Actuary tests can be used to determine if someone has the core skills and traits necessary to be a successful actuarial professional.
An actuary test is used to evaluate whether a candidate for an actuarial position has the necessary core and soft skills to excel in that role. This test can be used by companies in the early stages of the recruitment process, to ensure the best applicants are selected.
The test asks a series of multiple-choice questions to evaluate a candidate's numeracy and interpersonal skills, as well as how effectively they can communicate complex data and solve problems.
A high score on this test indicates a candidate is likely to outperform in an actuarial role.
Actuary Test
An actuary's job is to determine the financial consequences of business risks, particularly concerning unknown future events. As such actuaries typically work for insurance companies, pension providers, governments or consulting firms. This test assesses whether candidates for an actuarial role possess the required level of numeracy, problem-solving and communication skills, and attention to detail.
Distinguishing between actuarial applicants based on their qualifications alone can be difficult, especially if they have a similar level of experience.
An actuary test solves this difficulty and can be easily administered to a large number of candidates to provide comparative data. This gives you more insight into the suitability of each candidate, creating a more efficient hiring process.
The test highlights a candidate's proficiency in key skills needed to be an effective actuary, such as their numeracy, situational judgement, ability to solve abstract problems, and capacity to communicate findings.
Applicants who best meet the requirements of the role can be shortlisted, while those who do not demonstrate the required level can be excluded.
An actuary test could be useful for the following roles:
Actuarial Analyst
Actuarial Manager
Actuarial Consultant
Chief Risk Officer
Results for the Actuary Test along with other assessments the candidate takes will be compiled to produce a candidate report. The report is automatically generated and available both online and as a downloadable pdf so they can be shared with other team members and employees alike.
Candidates will need to answer a range of questions that measure industry-specific technical skills where applicable (e.g. Microsoft Excel), soft skills (e.g. time management), aptitude (e.g. numerical reasoning) and relevant personality dimensions (e.g. integrity). The results present a holistic view of how well suited each candidate is for the job at hand, using a data-driven approach.
The format varies by type of question, including multiple-choice for aptitude and technical skills, situational judgement for soft skills and agreement on a Likert scale for the personality dimensions. This approach ensures candidates are being assessed in an accurate and fair manner, and that results reflect the true underlying qualities of each candidate.
The characteristics, abilities and knowledge necessary to be an actuary were identified using the US Department of Labor's comprehensive O*NET database. O*NET is the leading source of occupational information that is constantly updated by collecting data from employees in specific job roles.
During the development process, test questions were rigorously analysed to maximise reliability and validity in line with industry best practices. They were created by our team of I/O psychologists and psychometricians – who collaborated with subject-matter-experts – and field-tested with a representative sample of job applicants who have varying experience, just like you might find in a talent pool.
Each test is reviewed by a panel of individuals representing diverse backgrounds to check for any sensitivity, fairness, face validity and accessibility issues. This ensures each candidate has a fair chance of demonstrating their true level of expertise.
Our actuary test is monitored to ensure it is up-to-date and optimised for performance.
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We offer Actuary tests for all levels so you can assess all roles within your organisation.
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Our team of assessment experts is made up of I/O psychologists and psychometricians who are dedicated to making all of our tests as reliable, valid and fair as possible. They strictly adhere to best practices in the industry and stay on top of the latest innovations to ensure job candidates’ unique profiles of characteristics, abilities and knowledge are being measured accurately while minimising bias. They leverage decades of research and advanced predictive analytics to build assessments that link to outcomes that matter, such as job performance, turnover, engagement, culture fit and more.
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Picked's test for actuaries is nothing like as hard as the professional exams actuaries need to pass to qualify. Instead it aims to test that candidates' numeracy, attention to detail and problem-solving skills are in line with what you'd expect from an actuarial professional, whether qualified or not yet qualified.
The most useful skills for an actuary to possess include: a high level of numeracy, including statistics and probability; communication skills, to present the findings of data clearly; attention to detail; and the capacity to solve complex analytical problems.
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