare for Washington State Employment Tests*
Many people want to know how to prepare to take a state test. The best preparation for the test is to prepare for the job itself. In general, whatever would prepare you to perform the job duties well would prepare you to do well on the test. This is because the test was designed to measure the knowledge and abilities needed to perform the job. Efforts to study for the test rather than prepare for the job actually interfere with the test's goal of measuring job knowledge and abilities.
In this handout, you will find tips on the following three types of Washington State Employment Tests:
- § Multiple-Choice Tests
- § Experience and Training (E&T) Tests
- § Oral Tests
Tips on the Multiple-Choice Test
Relax.
When the time comes to take a multiple choice test, relax. Make yourself comfortable. Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Approach the test positively and confidently. You can do it. Relax and focus on the test.
Ignore distractions.
Ignore everyone else in the room. Don't worry if other people finish before you. They might be taking different tests with different time limits. Anyway, for most tests, speed is not related to the scores received. High scores can be achieved by persons who use the full amount of time allowed, as well as by those who finish quickly.
Budget Your Time.
Skim through the test to see what kinds of problems you have to solve. Do you want to warm up on easy questions? Do you want to work on the hard ones while you are fresh? Do you want to leave some complicated questions until last so that they do not use too much time? Just be sure to keep track of which questions you need to go back to and answer.
You can skip over some questions for awhile and return to them later. Just make sure you mark the answer sheet spaces for the questions you are working on. Usually the answer to one question does not depend on the answers to any other questions, so even in long sections you can still work on one question at a time.
Manage your time and keep progressing, but don't become a frantic clock-watcher, or it will distract you from concentrating on the test questions. Most tests allow plenty of time. Feel free to pause briefly, stretch, or take a break and walk around quietly.
Read each question carefully.
A common reason applicants do not score high on tests is that they do not read the questions and instructions carefully. Sometimes Department of Personnel (DOP) develops information about rules or procedures in the test. These rules and procedures are often different from rules used in any state agency. This information gives state employees and outside applicants an equal chance to show their skill in solving problems.
Analyze the problems.
Before starting to answer questions, review the test booklet to see what is there. Don't worry if some parts of the test look difficult at first; you'll be able to handle them when you reach them and read their special instructions.
Approach a test as if you are performing the duties of the job. Act as if each situation has actually occurred while you are working. Consider all of the information given in the question before you choose an answer. Answer the question as it is presented. Do not change the question by assuming other facts about the situation. Think about a good way to solve the problem before you read the answer choices.
Consider what you should do as an employee in this position. Can you handle the problem without consulting your supervisor? What level of authority do you have?
Decide whether the action you choose would cause any problems. Would it solve the immediate problem but allow the same problem to come up later? Is it reasonable and legal? Would any of the other alternatives solve the problem as well without causing new problems?
Use scratch paper.
Scratch paper is often an effective tool in finding the correct answer. Use scratch paper to reword the answers in simpler terms to allow easier comparison. You may be able to draw a picture or diagram to help you reason out a solution. If you have time left at the end of the testing period, go back over your answers. If you have good reason to change an answer, do so.
Tips on the Experience and Training (E&T) Test
Follow the instructions exactly.
Follow the instructions exactly and provide your information in the exact order and format specified on the job announcement. If you do not follow the order and format indicated, you may not pass the test. Also, provide the specific information requested in order to get credit. If, for example, a question asks how many times you have done a certain task, what the dates were, who your employer was, and what your level of responsibility was, be sure to provide all this information each time it is requested. You will not get credit without these facts.
Example: If they ask about your experience driving a dump truck, you might answer: "I drove a 5-ton dump truck hauling dirt and gravel 40 hours a week for 30 months from April 1990 to October 1993. My job title was Heavy Equipment Operator, and my employer was TJ Construction Co. of Olympia, Wash."
Respond with answers that are explicit, clear, and complete.
The person scoring your E&T exam will not "read into" your writing or give you credit for anything that you have not stated clearly. The person scoring your exam will not spend time digging the necessary details out from your application form or resume. DOP does not accept further information after the closing deadline.
Include only the information requested.
Irrelevant information will not be scored and might make it harder for the person scoring the exam to find the relevant information. The people scoring the exams have to read applications and E&T responses. It is more likely that you will receive all the points you are entitled to if your application and E&T responses are easy to read and score. It also helps complete testing accurately and promptly.
Do not refer to an attached resume.
To efficiently score the thousands of E&T exams they receive, DOP asks that you do not make reference to an attached resume. Resumes and other materials do not include all the information they need, and the information is not always easy to find.
Tips on the Oral Test
Be aware of what is expected of you during an oral test.
In an oral test, you will sit with a panel of people and answer questions about how you would handle situations that may arise on the job. An oral test is not a job interview. The purpose of the test is for you to show that you have the skills and abilities needed to solve job-related problems. You need to put yourself into the job, analyze what you should do, and consider the consequences of the actions you might take.
Oral tests are different from multiple-choice tests in that multiple-choice tests ask a question and give several alternative answers to choose from, but oral panel members ask questions without giving any answers. The candidate is responsible for figuring out the correct answer.
Practice.
To prepare for an oral exam, learn about the subject matter, the working relationships, the kinds of problems that arise, and other factors of the job. One way to prepare is to talk with people who perform the job now. Another way is to imagine situations that might come up on the job and then think of solutions to those problems.
Relax, address the panel, and speak clearly.
Before you enter the oral test room, take a few long, deep breaths. Loosen up, relax, and be as natural as you can. The panel members also will want to help you feel comfortable. Speak loudly and clearly enough for the panel members to hear you. Don't assume that the panel members know the technical jargon that you know. Explain the technical terms you use. Say exactly what you mean, and make sure they hear and understand every point you make.
Analyze the question.
If the panel gives you a problem to solve, analyze the problem thoroughly. Consider several viewpoints.
Reply with answers that are thoughtful and complete.
An oral panel is more interested in the content of your answers than how you present them. Your answers need to be thorough. Often a complete answer requires you to bring up a number of related points. You need to tell the panel what assumptions you are making and the reasons for your actions. Tell the panel clearly how you would solve the problem. Also tell them how you analyzed it and the factors that led you to your conclusions. Tell them what you would do, why you would do it, and what results you would expect. Tell them what alternatives you consider and reject for good reasons.
Do not skip the part of the answer you think the oral panel already knows. They have to hear you say it if they are going to give you credit for it. Many candidates lose points by giving simple or incomplete answers. Most problems require several steps in the solution. Think of additional parts of the solution to make your answer more complete.
Ask questions, when necessary.
If you are unsure what the panel is asking, ask for a clarification, such as, "Are you asking me…?" or "Do I understand correctly that the question is…?" This won't bother the panel at all. The panel wants you to understand the question. Of course, they can't give you hints toward the correct answer.
Be prepared to provide clarification.
If the panel asks you to clarify or follow up on an answer, they are not suggesting that your original answer was either good or bad. In some cases follow-up questions are part of the test. In other cases the panel might be making sure they heard you correctly or that you have a full opportunity to show what you know. The panel has been instructed to avoid showing positive or negative reactions to the answers candidates give.
Stay focused. Do not waste time.
Take enough time to answer each question thoroughly, but do not ramble or drift into irrelevant topics, unnecessary detail, or repetition. You are responsible for budgeting your time. Some oral tests have "pre-exposed problems"- problems to study for 30 to 60 minutes before you meet with the panel. You must budget your time carefully while you are working on the "pre-exposed" problem. Be sure to allow time to analyze the problem, organize your thoughts, and write some notes to help you present your answer to the panel.
Take notes.
You may take notes while you are with the panel. These notes can help you organize your answer to the panel's current question. Notes can also help you improve upon an answer you gave earlier. At the end of the test, the panel will probably ask, "Is there anything you want to add to any of your answers?" If you thought of something worth adding to an earlier answer and wrote it down when you thought of it, you could say, "Yes, there is another step I would take to solve the problem you asked about in Question #2." Then you could proceed to improve your score on that question.
You may not remove any notes from the room because they contain confidential test material. The panel will collect and dispose of your notes but will not score them.
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