Spatial Reasoning Tests

Spatial reasoning tests are designed to assess your spatial awareness. This means how you visualise shapes and process them in their two and three dimensional forms, how adept you are at looking at objects from a different perspective and how you fare at assembling and disassembling things mentally.

In the public sector, this type of aptitude test will only be set if the job you’re applying for is in some way related to the skills being tested.

There’s a widely held belief that spatial awareness is something that you’re either born with or not, but we know that people who prepare for the test always tend to do better than those who don’t.

Have a go at a few spatial reasoning tests to get to grips with the style of questions.

An employer will set the spatial reasoning test if they’re hiring for a job that requires spatial awareness and an ability to mentally complete puzzles. As you take the test, you’re also being examined on how well you keep calm and think logically under pressure.

The public sector is competitive, and an aptitude test such as this will help an employer to determine which candidate they should take forwards.

The test will involve a series of questions based on different visual problems. You may have to work out how the 2D shape in front of you looks in 3D, or which picture represents its mirror image.

You won’t have long to answer each question, so it’s important that you focus as much as you can on the questions and work quickly but accurately through the problems.

The main skill being tested is your spatial awareness. The test is often set when employers are looking to hire someone with the skills to mentally assemble and disassemble shapes as well as comfortably manipulate objects into different perspectives.

As is the case with all aptitude tests, you’re also giving your employer a better understanding of how you cope with time pressure, and to some extent how well you’ve prepared for the test you’re sitting.