Situation Judgment Tests

Situation Judgement Tests – Everything you need to know!

As someone who has been through the process of applying for a job with the government of Canada, I know just how important it is to prepare. The SJT is designed to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to make decisions in various workplace scenarios. It can be a bit intimidating if you ’re not familiar with the format, but there are a few things you can do to prepare.

First, make sure that you understand the types of questions that will be asked on your SJT. There are several types of questions, as explained below, and just as important, the criteria for answering the questions vary depending on the test.

Once you have taken the time to understand the types of questions, the next step is to start practicing and getting comfortable with the format.  As with any practice test, take some time to review your responses and identify any areas where you need to improve.

What are Situational Judgement Tests

Situational judgement tests (SJTs) are recruitment tools used by employers to evaluate your abilities to solve job-related problems through the use of realistic work scenarios. SJTs are psychometric tests that provide insight into your personality traits and competencies particularly in customer service jobs or managerial roles. These tests typically consist of a series of multiple-choice judgement test questions or scenario-based questions, where candidates are asked to select the best course of action from a set of answer options.

Types of Questions

Questions present a hypothetical scenario, or video clip. These scenarios are typical situations you would face on the job and choose the most effective response.

Choose the Most Effective Response.  You are given 4 options and must choose the best and most efficient solution in response to a work-related challenge.  A variation is to choose the most effective and least effective response.

Order the Responses. This type of question, used by Canada Corrections test.  You are given four options and must order them in order of effectiveness, from most effective to least effective.  This is a potentially much more difficulty type of questions.

Make sure that you research the job requirements and the types of questions on your test.

Canada Revenue Agency and Canadian Civil Service

Canadian Public Service Commissions Tests include,  CRA SJT-R, CRA SJT-M, SJT 318, TOJ 375

This is a test for management position in the civil service and focusses on management decisions.   The test will assess your ability to apply critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and ethical decision-making principles to complex situations. This test asks that you choose the most effective response from the four choices.  CRA Situational Judgement Practice   CRA Situational Judgement Online Course

Police

This test assesses a candidate’s ability to make effective decisions in various situations they may encounter on the job, such as dealing with aggressive behavior, managing conflict situations, or making ethical decisions. The test is designed to measure your ability to think critically, prioritize tasks, and remain calm under pressure, all of which are essential skills for a police officer. The results of the situational judgement test are used to determine whether a candidate has the necessary skills and qualities to become a successful police officer, making it a crucial component of the recruitment process.

Police Situation Judgement

Police Situation Judgement Online Practice

Police Situational Judgement or Professional Judgement

The basic principles for police professional judgment are sound decision-making, critical thinking, and ethical conduct in complex and sometimes dangerous policing situations.

Answering professional judgment questions involves common sense and following a set of basic criteria.

• General Situation Judgment: Develop your ability to assess various situations swiftly and accurately, ensuring you make the right decisions under pressure.
• Safety First: Learn best practices for prioritizing personal and public safety in every scenario, empowering you to act decisively and confidently.
• Protecting Property: Understand the nuances of property protection, including recognizing threats and implementing preventive measures to safeguard community assets.
• Calming Disorder: Master techniques for diffusing tense situations and restoring order, ensuring a peaceful resolution while minimizing risk to all involved.
• Conflict Resolution: Enhance your conflict resolution skills with strategies to manage disputes effectively, promoting understanding and cooperation.
• Keeping the Peace: Discover proactive approaches to maintaining community tranquility and preventing escalation of tensions through strategic interventions.
• Enforcing the Law: Gain insight into lawful enforcement practices that uphold community standards while respecting individual rights.
• Ethical Decision Making: Strengthen your ethical framework with case studies and scenarios that challenge your moral compass, fostering integrity in every decision.
• Teamwork: Emphasize the importance of collaboration in law enforcement, learning how to effectively communicate and coordinate with colleagues to achieve common goals.

Police Situation Judgment Online Practice

 Corrections Canada

The Corrections Canada presents candidates with scenarios that they may encounter in their role as a correctional officer, such as interacting with inmates, enhancing offender accountability.   The questions test your ability to think critically, make sound judgments, and respond appropriately to different situations in a corrections environment.

The Corrections Canada test’s format is to order the given options in order of effectiveness, from most effectiveness to least effective response.  Corrections Canada Situational Judgement Practice
Corrections Canada Online Course

CBSA OTEE Client Service

Supervisory Situational Judgement

• Leadership – Encouraging and promoting employees’ growth, building a team, fostering innovation and  creativity, managing change, maintaining discipline, accountability of employees, multiculturalism, and equality.
• Organizational Skills – This includes organizational thinking, working under and with management, and maintaining authority and organizational structure.
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills – This include effective communication, building and maintaining relationships and respect.
• Your Management Personality Profile – This includes flexibility, adaptability, resilience, persistence, optimism, openness to criticism, and independence.

Supervisory Situational Judgment Test Practice Guide 2024

How to Answer Situational Judgement Questions

• Read the scenario carefully and make sure you understand the situation before attempting to answer the question.
• Keep the criteria in mind.  See below
• Identify the key facts and information presented in the scenario that are relevant to the question being asked.
• Consider the potential consequences of each option or course of action presented in the question.
• Use your knowledge and experience to evaluate the options and determine which one is the most appropriate given the circumstances.
• Consider the ethical implications of each option and choose the one that aligns with your personal and professional values.
• Keep in mind any policies, procedures, or regulations that may be applicable to the situation.
• Consider the potential impact of each option on all stakeholders involved in the situation, including customers, employees, and the company as a whole.
• Use critical thinking skills to analyze the situation and come to a logical and well-reasoned conclusion.
• Be prepared to explain your thought process and reasoning behind your chosen answer, as this will demonstrate your ability to think critically and make informed decisions.

Common Mistakes on a Situational Judgement Test

1. Not reading the question carefully: Situational judgement questions are often complicated with multiple scenarios. As with any multiple choice question – read the question and all the choices  carefully before selecting your answer.
2. Not considering the context: The context of the situation often determines the best answer.  In a different context, the correct answer will be different. Take into account all details of the scenario, the people involved, the setting, and the goals of the organization.
3. Not considering the ethical implications: Many situational judgement questions have ethical considerations. In choosing your answer, consider not only the legal and professional implications, but also the moral and ethical implications of your actions.
4. Choosing the most drastic option: Some questions may present extreme options as choices, but in a real-life situation, the drastic option is almost never the best.  Extreme actions presented as solutions are designed to distract and are rarely the best course of action.  Usually, but not always they can be eliminated right away.
5. Not considering the long-term consequences: Some decisions have short-term benefits but long-term consequences. Consider the potential consequences of your actions before making a decision.
6. Not thinking critically: Consider multiple perspectives and options when answering.  This is a critical skill that situational judgement questions are designed to test.