Thomas International

Founded in 1981, Thomas International is considered to be one of the leading global providers of aptitude tests in the current market, working with more than 32,000 companies in over 60 countries and offering exams in 56 different languages to date. Thomas International have developed a wide array of cognitive tests, aiming to assess all the various skills and platforms that are of interest to companies looking to recruit new employees. These range all the way from general intelligence assessments to emotional intelligence and personality tests.

Which Tests Have Thomas International Developed?

Thomas International offer assessments relevant to many different fields such as business, education and sport. Several types of cognitive tests are available:

1. GIA
2. PPA
3. TEIQue
4. 'Engage'

The General Intelligence Assessment (GIA)

Overview of the GIA

The Global Intelligence Assessment (GIA) was first published in 1992 following 15 years of development, originally designed for assessing cognitive abilities required for training in the British Armed Forces. In 2006, Thomas International first incorporated the GIA into its exam stockpile and it is now utilised in regular workplace recruitment and development processes. Unlike IQ tests, the GIA analyses learning potential rather than existing intelligence quotient. The exam is comprised of 5 mini tests, each focusing on a different field of general intelligence:

The Reasoning Test

This test evaluates the candidate's ability to analyze and reason from information presented, to make inferences and draw correct conclusion as well as assess the individual's short-term memory and problem-solving skills.

Question Examples

Simple:

John is bigger than Jean.

Moderate:

Tom is smarter than Robert.

Complicated:

Jessica is not as strong as Sara.

The test is built so that the information provided in the question is presented before the actual question rather than at the same time. The information can be studied for as long as the candidate wishes before proceeding to the question, although the fact that the exam lasts roughly 5 minutes must be taken into account.

The Perceptual Speed Test

This exam assesses the candidate's ability to recognize inaccuracies in texts, numbers and diagrams. It also measures the individual's ability to recognize similarities and differences, to identify and ignore irrelevant information and to check the given information for various errors.

Example

Four pairs of letters are presented. How many of the pairs match (out of the numbers available)?

Explanation

In this example, the correspondence in question is between capital letters (e. g. ''E'') and lowercase letters (e.g. ''e''). Here the first, third and fourth pairs are identical, whereas the second pair do not match (Q and y). The final answer is 3 because there are 3 identical pairs, as circled in the exercise.

The Number Speed and Accuracy Test

This test measures the candidate's numerical abilities, that is, his ability to handle numbers with skill, speed and precision. It's main goal is to assess an individual's ability to work with quantitative data.

Example

For each problem presented, first identify the highest and the lowest numbers. Then determine which of these two numbers is the further away from the remaining number.

3 steps are necessary in this exercise:

1. Identification of the highest number and the lowest number (mentally).
2. Also mentally, identify which of these two numbers is furthest from the remaining number.
3. Select the appropriate number.

Explanation

In this example, 2 is the lowest number, 8 is the highest and 4 lies in between them. 8 is 4 digits away from 4 whilst 2 is only 2 digits away and so the correct answer is 8.

Verbal Comprehension - Word Meaning

This exam is intended to reflect the candidate's ability to understand and analyze words and their definitions and includes questions regarding vocabulary, synonyms, antonyms, homonyms, etc. The test also aims to assess the individual's comprehension ability using different kinds of texts and his/her ability to understand oral or written instructions required for the job in question.

Example

Identify which of the following 3 words is irrelative.

Spatial orientation

This test evaluates the individual's spatial reasoning ability, that is, his ability to manipulate, analyze and assimilate shapes and diagrams in space, both 2 and 3 dimensional. The exam reflects the candidate's capacity to work and succeed in occupations requiring spatial orientation and visual-spatial memory, such as architects, engineers and pilots.

Example

How many of the following symbols differ only in degrees of rotation?

Explanation

In this exercise, it is important to understand the difference between an image that has rotated on itself and a mirror image that has rotated.

• An image which has been rotated will always correspond to the shape at the top.
• The mirror image will never match, regardless of rotation.

How Does the Thomas International GIA Test Work?

A short explanation of the exam structure and general instructions are given at the beginning of the test. Each of the 5 tests also begin with simple instructions and a demonstration of the manner in which the questions should be solved. The introduction also contains 8 practice questions intended to familiarize the candidate with the test. Each test lasts between 2-5 minutes and the entire test takes between 30 and 50 minutes to complete (including the introductory section).

How Are the Test Results Presented?

The results of Thomas International's Global Intelligence Assessment are presented in a comprehensive test report. The report consists of a diagram indicating the candidate's success in each field (in percentages) as well as a representation of the candidate's scores compared with an established standard. In addition, the candidate's scoring in each mini test is presented, including a breakdown of both the accurate and inaccurate answers given and thus reflecting the candidate's cognitive abilities in each of these areas. The candidate can receive his test report if he wishes so.

Tips and Tricks

• Pay attention! Recruiting companies receive warnings along with the test report if a candidate chooses answers at random.
• If you believe that you at a disadvantage in taking the test as a result of disability, culture, linguistics or any other reason, it is important to bring the matter up during the interview. The interviewer must take the above into account and may not use the test results as justification for dismissal or disqualification. The test will then be used only as a means of measurement and will not prejudice the rest of the recruitment procedure.
• Completing the exam with a mouse is highly recommended. If you intend to use a laptop, connect a mouse rather than use the touchpad.
• If you are left-handed and performing the test under supervision, you are entitled to reverse the mouse buttons in order to suit you, just let the examiner know.
• If you are taking the test from home, you must specify the resolution of your screen in order to see the test in a correct and clear manner.
• Read the instructions carefully! This will help you avoid misunderstandings and loss of points for no good reason.
• We advise you to answer the questions as accurately and quickly as possible, as time is limited for each of the mini tests and is taken into account in the final examination report.
• The day before your exam, return to this page in order to refresh your memory! The examples we have provided follow the same logic as the test and the tips and tricks are sure to help.

The Personal Profile Analysis Test (PPA)

Overview of the PPA

 Thomas International's most popular and utilized personality test is the PPA (Personal Profile Analysis). Available in 56 languages, the Thomas PPA test is a forced choice questionnaire, based on the ipsative referencing method, i.e. the candidate must choose from the different options available in each question. Each individual's responses are taken into account and a profile is built based on the ensemble of the given candidate's answers, as opposed to being compared to a control group. In each question the contender is asked to choose the term or adjective that they feel describes them most correctly, as well as the term they least identify with. The exam is comprised of 24 questions, each offering a bank of 4 different adjectives so that all in all the candidate must choose 48 terms out of the 96 available.

The PPA+ is a different version of the exam, adapted for young people over the age of 11 as well as bilingual individuals for whom French is the second language.

Which Personality Traits Are Highlighted by the PPA?

The Thomas International PPA is based on the DiSC model, created by William Moulton Marston. The model evaluates four behavioural patterns: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness trait and Conscientiousness, hence the acronym DiSC. Find out more about the Disc's personality traits.

How Are the Test Results Presented?

The Thomas personality test offers 18 different types of profile reports, each suited to various job types.

Each test report contains a complete analysis of the candidate's profile, including a graphed representation of the candidate's results in comparison to the DiSC model, an extensive description of the candidate's behaviour and a respective list of adjectives.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyewRWLI3Cg

The Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue)

The TEIQue is an emotional intelligence test that assesses candidates' character and personality traits related to emotional intelligence. It reflects the examinee's ability to control or be controlled by emotions as well as the capacity to understand their emotions and feelings. It also assesses the individual's ability to cope with and react to the emotions of those surrounding them and the manner in which they manage their interpersonal relationships.

Test Format

Thomas International's TEIQue (pronounced TQ) is comprised of 153 items, for each of which the candidate must decide their level of concurrence on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The TEIQue lasts between 25 and 35 minutes.

How Are the Results of the TEIQue Presented?

The test report presented by Thomas International to individuals who have taken the TEIQue is extremely comprehensive and includes over 25 pages of information, explanations and graphs, based on the candidate's results. It also includes an evaluation of all the personality traits presented in this test.

Thomas International Engage Test

Thomas International's Engage Test is an online questionnaire intended to survey employee levels of professional engagement. Recommendations on ways to improve and reach ideal levels of engagement are then made based on the test results. The survey is 5 minutes long and measures seven key factors which drive engagement in the workplace:

1. Participation: An individual needs to feel accepted, have his\her opinions heard and that others listen to him\her and respect what he\she has to say.
2. Solidarity: Humans have basic needs for personal relationships, security, trust and support, as well as the feeling that they are valued as a member of the group.
3. Challenges: Individuals tend to enjoy performing tasks they are naturally good at and excel in these fields. Many are also driven by challenges and perform better as a result.
4. Freedom: Employees tend to be more engaged and devoted to work when they feel that their boss trusts them. Delegating responsibilities to them and allowing them the freedom to go about the tasks as they wish allows them to perform in a manner to which they are best adapted.
5. Clarity: An individual will be most engaged when he understands and is motivated by the work's purpose and knows exactly what the tasks at hand involve and what is expected of him.
6. Recognition: Complementation, appreciation and recognition of an employee's work and efforts will increase self-confidence and improve employee productivity.
7. Growth: An individual must always strive to improve, to learn new skills and develop his\her talents, especially in work environments which constantly change over time.

How Are the Results of the Engage Test Presented?

The test results are evaluated and presented in a comprehensive test report.

In Which Languages Are Thomas International Assessments Available?

Companies Using Thomas International Tests