Over the past several years, employment exams have become an integral part of the job search process. The scope, analysis and details of each test is different by industry and assessment type. Countless employers and job boards are utilizing these exams to pre-screen applicants before they enter their system for review, thereby minimizing administrative costs while increasing efficiency.

First and foremost, it’s important to understand that pre-employment assessments are nothing new. Employers have always screened candidates (via things like drug tests and reference checks) to determine whether they would be a good fit for their organization. What has changed, however, is the format of these exams and the purpose. Assessments are now used to determine a candidate’s aptitude, performance and personality. By scoring and sorting through applicants blindly, employers feel they can select the best candidates to interview — solely on qualifications and skills alone.

So, if you have recently started the job search process and are confused (or, frankly, a bit anxious) by the thought of these exams, you shouldn’t be. Here are the types of exams being utilized, what they measure and how you can prepare.

There are two types of assessments: employee-driven and employer-driven.

An employee-driven assessment is one that you take on your own — without prompting — in order to highlight your skills within your field. These assessments are available through various job sites, such as LinkedIn, which provide aptitude tests based on industry. Other types of exams result in a certification (such as PMP, Six Sigma or CFM). Once passed, these tests and/or certifications can be displayed on your profile and resume to strengthen your candidacy.

An employer-driven test is generally given alongside a job application so that an employer can determine if you are, in fact, qualified for the position. Employer assessments, such as through Indeed, are designed to measure industry-specific and general aptitude skills. Since these are not initiated by the employee but rather through the employer, I find that these exams are what make my clients the most nervous.

Both exams are targeted in their design and specific in their purpose.

Whether employee- or employer-driven, both assessments demonstrate that your skills and abilities go beyond what is written on your resume. Each test is created to assess a wide variety of attributes and skills, in a technical and emotional capacity.

Questions for these exams typically revolve around:

• Hard skills: Do you have the proficiency level required for the role?

• Operations: In on-the-job scenarios, how well can you handle daily tasks?

• Abilities: How do you handle yourself when things don’t go as expected?

• Personality: Does your personality align with what the role requires?

These factors can be tested individually or combined in order to find the perfect candidate that fits a company’s long-term goals and objectives. For example, Marie is applying for a role as a retail sales manager. The role requires the ability to handle various changing needs, strong customer service skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office. The employer has decided to utilize an Indeed assessment to measure just how well Marie can perform. They test her hard skills (asking questions pertaining to Microsoft Office), provide her on-the-job scenarios (to see how well she tackles customer concerns), throw in an obscure situation (what does she do when someone tries to steal?) and ask questions to gauge her personality type. The test takes about 25 minutes and provides an all-encompassing picture for the company to review.

How can you prepare for an employer-driven test when you are not given the questions in advance?

While employee-driven assessments can be taken several times and/or studied for, an employer-driven test cannot be. It is a one-shot deal, and there are no study guides or Cliff notes. This should not deter or frighten you from taking these exams. Why? You are applying for a role that you qualify for, so the questions and scenarios should all be ones that you know. Regardless, there are still ways you can prepare.

• Practice: There are various IQ and skills tests online that you can take to simply get used to taking a timed test on a computer. Best of all, they are free to use.

• Research: Read through the description of the job and company to ensure you understand their mission and vision and what it is they are looking for in a candidate.

• Wait: Some assessments allow you to start them separately from your application. I strongly recommend completing your application and then taking a short break (10-15 minutes) before starting your assessment. Assessments should be completed the same day in order to get your application into the system, so please don’t wait too long, but taking a few minutes to ensure there are no distractions and you are in the right frame of mind will prove to be beneficial.

• Do not rush: Even if the test is timed, read through each question and the corresponding directions thoroughly. The purpose isn’t always to complete every question in the allotted amount of time, but rather to see how well you perform under pressure. Details and accuracy are more important than finishing quickly, so focus.

Exams and assessments often invoke fear, but in this case, they should cause you to feel empowered rather than uncertain. Be confident in your abilities and detailed in your approach. As Helen Keller is often credited with saying, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” You are capable, prepared and qualified — these exams are merely a means to prove that!

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Questions have emerged over the administration of this year’s national examinations as reports reveal more candidates are accessing the questions before time.

More arrests, including of teachers, are being made as the number of mobile phones confiscated during the administration of the tests continue to rise.

The latest is the arrest and detention of 42 students of Dibuoro Secondary School in Usonga ward in Alego, Siaya County, for engaging in test malpractices.

The students were found with four cell phones, which had the contents of Friday’s chemistry practical paper and Thursday’s Swahili paper.

Siaya County police commander, Michael Muchiri, said the phones had a WhatsApp group where each of the students were members. Upon scrutiny of the phones, contents of the Swahili paper done on Thursday were discovered.

Mr Muchiri said the school principal, one supervisor, five invigilators, a chemistry teacher and two laboratory assistants were among those summoned for questioning alongside the students.

“The matter is being handled by the County Investigation Officer. We are tracing the originators of the content. The key suspect is at large and is being sought,” said Mr Muchiri.

Cases of impersonation have also been reported even as sector players quietly question whether the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) and the Ministry of Education have dropped their guard.

The glaring absence of senior government officials such as cabinet secretaries, chief administrative secretaries, and principal secretaries from the daily monitoring rolls has also raised eyebrows.

In previous years, more senior government officials were deeply involved in the administration of the tests, a move many said reduced early exposure of the examination questions.

Meanwhile, the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) has placed the blame on the leadership at the Ministry.

Kuppet Secretary General Akello Misori claimed that Education Cabinet Secretary, George Magoha, is being sabotaged from within because he is not a team player.

“We strongly believe that examination reforms are being watered down because Magoha wants to do everything. He wants to design policy and implement it himself and he is being sabotaged,” said Mr Misori.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) secretary general Collins Oyuu termed as worrying the trend where candidates are increasingly accessing examination papers before time.

“It is a bit worrying that we are seeing some level of laxity from officials and examination officers.

“The support we extended to Magoha and Fred Matiang’i when reforms were instituted have borne fruits and we cannot afford to drop guard,” said Mr Oyuu.

He wondered why more exposures are reported, especially during KCSE examinations.

“As a union we call upon all teachers to safeguard national examinations because a leaked examination is harmful to the learners and the country at large. We also want to see effort being made by all stakeholders to contain the bad habit,” he said.

Mr Oyuu spoke as secondary school heads said the merger of centres with less than 30 candidates may have given way to cheating.

At the close of the registration exercise for the 2021 examinations, KNEC had registered 608 and 91 new KCPE and KCSE examination centres respectively, with less than 30 candidates. It had also registered 27 new centres with less than 15 candidates.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association national chairman Kahi Indimuli said some of the bad habits may have been transferred from merged centers.

“Most schools have also improved on internet access with WiFi connections and this may also contribute to the attempts to cheat,” said Mr Indimuli.

Speaking in confidence, some of the examination officials reported creeping laxity from some government officials.

“It seems like the administration of the whole examinations has been left to Magoha and a few of his team. What happened to the multi-agency approach that was witnessed after the 2016 reforms,” said a government officer familiar with administration logistics.

“Previously we saw Cabinet Secretaries of other ministries, CASs, PSs, and top officials and at one time even the head of state visited a school. Today we only see Magoha and a few PSs, where are the others?” the official posed.

The multi-agency team included staff from the Ministry of Interior, ICT, Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) and the Ministry of Education.

[Additional reporting by Olivia Odhiambo]

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The examination committee is composed of the following persons:

• A chairperson
• The doctoral thesis supervisor as examiner
• At least one co-examiner
• A further independent expert if there is any relationship of dependence between the thesis supervisor and the co-examiner(s)

The Head of the responsible department names the chairperson. The chairperson must be a member of the Professors’ Conference of an ETH Zurich department.

The doctoral committee names the co-examiner(s) at the request of the doctoral thesis supervisor, subject to the following points:

• If the doctoral thesis supervisor is not a professor, at least one co-examiner must be an ETH Zurich professor.

Mandatory for doctoral exams as of January 1, 2024:

• At least one co-examiner must come from outside ETH Zurich and be a proven expert in the area of the doctoral thesis.

In order to register for the doctoral examination, students must obtain evidence from their department of the credits that they have acquired. These must be confirmed by the departmental study administration office (stamp and original signature are mandatory!) on the DownloadRegistering for the doctoral examination (PDF, 1.4 MB)vertical_align_bottom form.

To register for the doctoral examination, the registration form and a copy of the title page of the doctoral thesis with a fully listed examination committee must be submitted to the doctoral administration at least 15 working days before the examination date. Please note that all members of the examination committee must be confirmed at the time of the registration to the doctoral exam.

Doctoral students are obliged to clarify with the Study Administration Office whether and in what form an integral version of the doctoral thesis must be submitted to the relevant department.