What Is A Sova Assessment?
Sova is a test publisher that provides scientifically-tested psychometric assessments, as well as a recruitment platform for candidates to complete the process on. They have an extensive and customisable library of cognitive skill questions, which are used to create tailored tests for their clients.
They are used by a number of major companies such as John Lewis, Pfizer, Santander, and RSA for all different kinds of hiring needs. Currently, they offer services for finding talent, internal hiring, volume hiring, and lateral hiring, so you may come across a Sova assessment on most recruitment pathways.
The Structure Of Sova Assessments
As Sova has a wide range of psychometric tests, they offer complex and bespoke testing services in order to meet the unique needs that each company asks for.
This means that you will probably encounter Sova assessments that are made up of a blend of different kinds of tests, rather than multiple separate tests for each specific ability. They aim to learn more while asking less by assessing candidates holistically, making the process more accurate and more streamlined.
Sova Ability Test
A Sova ability test is designed to assess how quickly and accurately you process information that is presented in different ways. An ability test demonstrates workplace skills such as communication, numerical literacy, and how well you work under pressure.
The three types of ability test are:
Sova Numerical Reasoning Test
A numerical reasoning test is asking you to demonstrate your ability to work with numbers and how well you process and analyse information presented in a numerical format. This usually includes concepts such as graphs, charts, fractions, currency conversions, and basic algebra.
Employers like to use numerical reasoning tests for all kinds of jobs as most roles include working with numbers in some capacity, but they are especially popular for sales, finance, and managerial roles.
Sova Verbal Reasoning Test
To test how well you process and interpret written information, you will be given a verbal reasoning test. They are a popular ability test as they demonstrate someone's communication skills, their level of mastery with the English language, and critical thinking, which are all important for a high performing employee.
Typically, a verbal reasoning test will present you with a passage and then you will be asked to answer 'true/false/cannot say' questions regarding the information. This kind of test structure shows how quickly you process information, if you are able to quickly and accurately draw correct conclusions, as well as differentiate between fact and fiction.
Sova Logical Reasoning Test
A logical reasoning test assesses the same kind of information processing skills, but it does so through patterns and shapes, and so, are sometimes known as diagrammatic reasoning. You will be asked to identify sequences and relationships between images, showing that you can follow through a logical process and have good problem solving skills.
Logical reasoning does not depend on any kind of prior knowledge or information, but can be abstract and relies on you to follow patterns to their logical conclusion in order to get the correct answer. They are often used by employers as they demonstrate problem-solving skills, creativity, and general intelligence, which are all highly valued skills in the workplace.
Sova Personality Test
One of the other categories of test that Sova provides is a personality test, which most people are familiar with, and are assessments of your behavioural preferences and general temperament. For the questionnaire, you will be given statements and then asked to rate them on a five-point scale from 'most like me' to 'least like me'.
It is important to remember that there are no right or wrong answers on a personality test, they are not scored in the same way as the ability tests. Instead, companies will compare your answers to current employees' tests and/or their company values and ethics, in order to ascertain whether you are the right fit for the company and the role.
Try to answer as closely to how you would respond in a professional setting as possible, and keep in mind the kind of role you are applying for and what the candidate specification listed as desirable qualities.
Sova Situational Judgement Test
Another kind of behavioural test that Sova publishes is the situational judgement test, which gauges how you might respond to scenarios that you are likely to encounter on the job. You will be presented with a workplace situation, usually some kind of conflict or difficult decision, and asked to rank responses according to which you think is 'least effective' to 'most effective'.
This shows employers what kind of personality you have, particularly when it comes to conflict resolution, assertiveness, empathy, and professionalism. Again, these are often used in conjunction with other ability tests in order to assess how well you fit the company culture, rather than depending on any technical skills that you have.
Tips To Pass Sova Tests
1. Prepare Your Environment
When taking a test it is important to make sure that your work space is suitably prepared so that you are able to concentrate. You should check and get together any equipment that you are allowed, e.g. calculator, notepaper, dictionary, etc, ensuring that you will not be caught out during the test and are able to do your best.
2. Research The Company
Sova assessments are customisable and usually made bespoke for the company and the role being recruited for, which means that knowing as much about the company as possible will help immensely. This is particularly true for the personality and situational judgement tests, as they are highly dependent on the culture of the company and the way that they operate.
Research the company and their values in order to get a better understanding of the type of person they are looking for, and how that compares to your usual working style.
3. Practice Example Tests
The best way to improve your chances of passing a Sova test is to do as manypractice tests as possible. This way you can get a better understanding of the structure of the questions, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and become comfortable working under test conditions.
4. Avoid Distractions
The tests are taken remotely online, so it is important that you find a space where you will not be interrupted or distracted for the entire duration. This includes putting your phone on silent, or better yet, leaving it in a different room entirely. The tests are not timed, but you are scored on how long it takes you to answer the questions, so it is vital that you are focused the entire time you are taking the test.
5. Read The Questions Carefully
Although your test time is taken into consideration, it is still most important to focus on getting as many correct answers as possible. Take your time to read the questions carefully so that you completely understand what is being asked of you and you are less likely to make little mistakes, which can quickly add up to making a big impact on your final score.
