Accountancy students at a UK university are being offered the chance to gain experience of new methods used by employers in the selection process.
As part of their BA (Hons) Accountancy and Finance degree, students at the University of Huddersfield have been working on psychometric tests in an effort to improve employability.
According to recent research, these psychological tests are now used by more than 40% of all graduate employers as a first-level screening before interview.
Graduates today face more rigorous recruitment procedures than ever before and after returning an application form, potential employees may now be screened out prior to interview by tests that assess their ability to succeed within the organisation.
Providing they make the grade, they may then have to face a telephone interview, a second interview before a panel, and finally a day spent at an assessment centre to ensure they can work efficiently as part of a team.
Senior Lecturer Kirsten Jones explained that graduate employment is increasingly competitive and by giving students the chance to practice the kind of psychometric tests they will face when applying for a job, the university was providing them with a better chance of success, thus making them more employable.