The work environment in fields of manufacturing, engineering, and production is different from other business fields like service, technology, and retailing. The manufacturing and engineering field heavily depends on the use of complicated machines, plants, and scientific concepts to operate effectively.
In their recruitment process, these businesses test the level of knowledge an applicant has on scientific laws and concepts that machines depend on to operate. These are concepts like floatation, resistance, mass, gravity, and current flow. The purpose of the mechanical reasoning test is to help measure the skills of a candidate in these areas.
What is the purpose of the mechanical reasoning practice test?
The greatest secret for passing the mechanical reasoning test is to practice thoroughly and this is the main reason why a candidate should consider taking the mechanical aptitude practice test. Before taking the real test, a candidate needs to get acquainted with the type of questions to expect and the areas of testing.
Usually, the real test is given to candidates applying for entry-level technical positions in the engineering, manufacturing, and production field. These are positions for applicants who want to work as an electrician, plant operator, technician, and mechanic.
They must be tested in the areas of mechanical knowledge, scientific concepts, visual abilities, spatial skills, and tools knowledge. An applicant might fail the real test if they enter a testing room without prior knowledge of what to expect.
To help them prepare themselves with prior knowledge, several companies have worked hard and prepared up-to-date preparation tests that applicants can take and measure their level of preparedness.
What are the objectives of the mechanical reasoning practice test?
The practice test not only helps a candidate measure their score, but it also helps them measure their different abilities that will be measured in a real test.
It helps measure the test-taking speed
During the test, a candidate is presented with about 30 questions and is required to complete them within thirty minutes. This means each question should take about one minute to answer. Since some of the questions are complex, they might take longer and what matters is reading, thinking, and answering speed. The practice test helps a candidate measure their speed and improve on it before the real test.
Familiarity with questions
The pre-employment test contains various questions divided into sections. The common questions in any mechanical reasoning test are gears, tools, levers, springs, pulleys, and general knowledge on shop arithmetic. The practice test contains all these types of questions to help a candidate get familiar with them.
Measuring skills
During the pre-employment interview process, the test is given to measure a candidate’s skills in three main areas that are important in any engineering, manufacturing, and production field.
These are areas that demand knowledge on electrical circuits, mechanical skills, and elementary science or basic scientific concepts and principles. The practice test helps a candidate know if they are well familiar with these skills and if not, they can refer back to their high school notes and study.
Helps build confidence
A candidate cannot sit twice for the real mechanical reasoning test in one day. They get only one chance to do the test and after that, they are either disqualified or hired. Those who get disqualified can only wait until another time of hiring or try their luck in another company. The advantage of the practice test is that a candidate is never limited with the number of times they can retake it until they feel sufficiently confident.
Nature of questions contained in a mechanical reasoning practice test
Normally, the questions refer to a work scenario and a candidate is presented with diagrams that they must study and answer questions related to an electrical or mechanical work situation. There will be a section of questions the contain various types of images like levers, springs, pulleys, gears, work tools, and circuits.
There will be another set of questions that contain fault diagrams and a candidate will be required to use their mechanical and physical concepts knowledge to answer the questions. Some of the diagrams will require abstract reasoning to answer them correctly.
Some of the questions asked will be the amount of weight required to balance a lever, which direction a gear will turn to, and the amount of force required to pull a load from point A to B.
After completing the test, a candidate will get their results immediately and they may also get suggestions on areas they need to improve. They can keep retaking the practice test until they are certain they have improved in every important area.
Benefits of taking the mechanical reasoning practice test
The practice test is set to look like the real test but more importantly, the testing company provides answers and explains reasons why that answer is the correct one. That way, candidates can pinpoint the area they missed the answer and correct it.
Most preparation tests also have guide courses that use both text and videos to help a candidate understand what to expect. They are easy to take and help build focus and confidence in a candidate.
Main Photo by Scott Graham.
