USA Hire Assessment Online Preparation & Tips – 2024
What Is the USA Hire Assessment?
The USA Hire Assessment exams are online assessments the federal government uses in hiring. Applicants from entry-level to senior level can take these exams to show their potential employer they are a good match for the position. The purpose of this exam is for the employer to get a better understanding of the candidate as a whole and will test the candidate’s interpersonal and core cognitive competencies.
The assessment consists of several sections depending on what you are applying for. While each section will take approximately 30 minutes, the entire exam will take two to three hours.
To pass the USA Hire exam, you must score at least 70% on each exam section. Your score will go directly to the hiring team, and you will not have access to your score at that time. If you pass the exam, your application status will read either “Referred,” “Eligible,” or “Received.” If your application status is “Not Referred,” you did not pass the exam. If you fail, you can retake the test the following year.
There are five standard USA Hire exams that you should expect to take. Additionally, you may take a few other USA Hire occupational exams if they are relevant to the position you are applying for. Most tests are timed and multiple-choice.
USA Hire Assessment’s Test Types:
Occupational Reasoning Test
One of the standard assessments is the Occupational Reasoning Test. This is one of the most challenging exam sections, so you’ll want extra time preparing for this test. There are several different types of reasoning questions on this assessment. You should prepare to evaluate arguments, analyze verbal and abstract information, and draw logical conclusions.
Logical reasoning questions often include a lot of information you must sift through. One way to help conclude is to sketch out what you know and make notes about the information given.
Occupational Judgment Questionnaire
Another test section is the Occupational Judgment Questionnaire, the g2 exam. The g2 test is a situational judgment test (SJT) that will assess how you act and behave in workplace scenarios. This will be a video-based exam where you will review various scenarios and respond to the situation with the most and least effective responses.
You’ll want to listen to the situation and read the instructions carefully during this section. You may answer the questions from a particular character’s point of view, so you’ll want to be sure you are answering the questions correctly.
The purpose of an SJT is to ensure that you have the values the company is looking for. Before taking the test, review the company website and values and tailor your responses.
Occupational Math Assessment
Applicants will also take the Occupational Math assessment to examine their mathematical abilities. While you won’t need an advanced understanding of mathematics to do well on this exam, you will need to answer questions relating to the following:
Note that a calculator and scratch paper are both permitted on the exam. You may encounter equations, word problems, tables, or graphs on the test. It is best to eliminate incorrect answer choices as you work through the problem to narrow down the possible answers and give yourself a better chance of selecting the correct answer.
Occupational Reading Assessment
You will also take an Occupational Reading Assessment. This exam is similar to reading comprehension and will ask you to read through various text passages and answer questions about the given information. It is important to remember that you won’t need extensive outside knowledge to do well on this exam section. While the topics may be related to your potential role, all the information you need to answer the questions will be in the passage.
The questions on this exam may relate to grammar, word usage, or concluding the text. Be sure to review some standard English language rules before taking the exam.
Occupational Interaction Assessment
The last core assessment in the USA Hire exam is the Occupational Interaction Assessment. This is a 150+ question exam that adapts to your responses. This test will present several statements and ask how much you agree or disagree with the sentence or how much the sentence describes you.
Employers will examine how your responses align with their company’s values and purpose. Research this information beforehand and align your responses with what the employer seeks.
Other Sub-Sections
Depending on the role you are applying for, you may take other assessments that align with your position and the company. Here are a few examples of other USA Hire tests you may encounter:
Writing Assessment: This will assess your writing skills regarding organizing facts and fixing grammatical issues.
Accomplishment Record: Here, you will list work and other accomplishments, what you did, why it worked, and why you are proud of them.
Job Knowledge Test: These questions will be tailored to your position and will ask for the general knowledge needed to succeed in your field.
Work Simulation: The work simulation will be an onsite assessment where you will react to scenarios you may encounter in your role.
Structured Interview: This will be an interview where you will answer questions about the job and your past achievements. Each candidate will be ranked based on a USA Hire scale.
Integrity Test: The integrity test will ask you to rank your agreement with 100+ statements about different behaviors that may influence your work performance.
How to Prepare for the USA Hire Assessment?
The best way to prepare for the USA Hire Assessment is to use online practice tests. These will allow you to better understand what to expect in each test section and how best to approach the questions. Practice tests will also provide answer solutions so you can use that information for future exams.
Applicants who prepare for the exam process ahead of time are significantly more likely to do well on the exam. Therefore, giving yourself enough time to study and prepare is essential.
