(PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SJT HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED BY THE TEST OF JUDGEMENT. THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVOLUTION OF THE EXAM).
What is the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) ?
The Situational Judgement Test (SJT) assesses an individual’s skill for solving problems or conflicts that may arise in the work place. It is common that these questions discuss situations that relate to team work, interpersonal communication, and workplace dynamics. The Situational Judgement Test is composed of fifty problems. Each problem is followed by two questions asking the candidate to select the most effective way to deal with the problem and the least effective way to deal with the problem. Each answer is equivalent to one mark. Unlike the Graduate Recruitment Test, the Situational Judgement Test does not require any mathematical or logistical skills to do well on the test. In fact, some students have been pleasantly surprised to see decent scores on this exam. You are given 90 minutes to complete the test. NOTE: The Public Service Commission is in the process of creating a new Situational Judgement Test that may require test candidates to rank responses from the most effective to the least effective. This new version of the new Situational Judgement Test is in the pilot stages.
Here are three free examples of the Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
Question 1 You are the newest member in your team. In a team meeting, your director mentions an important international venue that will be held in the United States. This venue is relevant to your team’s work and is of great interest to you. Spaces are limited and he requires a list of interested team members within the next 72 hours. You are aware of the fact that there may be more experienced team members that may wish to attend. However, after two days, you realize that none of your co-workers have expressed interest in attending.
What is the most effective way to deal with this situation? a) Tell your director you are interested in attending the meeting. b) Tell your co-workers that since none of them have expressed interest in the conference that you will be going. c) Consult with your co-workers and tell them that you would like to attend, but would like to know if anyone else is interested in going. d) Hint to your co-workers that they should decide who should go to the international venue, but don’t express interest. e) Don’t say anything.
What is the least effective way to deal with this situation? a) Tell your director you are interested in attending the meeting. b) Tell your co-workers that since none of them have expressed interest in the conference that you will be going. c) Consult with your co-workers and tell them that you would like to attend, but would like to know if anyone else is interested in going. d) Hint to your co-workers that they should decide who should go to the international venue, but don’t express interest. e) Don’t say anything.
Question 2 Your company’s policy state that the wireless phones should only be used for work related calls. Each employee has a limit of $50.00 per month. Your co-worker makes personal calls every day on the company’s wireless phone and his monthly bill has exceeded $200.00 each month over the last 9 months. One day you are in the hall and you overhear him boasting to a colleague that he defends the personal calls on his bill by telling his manager that the additional amounts are due to a few contracts that he is working on that will be lucrative in the near future.
What is the most effective way to deal with this situation? a) Tell your manager that your co-worker is lying and provide additional information. b) Speak to your co-worker about the company’s policy on wireless phone usage. c) Leave an anonymous note on your co-workers desk with the relevant company’s policy on wireless phone usage. d) Start using your phone for personal calls and use the same excuse as your co-worker. e) Don’t do anything.
What is the least effective way to deal with this situation? a) Tell your manager that your co-worker is lying and provide additional information. b) Speak to your co-worker about the company’s policy on wireless phone usage. c) Leave an anonymous note on your co-workers desk with the relevant company’s policy on wireless phone usage. d) Start using your phone for personal calls and use the same excuse as your co-worker. e) Don’t do anything.
Question 3 You and two other employees have been assigned to conduct an interview panel for five job candidates. All three of you are aware that one of the candidates is the son of your boss’s close friend. Due to this relationship, the other two employees would like you to move him to the next stage regardless of his performance but will need you to give him a passing score.
What is the most effective way to deal with this situation? a) Tell your boss about your co-workers concerns. b) Conduct the interview and give the candidate an honest assessment of his performance. c) Call in sick on the day that you are to interview the candidates. d) Tell the employees that you are all expected to evaluate all the candidates based on their merit. e) Speak directly to HR about the conflict of interest.
What is the least effective way to deal with this situation? a) Tell your boss about your co-workers concerns. b) Conduct the interview and give the candidate an honest assessment of his performance. c) Call in sick on the day that you are to interview the candidates. d) Tell the employees that you are all expected to evaluate all the candidates based on their merit. e) Speak directly to HR about the conflict of interest.