The Winning Mantra (The Winning Mantra) was approached by one of India’s top 5 software service companies to revamp its aptitude tests used for the second level screening during the recruitment of entry-level software engineers. The company faced significant challenges with their existing tests, including poor validity, low reliability, and inconsistent difficulty levels. Additionally, candidates were able to game the tests by practicing questions available online.
Test Paper Development Process
To address these issues, The Winning Mantra collaborated with key stakeholders within the company so as to ensure that the tests would be tailored to the specific competencies required by the company. The team decided to use a multiple-choice format for all questions, ensuring consistency and ease of administration. The duration of the tests was determined in consultation with the company, and a balance was struck between the number of questions and the allotted time. The Winning Mantra team developed questions that were relevant to the selected competencies and included questions of varying difficulty levels to accurately grade candidates’ abilities.
A pilot test was conducted with a representative sample of cohort to validate the test. The results were analysed to assess the test’s validity and reliability, and the tests were refined based on feedback and pilot test results.
The Winning Mantra monitored the effectiveness of the test over time, and made necessary adjustments to ensure the test remained relevant and effective.
Outcome
The company expressed high satisfaction with the test papers provided by The Winning Mantra, and the tests prepared were used by it for many years.
The outcome of this project was a large set of aptitude test papers that accurately assessed candidates’ skills and abilities. The tests provided a reliable and valid measure of a candidate’s potential for success in the company, helping to ensure that the best candidates were selected as software engineers.
