A prospective employer may require you to take job-related tests to make certain that you have the skills needed to do a job. The most common tests include typing and dictation for secretarial positions, maths tests for accounting jobs, and various tests in computer programming languages.
Applicants for some jobs maybe asked to undergo a physical examination, including the taking of blood and/or urine samples as a health check or, very occasionally, to test for drug abuse. Ask the company to explain its policy and procedures regarding blood and urine tests and tell you the precise method being used. Remember that it is unethical for an employer to test you for the HIV virus without your knowledge and agreement.
If the results of a physical examination are used to decide whether or not you are offered the job, each part of the examination must be shown to be relevant to the successful performance of the job.
No test should discriminate against any minority group.
The chemicals in some foods and medications can show up positive on drug tests, so let your potential employer know if you fear this might happen.
Increasing numbers of companies are using psychological tests of aptitude and personality as part of their selection procedure. For more senior jobs you may be asked to take part in a simulation test (for example, a group discussion or a management simulation game). Make sure that the company explains which tests it intends to use, which comparison groups you will be tested against, and how the test results will contribute to the decision to employ you. Any prospective employer who does not know the answers to these questions or will not answer is not worth working for. In spite of their increasing popularity with employers, most psychological tests have a limited role to play in selecting employees compared with interviews and application forms.
