Preparation Hub

We are committed to matching the world to its perfect job, whether as part of an assessment process or developing individuals to use their strengths to support their success. Our preparation hub provides you with guidance and technical support to help you prepare for an assessment or development activity as well as feel comfortable and confident in your approach.

If you are experiencing any issues when completing our assessments, please click here to access our Frequently Asked Questions.

What is a
Strengths-based
Assessment?

At Cappfinity, our assessments explore your Strengths – what you can do, as well as what you enjoy doing. Extensive data from our 15 years of experience, as well as academic and practitioner research shows that when people are in roles that enable them to use their Strengths, they are happier, more engaged at work and achieve higher levels of performance. These benefits extend beyond the role; with research finding that using your Strengths regularly also increases your well-being, confidence, resilience, and overall life satisfaction.  

It’s important to us that everybody has an equal chance to succeed. For those starting their career, the Strengths approach explores what motivates and energises you, rather than placing too much emphasis on what experience you might have in any certain area. Naturally, for those further along in their career, previous experience is something we recognise as important – so may be incorporated into our approach. 

Before your Strengths-based assessment, here are a few reflection questions to help you identify and showcase your Strengths: 

  • What do your friends and family know you for? How would they describe you to somebody who has never met you?  
  • What do you truly enjoy doing, and what are you like at your best?  
  • What achievements are you most proud of, and how did you achieve these?  
  • What activities (inside and outside of a professional environment) stay on your to-do list for a long time? What is it about these activities that you do not enjoy?  

Online
Assessments

Our online assessments can include both Behavioural and Cognitive Assessments. You may be asked to complete one, or a combination of these. Which, and how many of these assessments you will need to complete will depend on the purpose of the process, and the organisation – you will be provided with this and additional information as part of your application.  

Behavioural Assessments

These questions seek to understand how you behave in a range of situations, and why. We may ask you to:

  • Order a few responses, from the approach you would be most to least likely to take in the given scenario, or those which sound most to least like you.
  • Select the most appropriate response to the question or scenario, from those provided.
  • Indicate on a scale, where you would most likely place your actions or views.
  • Sort several responses into different categories.
  • Provide a written response.
  • Record a video response.

The best advice we can give you when completing these questions is:  

  • Find a place where you feel comfortable doing the assessment. We recommend somewhere that has a stable internet connection and is quiet to make sure you won’t be distracted or interrupted.  
  • Be honest and authentic. When choosing your response, think about how you would behave in that scenario. What would your natural reaction be?  
  • Read the scenario and response options carefully. Aside from video and written questions, our behavioural assessments are not timed. Take your time to fully understand what the question is asking you. 
  • Don’t overthink it or try to pre-empt what the organisation might ‘want’ you to say. The purpose of these assessments is to understand your natural Strengths.  
  • As some questions are time recorded, we suggest that you make sure you’re prepared for the assessment beforehand and you have everything you might need. Please note that assessments which are time recorded will be explicitly stated.   
  • If your assessment requires video responses, we suggest that you find a quiet environment. Keeping in mind what is visible behind you whilst completing this type of question, try and approach it in the way you would approach an in-person interview You will be provided with an opportunity to test your microphone and webcam in advance of any assessed questions with a video response.   

Click here to access a practice Behavioural assessment

Cognitive Assessments

We typically work with organisations to assess critical, numerical and verbal reasoning skills which can be identified as important skills for specific roles. The Cappfinity cognitive assessments are sometimes time recorded, so the time you take to complete may be considered when confirming your score – you will be notified of this in your instructions. In such a scenario, we recommend that you work as quickly and accurately as possible.

Our Critical Reasoning Questions assesses your problem-solving and decision-making skills. These skills are measured through several different types of questions, giving you a great opportunity to showcase your ability in this area in many ways. 

Our Numerical Reasoning Questions will present you with a range of job-related situations that involve numerical calculations. Make sure you have a calculator at hand, as well as a pen and some paper to make any notes. 

Our Verbal Reasoning Questions assesses your ability to work with verbal information and to critically evaluate passages of verbal material. Like the Critical Reasoning Questions, there are lots of different question types, so you’ll get the chance to showcase your ability in a variety of ways.  

Click here to access a practice Cognitive assessment

Strengths-based
Interviews

Unlike competency-based interviews which generally only focus on your past experiences, Strengths-based Interviews are designed to assess your potential and what motivates you; whether you already have experience in these areas or not.  

Tips on how to prepare for a Strength-based interview:  

  • Consider spending some time asking yourself the questions in the preparing for a Strengths-based assessment section. Understanding what you enjoy doing and can do well is the best preparation you can do.  
  • Relax, take your time, and try to answer the questions naturally.  
  • During the interview we encourage you to draw on examples that are most authentic to you, they can be from both your professional and personal experiences.   
  • If you are completing one of our Strengths-based interviews online, we recommend that you familiarise yourself with the technology requirements and our guidance in advance.  

Assessment or
Development Centres

Our Assessment or Development Centres offer a great opportunity for you to showcase your Strengths in further detail. Whether you’re attending in-person or online, these tips will help you feel confident and prepared for the day.  

The day may include a Strength-based interview. During the event, you may also be involved in exercises. These could be on your own, paired with another person or, as part of a group. These exercises might provide you with additional information to support you in completing your tasks.  

How to prepare for our Assessment or Development Centre:  

  • Make sure you carefully read and understand any information you have been given in an exercise. We are not trying to ‘catch you out’ – so please do take the time allocated to ensure you engage with the materials and challenges posed to you within each task. 
  • Put simply, we want you to be yourself! Try not to second guess what you think the right answer or approach might be, but rather, approach tasks in your own, unique way – this is the best way to show your potential and ability. 

For Virtual Assessment or Development Centres please look at the advice related to completing our Online Assessments to help you prepare.  

Now you’re equipped with all the strengths-based assessment information, it’s time to find out your strengths so you can be confident in sharing your best self. Visit Strengths Profile, a Cappfinity product, to complete your Free Starter Profile, revealing your top 3 realised and unrealised strengths, 2 learned behaviours and 1 weakness.

Start now