SJT Sample Report Situational Judgement Tests Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) are the most novel and unknown part of the new EPSO recruitment system. In Administrator (AD) exams, for example, the Situational Judgement Test accounts for a full 50% of the total score one can achieve in the pre-selection phase, so the importance of this test type can hardly be overestimated. SJT Test Format These tests include a short description of a work-related situation where you are asked to choose both the most effective and least effective answer option. "Your head of unit plans to give you an extra task that is not in your job description. You are already overwhelmed with work and your next door colleague is known to have fewer tasks to complete. How do you react?", and you are offered four answers. Each of the four options is a viable course of action, but you are required to choose those that are the best and worst in your view. The Importance of SJT Tests Each question and answer option refers to a so-called competency that EPSO wishes to test you on (see more on this below). The answers you provide offer an indication of your way of thinking and approaching a certain situation, therefore your personal competency profile can be established in a relatively reliable way. Given this "relative" reliability, situational judgement test results must be further fine-tuned and cross-checked, hence the Structured Interview in the Assessment Centre, where the assessors are forming their questions on the basis of the report created from your SJT test answers. It is therefore crucial to provide honest answers that truly represent how you think given that you can be seriously downgraded in your performance at the Assessment Centre if you don't take SJTs seriously enough. Competencies Based on a detailed job analysis of EU officials, EPSO, with the help of experts, created a list of 7+1 competencies that you need to possess in order to qualify for a job in any of the European Union institutions. These are the following: analysis and problem solving; communicating, delivering quality and results, learning and development; prioritising and organising; resilience; working with others and leadership (only for Administrators). The above example would fall into the "resilience" and the "prioritising and organising" competencies: your related competencies would be judged based on the course of action you choose. You should also bear in mind that a situation could conceivably measure several competencies, and it is the exact wording of the test that will determine which category it falls into. Referring back to the above example of being given an extra task while already being overwhelmed, it is always worth taking a moment to consider which of several possible competencies the situation might measure. How to do this? If the options you are given are related to how you would talk to your head of unit about the situation, the test is likely geared toward measuring your communication skills. If the same situation is complemented by answer options describing how you would juggle several tasks all at once, the same scenario can become a test of your prioritising or stress management skills. Situational Judgement Tests Institutional Values In addition to the competencies discussed the above, the EPSO SJT is also infused with the declared values of the Institutions. As an example, consider the competency ‘Communicating’ in the context of an SJT situation where you are asked to present a policy initiative to an external audience. The audience seems very interested in what you have to say but they are extremely critical of the work of your organisation in the past. When selecting the most effective course of action in such a scenario, it is not only your ability to diffuse such situations that will be measured, but the institutional values of loyalty, public image and supranational neutrality might also come into play. As an example, while discussing the shortcomings of the previous management of your organisation might be an effective way of diffusing the situation, such an approach would certainly not be in alignment with the values of your organisation. SJT and Common Sense It is vital to understand the meaning of each competency, the logic of the SJTs, the framework in which they operate in and some good methods to prepare for them. For instance, you should be able to quickly identify which competency a given question refers to, and this may be challenging if you are unaware of the detailed meaning of each skill set. Apart from the personal side, certain values that EU institutions consider as important should also serve as guidance when answering these tests. Only tests that were created by recruitment specialists will serve your preparation, since the trick is to map each situation to a specific skill feature that you are being evaluated on. The Importance of Practice It is vital to understand that the aim of SJTs is to check whether you possess the above competencies, not to find out more about your personality. In this sense, you are measured against a pre-established set of criteria without anyone wishing to explore the inner layers of your personality. Because of this reason, knowing what will be expected of you and trying to make the most out of it can immensely help your scores. Getting a sample snapshot of your EPSO competencies before the exam can contribute to a much more conscious performance at the exam and it will also improve the overall impression you make. By taking Online EU Training’s Situational Judgment Test, you did just that. We hope that this personalised report will help you establish what areas you need to improve in and become more conscious about your performance in the measured competencies. It is worth exploring your way of thinking and of approaching situations after reading this report, and we encourage you to come back and take subsequent tests a few weeks apart to see how being conscious about your performance and exploring alternative courses of action has affected your performance. Disclaimer: It should be noted that the exact methodology used by EPSO in devising the Situational Judgment Test you will face at the exam is confidential; therefore good or bad performance in this measure will not automatically mean good or bad performance in the EPSO tests. However, by completing this test you will gain an insight into the question types faced as well as plenty of useful general feedback that will be invaluable in your preparation for the real thing. Introduction Dear Sample, Thank you for taking Online EU Training’s Situational Judgment Test. This report summarises the findings of the test you took on 25/04/2012. Your personalized test measured the following competencies: Planning and Organising (Score: 4 out of 8) Analysing and Creating Solutions (Score: 4 out of 8) Collaborating With People (Score: 3 out of 8) Coping Under Pressure (Score: 4.5 out of 8) Focusing on Delivery (Score: 5 out of 8) Below, you will find some basic information about your test and your performance. EPSO AD Situational Judgment Test Taken by: Sample Person Total test-taking time: 1m Total score: 20.5 out of 40 # of Competencies with Strong Performance 0 # of Competencies with Moderate Performance 5 # of Competencies with Poorer Performance 0 4 SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT TEST REPORT TEST-TAKER: SAMPLE PERSON EMAIL: [email protected] TEST-DATE: 25/04/2012 © 2012 ARBOREUS. All Rights Reserved Strengths and Weaknesses Summary In this section, you will find a summary of your performance across various measured skills and competencies. AREAS OF STRONG PERFORMANCE No clear areas of strength emerged for you during the test. AREAS OF MODERATE PERFORMANCE Planning and organising your working time and individual projects Analysing critical, complex information and suggesting workable solutions Co-operating with and caring for a range of people of different backgrounds and motivations Coping with pressure and adapting to change Maintaining quality of work output, even in challenging situations AREAS OF POORER PERFORMANCE No clear areas of poorer performance emerged for you during the test. In the following section, you will see a more detailed description of what practical consequences this may have, and what you may want to do to improve your perceived performance in these fields. 5 SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT TEST REPORT TEST-TAKER: SAMPLE PERSON EMAIL: [email protected] TEST-DATE: 25/04/2012 © 2012 ARBOREUS. All Rights Reserved Detailed Description of Performance The following detailed descriptions of performance by competency describe your performance at a more detailed level and where you may look to develop. These have been scored in terms of how closely your answers fitted with the competency definitions being looked for. These competency definitions have been written especially for this test, and they reflect all areas being sought by the EPSO situational judgment tests as well. Planning and Organising In the competency of Planning and Organising, your performance would be classed as moderate. This means that, based upon your answers, you are fairly likely to work in a planful manner, setting deadlines and monitoring progress; adapt to changes in plans effectively and manage your own workload well. However, at times you may work in a less efficient way; failing to prepare or to set realistic timescales; judge priorities incorrectly and become flustered when unforseen issues arise. There may be some potential for you to develop further in this area: reflect upon where your specific areas of weakness may lie and research how to develop them. Analysing and Creating Solutions In the competency of Analysing and Creating Solutions, your performance would be classed as moderate. This means that, based upon your answers, you are fairly likely to cope well with numerous data sources, identifying relevant points in order to identify the root cause of issues and then devise multiple creative solutions. However, at times you may suggest standard, conventional ideas or ideas that may be impractical to implement; fail to gather relevant information to inform decisions and become confused by complexity. There may be some potential for you to develop further in this area: reflect upon where your specific areas of weakness may lie and research how to develop them. Collaborating With People In the competency of Collaborating With People, your performance would be classed as moderate. This means that, based upon your answers, you are fairly likely to show concern for people; involve others in decision making (including consulting across organisational 6 SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT TEST REPORT TEST-TAKER: SAMPLE PERSON EMAIL: [email protected] TEST-DATE: 25/04/2012 © 2012 ARBOREUS. All Rights Reserved boundaries), and praise other’s ideas and contributions. However, at times you may work in isolation and pay little attention to people’s individual differences, needs or concerns. There may be some potential for you to develop further in this area: reflect upon where your specific areas of weakness may lie and research how to develop them. Coping Under Pressure In the competency of Coping Under Pressure, your performance would be classed as moderate. This means that, based upon your answers, you are fairly likely to remain calm under pressure and display a generally positive outlook; including remaining motivated and productive during times of change. However, at times you may display negative emotions under pressure and look for the negative side of situations, especially around times of organisational change. There may be some potential for you to develop further in this area: reflect upon where your specific areas of weakness may lie and research how to develop them. Focusing on Delivery In the competency of Focusing on Delivery, your performance would be classed as moderate. This means that, based upon your answers, you are fairly likely to keep quality standards high whilst working to stretching deadlines, enjoy pressurised situations and be proactive in responding to challenges. However, at times you may break established guidelines or procedures, possibly compromising quality in the process; wait for instructions before acting and be content with meeting rather than exceeding targets. There may be some potential for you to develop further in this area: reflect upon where your specific areas of weakness may lie and research how to develop them. 7 SITUATIONAL JUDGEMENT TEST REPORT TEST-TAKER: SAMPLE PERSON EMAIL: [email protected] TEST-DATE: 25/04/2012 © 2012 ARBOREUS. All Rights Reserved Online EU Training Thank you for taking Online EU Training’s Situational Judgement Test. We hope it will be useful in your preparation for your EPSO exam. Arboreus is an innovative e-learning company offering professional online training on European Union policies and EU Careers. Our clients include European graduates, officials, managers, job seekers, Brussels professionals and others. Given the high interest in EU careers, institutional affairs, competition law, trade policy, consumer protection, environmental issues and other regulatory matters, we offer our online training and webinar services to the global business and academic community as well. We do this by creating a community of professionals, academics, diplomats and job seekers covering European affairs all over the world so they can network and learn about the EU. Click on the links to learn more about our services:  Online Test Packages for all EPSO Exams: http://www.eutraining.eu/eu_packages  Study Materials to help in your preparation: http://www.eutraining.eu/study_material  Tips & Tricks for succeeding at EPSO exams: http://www.eutraining.eu/tipstricks  Live Online Webinar Training - check our latest news regularly: http://www.eutraining.eu/eu_news_archive  Online Interactive E-Learning Courses in EU Affairs: http://www.eutraining.eu/online_courses  EU Affairs Job Portal: http://www.eutraining.eu/eujobs www.eutraining.eu ONLINE EU TRAINING THE EUROPEAN UNION ON YOUR DESKTOP Thank you for using our services! www.eutraining.eu ONLINE EU TRAINING THE EUROPEAN UNION ON YOUR DESKTOP