How to Prepare For and Pass NNPC Computer Based Aptitude Test
NNPC has sent out invitation for aptitude test for shortlisted candidates in its 2019 recruitment exercise.
Here are useful tips for passing NNPC Computer Based Test (CBT).
How to prepare
1, Practice on a computer
There are a number of PDF past questions put on paper that have been flying around. While they may be very helpful, it is very important that you practice a live question on computer before you go for the test. There are a number of websites like this and this that offer free practice. Use them to practice at least verbal and quantitative tests. This would have made you familiar with use of system for test so that you wont struggle on that day.
2. Revise your English
Verbal aptitude will no doubt be part of the test so you need to revise your English skills. You need to practice stuff like comprehension, analogy, word pairing, antonyms, synonyms, sentence completion with appropriate words etc. This will help you in brushing your verbal skills. You can decide to find a collection of one thousand words and their meanings/antonyms/synonyms. A lot of such abound online.
3. Revise your basic arithmetic skills
Basic arithmetic is very critical to solving most of the quantitative questions. Go and revise those short cuts to solving multiplication, addition, division, square root, etc. You will need them a lot. Mere looking at a question, you have a mental idea of what is required rather than spend time working it out. Revise those short formulas – like area of a triangle, perimeter of a square, etc. Knowledge of basic arithmetic, especially short ways of tackling them, will help here.
4. Word problem is critical
Almost every CBT has a word problem. It is the heart of quantitative test. The questions will be in words and you will be required to put them in number and solve them. There are short cuts to doing this. For example, if I say Tunde is three times older than Tola, that should automatically tell you 3x=y; where x=Tunde and y=Tola. You need to think through short cuts in solving this.
5. Revise general knowledge
Unfortunately, this is more of a residual knowledge and there is little you can do between now and then. It could come from anywhere from politics to computer to sport to history just anything. If you are the type that is versatile and follows news and the many productive debates on social media and online in general, you should know some of this information. Nonetheless, you can read up on general by surfing the Internet for material on compilation of general knowledge questions.
Inside the test hall
6. Read the instructions well
Before you start attempting any questions, be sure to read over the instructions two to three times. Overlooking or misinterpreting instructions will affect your score badly, so always take your time to understand them. Don’t ever assume you know the instructions – you could be picking antonym options for a set of question on synonyms if you fail to read instructions well.
6. Be fast, with care
Once you start attempting the questions, work as fast as possible without being careless. NNPC aptitude tests are usually strictly timed, and a typical test allows you to spend just 30 to 60 seconds on a question. The major goal is to know how fast a prospective employee can think.
Whenever you come across a difficult question, don’t waste your time on it. Move on to other questions and come back to it later, if you can. Remember all questions are equal marks, so if you waste 5 minutes on one question and get it, it is still one mark, the 5 minutes spent on that one may make you miss 3 cheaper questions but you never got the time to reach there your time expires. It is good to answer all the questions, but you don’t need to answer all the questions to pass.
7. Beware of poisonous “low-hanging fruits”
The questions are in a multiple-choice format, so you need to be extra careful. Many test questions are actually straightforward. However, some only appear so and the solutions are not usually as straightforward as they seem. Such questions are often designed to confuse you, with incorrect options that include common mistakes that candidates make.
8. No harm in guessing, where there is no express instruction against it
Answer as many questions as you can. Even if you cannot answer everything – which will most likely be the case – don’t get frustrated. The most important thing is to correctly answer the ones you can. Where there is no rule against it, I personally advise guessing the right choice for tough questions rather than spend more time on them, just eliminate the ones you are sure could not be answer and guess from the options left, then move one. When you have like 4 minutes to go, and you have more than 10 questions still unanswered, you could guess through and make sure you pick an answer for all questions. If you still have time, say 2 minutes, you can go back and solve one or two you think you can easily tackle before the time finally ticks away.
Recruitment aptitude tests are usually tough, and have been the bane of many job seekers. NNPC CBT is no different. However, we believe the tips shared here can make a difference in crossing that hurdle.
All the best.
When you pass the test, you can enrol for JarusHub NNPC interview coaching, your best bet for preparation for the interview stage.
