SOVA Assessment Tests (2024 Guide)

What Is the SOVA Assessment Test?

SOVA is a UK-based assessment company. Its psychometric tests are used predominantly in the corporate world.

The tests are used by companies during the selection process when recruiting new staff, and internally to help employers better understand the development needs of employees.

Sometimes, the tests are used to help the employees themselves understand more about self-progression and the roles they would be best suited to.

The goal of a SOVA assessment is to find out the most information possible about an individual in the least possible time.

Psychometric testing is an effective method of measuring an individual’s potential. It is fast, reliable and most crucially, a fair way of testing, ensuring everyone is assessed equally.

SOVA offers companies the option of purchasing an off-the-shelf test, or a bespoke assessment specifically designed in accordance with the company’s role requirements (the qualities they need in the new recruit).

Ready-made tests are available in Ability, Situational Judgment (SJT), Personality or video assessment. The custom tests include a mixture of questions across some or all of those categories, and there may be additional numerical, logical or verbal reasoning questions.

How Are Sova Tests Taken?

Sova tests are typically taken online through the Sova Assessment platform.

The process for taking Sova tests generally involves the following steps:

Test Invitation

Candidates who are scheduled to take Sova tests receive an invitation via email or a notification through the designated recruitment system.

The invitation includes instructions, a link, and any necessary login credentials to access the Sova Assessment platform.

Accessing the Sova Assessment Platform

Candidates access the Sova Assessment platform by clicking on the provided link in the invitation.

They may need to create an account or log in using the credentials provided.

Test Instructions

Upon accessing the Sova Assessment platform, candidates are presented with test instructions and an overview of the assessment process.

It is important to read these instructions carefully to understand the test format, time limits and any specific guidelines.

Test Format and Content

Sova tests can cover various areas, such as numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, situational judgment or specific job-related assessments.

The specific tests and their formats will depend on the requirements of the role and the assessments chosen by the employer.

Time Limits

Sova tests are typically timed, meaning candidates have a specified amount of time to complete each test or section.

The time limits vary depending on the test and its complexity.

Candidates should be mindful of the allocated time and manage it effectively to answer all the questions within the given timeframe.

Answering the Questions

Candidates will encounter a series of questions or tasks on the Sova Assessment platform.

They will need to select the most appropriate answer or complete the required tasks based on the given information.

The format may involve multiple-choice questions, ranking options or open-ended responses, depending on the specific test.

Submitting the Test

Once the candidate has completed all the test sections or questions, they can submit their responses through the Sova Assessment platform.

It is important to review the answers and ensure all sections have been completed before submitting.

Test Results

After the candidate has submitted the test, the responses are typically scored and analyzed by the Sova Assessment platform.

The results are then provided to the employer or recruitment team for further evaluation and decision-making.

What Is Being Assessed On The SOVA Test?

Different tests are used to discover different things:

The Ability Test

This test is designed to assess how capable the candidate is of doing a certain job or performing a certain task.

The test assesses whether you possess a certain skill and how likely you are to develop the skill you have further, or learn to do it.

The Personality Test

The personality test is used to assess your personality, motivations, interests and values within the parameters of a specific role.

These tests usually ask the candidate to rank statements in a certain order or make a choice about something.

The answers you give will provide the employer with vital information about:

• How you problem solve
• How motivated you are
• How you manage complex situations
• Your flexibility
• Whether you are a keen learner
• Whether you are a decision-maker or leave the decision making to others
• How well you engage with colleagues and clients
• Whether you are open to new ideas and can adapt to change
• How resilient you are

The Situational Judgement Test (STJ)

This looks at how you would tackle a certain situation that could quite possibly arise in the role you are applying for.

The STJ test is assessing competency and aptitude in certain areas and therefore uses psychometrics to establish whether or not you have what it takes to perform the job.

SOVA Assessment Test - Question Formats and Type

Situational Judgement Test (STJ)

The STJ assesses your response to a series of work-based scenarios. These tests usually comprise a mixture of video, text and imagery, and ask the candidate to select from a list of options.

You have to choose your response, allocating ‘least effective’ and ‘most effective’ to two options out of a possible three or four.

Example STJ Question

The Ability Test

The Ability Test comprises numerical, logical or verbal reasoning questions.

In these tests, you are likely to have to interpret graphs, diagrams, patterns or a section of text.

Example Numerical Reasoning Question

Example Verbal Reasoning Question

This question is testing your ability to stay focused, concentrate on the information you have been given and make a judgment at speed.

Example Logical Reasoning Question

Identify the pattern and choose the answer that fits in the middle square.

The correct answer is: b)

For each row, column three minus column 2 equals column 1.

Personality Test

The SOVA Personality Test assesses behaviour – the way an individual reacts to and deals with different scenarios, their preferences, and their likes and dislikes.

In this SOVA test, a set of four statements is presented to the candidate. The individual must rate the statements on a scale of which is most like them, to which is least like them.

Example Personality Test Question

To what extent do the following statements reflect your behaviour in the workplace?

Answer

There are no right or wrong answers here. The answers you give will help the employer assess whether or not you are right for the role they are recruiting for.

Although you should answer honestly, it is worth spending some time thinking about the key attributes that are vital to the role and how you can demonstrate those.

Video Interview

For the video interview, candidates must answer a series of pre-recorded questions.

You will have one minute to consider the question and prepare an answer. A further three minutes are given for you to record your response.

What to Expect When Taking a SOVA Assessment Test in 2024

The SOVA assessments are completed remotely via a Zoom-based platform referred to as the Virtual Assessment Centre (AC).

There is no special software needed and you can access the AC via laptop, PC, mobile or tablet.

Despite the tests being digital, you will still need a pen, paper and calculator within reach for certain elements of the test.

Candidates can try out a practice question at the start of every individual assessment.

There is no defined time limit; however, SOVA does calculate your final score based on how long it took you to answer the questions, so time still matters.

Time yourself when practising the different types of questions; you should aim to complete a numerical or logical reasoning question in under 45 seconds and a verbal reasoning question in under 30 seconds.

Whilst psychometric tests are specifically designed to test what you can’t revise, there are some things you can do to make yourself more comfortable during the test, and therefore stand a better chance of being able to answer the questions on the day without feeling pressured.

Here is our step by step guide for doing well on the SOVA test:

Which Employers Use SOVA Tests?

Some of the employers known to use Sova tests include:

• Deloitte
• GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
• BAE Systems
• Capgemini
• Rolls-Royce

Final Thoughts

Psychometric testing can be daunting and the first time you see one of the questions you may feel overwhelmed.

However, putting in the practice before your SOVA assessment will help you get used to the style of questions used in the test so that you don’t get flustered on the day.

It’s important not to rush and potentially miss vital details. When answering questions, you are being timed; however, the timer stops when you are reading the instructions between sections.

Use your time wisely; read through carefully and ensure you understand what you need to do fully before proceeding.

The numerical and logical reasoning questions will often have a single correct answer, and all of the other options will be considered the wrong answer (for example, 2 + 2 = 4, it cannot be 5, 6 or 7), but for a lot of the questions, the answer is more ambiguous.

When answering qualitative questions where what is ‘correct’ is open to debate, think about the role you are applying for and the qualities the employer is looking for.

These assessments aren’t designed to test individuals in the same way a maths exam would. This is not about seeing how good you are at percentages or fractions, it is about assessing your competency at interpreting data, processing information and reacting to certain situations.