UK graduates have considered cheating on employer aptitude tests

Concern over post-Brexit opportunities grows

More than one in five graduates has either cheated on an employer aptitude test or thought about doing so, as concern over post-Brexit opportunities grows, according to new research from graduate advice sites WikiJob, practicereasoningtests.com and 123test.com

The most common method of cheating admitted to was arranging for someone else to take the test for them, says WikiJob, the UK’s largest forum for graduate jobseekers.

WikiJob adds that the survey also revealed that a quarter of candidates were prepared to pay to access practice material, while 60 per cent of graduates had practised aptitude tests ahead of sitting them in the application process.

James Rice, Head of Digital Marketing at WikiJob, was surprised at the number of candidates who were willing to cheat to get past the tests, commenting: “Concerns over a decline in employment opportunities as a result of Brexit may be fuelling this trend.”

“As competition for places on graduate schemes with the most highly regarded employers continues to intensify and fears over the impact of Brexit grow, graduates appear willing to take greater risks to advance to the later stages.”

“Thanks to our forum, we’ve been aware for some time of both companies and individuals who are prepared to take aptitude tests on behalf of others for payment, but the figures are shocking.”

A representative for JobTestPrep, a provider of practice aptitude test packages, has a few words of caution for those graduates considering cheating: “Cheating basically means you lack confidence in your ability to successfully complete the application process. Preparing for and confronting the difficulties of aptitude tests builds your confidence and develops you into a stronger overall candidate.”