A Wonderlic Test is a pre-employment test many candidates are expected to write if they are shortlisted for a position. While it is not designed to test knowledge, a Wonderlic Test can tell a prospective employer a lot more about a candidate than you might think.
Like most other aptitude tests, a Wonderlic Test provides meaningful insight into what kind of employee you will be, how quickly you can adapt and learn, and whether you have the potential for promotion further down the line. A lot rides on your Wonderlic Test’s outcomes, so it is worthwhile knowing as much about it as possible:
Wonderlic Test basics
Before deep-diving into the Wonderlic Test and its peculiarities, let us start with a few basics. This test consists of 50 questions, and candidates have 12 minutes in which to answer them. The principal drivers behind Wonderlic Test success are speed and accuracy. You can find the balance between them while you prepare for the Wonderlic Test.
Few candidates make it through all 50 questions within the allocated 12 minutes. Even those that do will not necessarily score well. The questions are multiple-choice style, so each question is accompanied by four possible answers from which you should select the correct one. Even so, the answers can be confusing, and this becomes a greater challenge when working under pressure.
Breaking a Wonderlic Test down
A Wonderlic Test is divided into four weighted sections. They are math, verbal skills, logical reasoning, and general knowledge and quick recognition.
In the verbal reasoning section, questions operate around your language skills and reading comprehension. This part of a Wonderlic Test is important to potential employees who will need to communicate with others, such as customers, or have to write emails, articles, or presentations.
Logical reasoning is also known as pattern recognition. The questions require a candidate to analyze and complete certain sequences. This tests your ability to apply logic to a problem and then use critical thinking skills to solve it.
The math section of a Wonderlic Test includes word problems. They feature simple arithmetic functions or algebraic equations. The word problems are equations written in sentences. You need to convert those sentences to an equation and solve it to find the correct answer.
Fact recognition questions ask you to respond to certain statements. They give a prospective employer some insight into your thought patterns when faced with a challenge in an employment context and how you are likely to react. These questions also demonstrate a candidate’s decision-making abilities and overall cognitive functioning.
Acing a Wonderlic Test
Walking into a pressurized environment where 50 questions must be answered in 12 minutes can be overwhelming. Some candidates find it so stressful that they freeze. It is normal to feel nervous before a test or exam. However, you are likely to feel calmer if you know what to expect. Therefore, taking some practice tests should be an essential part of your test preparations.
The only more significant challenge besides time constraints that you face in a Wonderlic exam is anxiety. Candidates have only 14 seconds per question. It can take up to two-thirds of that time to read the question thoroughly.
However, some questions will take far less than 14 seconds to answer. Learning to put excess anxiety aside to enhance your focus is a critical test preparation technique. Deep breathing and meditation activities will keep anxiety at bay, allowing you to concentrate on the questions and selecting correct answers.
Do not be defined by order
There are no rules in aptitude tests stating that you must complete the questions in any sequence in which they are presented. If language and words are your forte, head straight to that section and answer as many questions as you can. Even in this section, where you might feel extremely comfortable, if you do not understand a question or cannot immediately determine its answer, move to the next.
Work through each section of the test as quickly as possible and then go back to questions you could not answer. Use whatever time is remaining to see how many of those you can work out, and answer. This is the best way to apply a speed-accuracy balance needed to score well.