The first pitfall that many students fall into when looking for a job is ``taking a web test.’’ No matter how much time you spend refining your Entry Sheet (ES), if you cannot pass the aptitude test borderline, you will fail without even being noticed by the interviewer.

We will organize the characteristics of the main test formats, “SPI” and “Tamatebako”, and teach you last-minute strategy techniques to get a high score without rushing in the actual test.

Know your enemy: The decisive difference between SPI and Tamatebako

The first thing to do is to understand the format of the test you will be taking.

• SPI (Test Center/WEB Testing): Mainly questions that measure basic calculation and reading comprehension skills. It features an adaptive method in which the difficulty level of the next question changes depending on how many questions are answered correctly. There is a strict time limit for each question, and a sense of rhythm is required to solve the questions at a good tempo without stopping.
• Tamatebako (manufactured by SHL): A format in which multiple small questions are connected to one large question. In particular, counting (reading charts and counting backwards) is an overwhelming speed test, with the difference between passing or failing being the speed at which each question can be processed accurately (about 10 to 15 seconds) and the level of proficiency in operating the calculator.

3 practical hacks to instantly improve your score

1. Run one problem book three times until it falls apart: It is inefficient to use multiple reference books. Choose one standard problem book (such as a blue book) and instill frequently occurring solution patterns into your body.
2. Create a rule to judge “throw away questions” in 0 seconds: There is no need to get a perfect score within the time limit. If you feel that the problem is too difficult or the calculation is too complicated, you can immediately select the appropriate option and move on to the next one, making sure to collect all the questions you can.
3. Get used to the tension of the real test by taking advantage of other companies’ early screenings: When taking a web test at home, the physical environment such as the size of the PC screen, the placement of the calculator and memo paper, and the typing speed are directly linked to the performance. Regardless of your level of ambition, you should actually take the web test at a company that conducts early screening to get a feel for the actual operation and time allocation.