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What Is Kenexa Prove It! Test and How to Pass It

What Is Kenexa Prove It! Test and How to Pass It

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What Is The Kenexa Test?

Kenexa tests are used by many organisations to screen candidates as part of the recruitment process. Kenexa itself is a global consultancy, which specialises in business psychology and is a creator of psychometric tests.

The company was established in 1987 and during its early years it focused primarily on recruitment. Through a series of acquisitions, Kenexa expanded its service offering to the talent management sector. It was acquired by IBM in 2012 for $1.3 billion.

Kenexa has a portfolio of more than 1,500 assessments that can be customised to suit the specific requirements of each business. Kenexa tests are usually used during the initial screening stage, though they can be incorporated into the recruitment process at any point.

What Categories of Kenexa Assessment Are There?

  • Advanced Reasoning. These are assessments that evaluate psychometric skills such as verbal and numerical reasoning.

  • Career Fit. A test designed to assess personality and/or a competency. Many businesses use this type of test to identify the most suitable candidate based on workplace preference, rather than looking specifically at job descriptions.

  • Culture Fit. In certain work environments, staff need to demonstrate a particular type of personality. This test will determine whether the candidate holds the values that the company believes are important.

  • Job Fit. An assessment that enables the employer to identify the candidate with the strongest job preferences in relation to the job that they have applied for.

  • Kenexa KPIs.The Kenexa Key Performance Indicators is a suite of tools used by employers to highlight whether a candidate would engage in specific behaviours that would be integral to the role they have applied for (such as teamwork).

  • Kenexa Prove It. This is a comprehensive platform including over 1,200 tests that range from job-specific skills through to more general competency or personality tests.

Kenexa Tests

Kenexa tests include numerical, verbal and logical reasoning assessments.

Practice Kenexa Test with JobTestPrep

What Types of Aptitude Tests does Kenexa Produce?

There are four core aptitudes covered by Kenexa tests:

Numerical Reasoning

Questions will be selected from a bank of 174 questions and candidates have 20 minutes to complete the test, which comprises 20 questions (so an average of one minute per question).

This type of test will be used to review the candidate’s ability to analyse and interpret numerical data, as well as being able to understand profit margins and calculate percentages.

See more on numerical reasoning tests, and take a free sample test here.

Verbal Reasoning

These tests are also 20 minutes in length, with 24 questions to answer. Each question relates to a paragraph of information accompanied by a statement.

This statement may be either false, true or it cannot be determined, based on the information contained in the text.

These verbal reasoning tests are often used to determine the candidate’s communication skills.

See more on verbal reasoning tests, and take a free sample test here.

Logical Reasoning

During this assessment, the candidate will be provided with a series of different shapes, and they must identify the missing pattern to complete the sequence.

A logical reasoning test aims to evaluate the candidate’s ability to reach correct conclusions based on the information in the sequence.

See more on logical reasoning tests, and take a free sample test here.

Kenexa CAT

The Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) is one of the most recent additions to Kenexa. In this test, candidates answer a series of questions that increase in difficulty as they progress.

The CAT assessments include three main types of test: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and logical reasoning.

Kenexa Practice Test

Which Companies use Kenexa Tests in 2024?

Many organisations now use psychometric tests as a screening tool for candidates. Numerical and verbal reasoning tests are perhaps the most commonly used.

Companies that rely on Kenexa tests as part of their screening process include:

  • Balfour Beatty and Nomura, which use Kenexa’s numerical reasoning tests
  • Bank of America Merrill Lynch and CVS Caremark, which use Kenexa’s situational judgement tests
  • Grant Thornton, which use Kenexa’s numerical and verbal reasoning tests

If you need to prepare for a number of different employment tests and want to outsmart the competition, choose a Premium Membership from JobTestPrep.

You will get access to three PrepPacks of your choice, from a database that covers all the major test providers and employers and tailored profession packs.

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How to Prepare for Kenexa Tests in 2024

Step 1. Practice Sample Questions

Preparation is key when it comes to passing the Kenexa tests. The more you practice, the better your technique will become.

In addition, the more tests that you sit, the more you will be able to identify patterns in the questions.

Step 2. Identify Strengths and Weaknesses

If you are more comfortable with verbal reasoning tests (for example if you are a native speaker of English), put your focus on numerical reasoning - looking specifically at interpreting data, working out percentages, and calculating ratios and currency conversions.

When it comes to preparing for verbal reasoning tests prepared by Kenexa, candidates are always encouraged to be aware of double negatives. This is a strategy which is intentionally used to throw you off course or cause confusion. Therefore, it is important to read the information carefully and synthesise what it says.

To strengthen your verbal reasoning skills, you should aim to read a commercial magazine such as The Economist or Forbes. Practice by summarizing the key points of the article and try to comprehend complex business information about real issues. This will enable you to approach the real test with more confidence.

If you want further practice of Kenexa-style tests, we recommend the Kenexa package offered by JobTestPrep.

Step 3. Understand the Test Format

Familiarize yourself with the types of tests you may encounter, such as numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, situational judgment, and personality assessments.

Knowing the format in advance will help you know what to expect.

Step 4. Time Management

Kenexa tests are usually timed, so practice answering questions under time pressure.

Learn to prioritize questions and move on if you're stuck to avoid getting stuck on one question and running out of time for the rest.

Step 5. Read Instructions and Questions Carefully

Pay close attention to instructions and ensure you understand what is being asked before attempting to answer.

In some tests, there might be penalties for wrong answers. If this is the case, avoid blind guessing and only answer when you can make an educated guess.

Step 6. Stay Calm and Focused

Stress can negatively impact your performance. Practice relaxation techniques and maintain a positive mindset during the test.

Ensure you are well-rested before the actual test, as being fatigued can impair your cognitive abilities.

Kenexa Practice Test

Example Practice Kenexa Questions (2024)

In this section are a few examples of typical questions that you could find in the Kenexa tests.

Verbal Reasoning

Candidates will be given a passage of text such as the one below.

Example Question

“Electricity is one of the main causes of accident fires in homes throughout the UK. Many of these fires are attributed to human error such as failing to turn off or unplug appliances or overloading extension sockets. Other contributing factors include poor or faulty electrical wiring or loose plugs. In order to protect consumers and reduce the risk electrical appliances should be fitted with a plug displaying the European or British safety mark. In addition, an RCD (Residual Current Device) can help reduce the risk of electric shock. People are also advised not to leave candles unattended, particularly when they are near combustible material.”

This is then followed by a question such as:

Faulty wiring is the main contributing factor to house fires in domestic properties. Is this:

  • True
  • False
  • Cannot determine

We’ve created a free practice verbal reasoning test – to try it out, click here.

Numerical Reasoning

In a numerical reasoning test, the candidate is presented with a graph or chart which will be used to assess how well you can process and synthesise data.

Here’s an example question:

Example Question

A chart states the various percentages of revenue attributed to a digital marketing campaign as follows:

  • Email makes £60
  • Social media generates £104
  • Paid search generates £20
  • Direct website referrals make £70
  • SEO generates £46

Based on this information the candidate would be asked a question such as working out which two marketing methods would account for 50% of the revenue generated by the firm.

We’ve created a free practice numerical reasoning test – to try it out, click here.

How to Succeed at Kenexa Tests in 2024

As with any psychometric test, the key to success is practice and Kenexa tests are no different.

That said, we have put together some tips to help you succeed not just in Kenexa tests but any psychometric test:

Step 1. Read the Question

During your practice Kenexa tests, make sure that you familiarise yourself with the questions and the style of questioning.

Always read the question carefully and make sure you know what it is asking rather than answering what you think the answer should be.

Failing to read the question properly can result in missing out a crucial piece of information.

Sometimes candidates may find that reading the question twice may help. Be careful though, because this can waste valuable time, particularly in the real test when you only have around a minute to answer each question.

Step 2. Make Use of Notepaper

Use the notepaper that you have been given to work out your answers. Make sure that they are properly thought through before you choose your answer.

Step 3. Fine-Tune Your Timing

This is why practising your tests is so important. Kenexa and other psychometric tests are fast-paced, so completing practice tests will allow you to accustom yourself to timing and know when you have to move on to the next question.

Step 4. Filter Out Unnecessary Information

Sometimes the tests will intentionally include redundant information, so it is important that you can quickly evaluate and discard what is not required.

If you want further practice of Kenexa-style tests, we recommend the Kenexa package offered by JobTestPrep.

Kenexa Practice Test

Frequently Asked Questions

The best preparation method for a Kenexa Prove It Excel test is to practice with questions that you can download in advance. The more you do this, the more comfortable you will be at spotting patterns in the questions; for example, when they add redundant information.

The practice questions will help build your speed as well as your confidence. They also get you in the habit of reading questions carefully so you don’t get caught out by them.

Remember to keep notepaper with you as you work out your answers and make sure that the logic is properly thought through before you choose your final answer.

To pass the Kenexa assessment test you want to improve your numerical, verbal and logical reasoning.

You can work on this by doing practice questions or even going further – for example, you can strengthen verbal reasoning skills by reading magazines such as The Economist or Forbes. You can then summarize the key points of the article to check your comprehension. This will improve your understanding of complex business information about real issues and then help you approach the real Kenexa test with more confidence.

Similarly, practicing your numerical or logical reasoning using graphs or charts will help you show that you can process and synthesize data when you take the tests.

Kenexa tests are very popular types of psychometric assessments used by big companies.

The numerical tests from Kenexa are used by Balfour Beatty and Nomura, while the verbal reasoning ones are used by Grant Thornton. There are also situational judgment tests within the large portfolio of assessments that Kenexa holds and these are used by Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and CVS Caremark.

The Kenexa tests are often used at an early stage of screening by these big companies. Tests like these help companies during their recruitment and hiring process to make sure they are taking the best candidates.

To ace your assessments it’s important to practice Kenexa tests online. You can download whole packs or just look for sample questions in the areas where you might need improvement.

The four core aptitudes covered by Kenexa tests are numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning and the CAT (Computer Adaptive Test).

It’s common to feel more confident in some areas versus others, so spend time practicing the aptitude you think you need the most help in. You will need notepaper when you practice and you’ll want to recreate the test situation as closely as possible so it feels realistic to you.

Kenexa tests include more than 1,500 different assessments so there are entry-level tests as well as harder versions of most of the skills it tests for.

Companies can request customization to suit their specific requirements.

Kenexa tests are usually used during the initial screening stage, though they can be incorporated into the recruitment process at any point. If they are used later in the process this might be to distinguish between close-run candidates, so these tests are likely to be more difficult.

Some tests, like The Computer Adaptive Test (CAT), which is one of the most recent additions to Kenexa, have the candidates answer a series of questions that actually increase in difficulty as they progress.

Like most psychometric tests used by big companies, Kenexa tests are often timed. Typically, you would have approximately one minute to answer each question, but this can vary according to the specific Kenexa test you are facing.

It’s important to do plenty of preparation and practice so that you get speedier at answering questions. Remember you have competition when you’re applying for a job, so you want to make sure you stand out by answering the Kenexa test questions without wasting valuable time.

You can get used to the fast-paced nature of psychometric tests by doing as many practice tests as you can manage.

The four core skills covered by Kenexa tests are numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, logical reasoning and the CAT (Computer Adaptive Test).

In addition, there are more specific tests that Kenexa has in its large portfolio.

For example, the Career Fit test is designed to assess candidates’ personalities and competencies. Another is the Culture Fit test where companies who want their staff to demonstrate a particular type of personality will screen for these specific values and traits.

The Job Fit test is another assessment that helps employers to identify candidates with strong job preferences that relate to the role that they have applied for.

Preparation is very important when it comes to passing the Kenexa tests you have coming up. The more you practice test questions, the smoother your technique will become and you will build your confidence.

In addition, the more practice that you do, the more you will be able to identify repeated patterns in the questions. For example, in verbal reasoning tests prepared by Kenexa, you will see double negatives popping up as you practice.

These are examples of ways in which Kenexa is trying to put you under pressure or cause confusion. Similarly, some tests will intentionally include redundant information, so you need to prepare and practice to learn how to evaluate and discard the information that is not required.

Kenexa tests are psychometric tests that can help companies work out who to hire. The recruitment process is expensive for companies so they use Kenexa tests to streamline their methods and avoid hiring mistakes.

Companies can ask candidates to take Job or Culture Fit tests by Kenexa because these help them pick the candidates who would fit in most easily and stick with the job.

Companies also use the Kenexa Key Performance Indicators to help them work out whether a candidate would engage in specific behaviors that are important to the role they are recruiting for (for example, traits such as problem-solving or teamwork).


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