Shortlisted - Amazing People

Reviews of ‘now you’ve been shortlisted’

“There is one significant difference between those who get a job and those who don’t after being shortlisted. Successful candidates invest in research and understand the nuts and bolts of the recruiting process. They are prepared for each step: they know what to expect from an assessment centre and how to stand out in the interview. They are not surprised by the format of the psychometric tests and by the test’s questions. They researched potential employers and their targeted industries and impress interviewers through their use of a common language. If you try to be successful without help from an expert, you will probably make many mistakes and fail to achieve your goal.

This book is exactly what you need to acquire these critical skills and to avoid mistakes. You will be competing with candidates who put in the time and effort to be prepared. Job search is a unique type of competition: there are no second and third places, only one person will reach the finish line. The comprehensive advice in this book will help you understand the process and perform to your best whether you are due to attend an interview or a full scale assessment centre. You are then far more likely to be the one who wins the job.”

Alon Karmiel is a founder of ZoomInterview.com, a leading video interview preparation company.

“With extensive experience of helping people with their careers over many years, Denise gives valuable advice on how to perform well through the whole interview and assessment process. She includes advice on interview technique, assessment centres, personality and ability testing and many other key issues, right up to starting in the new role. The very detailed and comprehensive professional advice, contained all in this one book, will greatly enhace the individual’s chances of success in competitive selection situations. An excellent book, both for job seekers, career changes, those seeking promotion and also for career practitioners advising people on their careers.”

Tony Charles is an experienced career counsellor, writer and broadcaster and owns Wales’ leading corporate career management consultancy, Tony Charles Associates Limited.

This is an essential practical guide for anyone who has received the ‘you’ve been shortlisted’ news and wants to get the ‘you’re hired’ letter. Readers are taken on the journey from preparing for the interview through to the success of being hired.

Denise’s wealth of knowledge and experience in the field makes the reader feel like they have insider information into the world of the recruiter. Seeing the view from the other side may give you the edge required to successfully sail through to the job offer stage.

During these cut-throat times, when jobs are few and candidates are many, the importance of being fully prepared cannot be over emphasised. Critical interview techniques, including what questions you could ask at the end and the tricky salary question, are explained using examples, hints and tips. Psychometric testing and assessment centres are decoded through practical examples and exercises, giving you the confidence to walk through the recruitment process with confidence.

‘Now you’ve been shortlisted’ makes the process of getting hired, dare I say, fun.

Kerry Henning

Denise is a true expert in her field, dedicated to her profession.

This extensive guide full of practical tips and advice has helped me to prepare for interviews for positions that I would have normally avoided because I was too fearful of the process. The wide variety of exercises and invaluable information has enabled me to feel confident and knowledgeable. I have aimed higher and broadened my horizons. Now educated and properly prepared on how to get through an interview professionally, it has now brought me more opportunity and I now realise that the only person stopping me from getting the job I really want is me!

Thank you Denise for all the hard work you have put into this guide and most importantly for sharing it with others.

Sylvana Hamaida, Financial Services, London.

Now You’ve Been Shortlisted is an impressive resource that enables the reader to view recruitment and selection processes in a truly positive light. The author helps demystify the complexities associated with psychometric testing and assessment and offers excellent practical strategies for coping successfully with transitions into the workplace.

Dr Deirdre Hughes, President, Institute of Career Guidance

CHAPTER 4

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/psychotests.htm

www.profilingforsuccess.com

Online testing sites

www.criterionpartnership.co.uk/test_samples

For verbal and numerical sample tests. This is from Criterion Partnership, who kindly provided testing materials for use in this book.

www.shldirect.com

www.shl.com/TryATest/TakeaTest/Pages/TakeaTest-English.aspx

For further details and practice tests. SHL Group Ltd kindly provided testing materials for use in this book.

www.talentlens.co.uk/resources.aspx

This is the Pearson Assessment site who kindly provided details on the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Assessment. The information here is available to test users.

www.savilleconsulting.com/products/aptitude_preparationguides.aspx

Saville Consulting provide a series of guides to help you prepare.

www.faststream.gov.uk

If you are thinking of applying for the Civil Service Fast Stream you can access some practice tests once you have registered.

http://practicetests.cubiks.com

Another site to take practice tests from a test publisher.

http://careers.jpmorgan.com/student/jpmorgan/careers/europe/advice/test

Practice tests from JP Morgan (banking and financial services)

www.kcpltd.com

There are a number of practice tests you can take and you can also buy a test and get comprehensive feedback.

www.psychometrics-uk.com/bapt.html

This is a link to a specific test for assessing computer programmers

www.morrisby.com

Choose practice tests from the left-hand menu.

www.assessmentday.co.uk

Provides links so you can take practice numerical, verbal and inductive reasoning tests. There are some free examples and an option for a comprehensive online test at reasonable cost.

http://students.efinancialcareers.co.uk/numerical_test.htm

For further tests to practice numerical ability.

www.practicetests.co.uk

At the time of writing this only has an option to take a sales test, but there is a lot of detail on psychometrics if the subject interests you.

www.diagonalthinking.co.uk

This test has been created to see if you are suitable for a career in advertising.

http://bit.ly/gG4fm via www.psychtesting.org.uk

The British Psychological Society Test-takers guide.

www.mensa.org.uk

For IQ tests

www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise

To practice maths techniques such as subtraction, multiplication, division, rations and percentages