Preparing for Fire and Emergency Services WA (DFES) Cognitive, Emotional Intelligence and Personality tests 2024
If you are applying to join Fire and Emergency Service WA (DFES) , you will be asked to complete a variety of tests as part of your entrance exam.
In the screening phase, you will be asked to complete a set of 6 Cognitive mini tests focusing on: :
- Numerical reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
- Abstract Reasoning
In additional you will be asked to complete a timed Emotional Intelligence test.
1. DFES' Cognitive Test
Fire and Emergency Services WA (DFES) started using a cognitive test to assess candidates' cognitive abilities.
What is DFES' cognitive test?
DFES' cognitive test is a game based type of psychometric testing. Each test is timed and looks like a basic video game.
DFES' cognitive test moves away from the question/answer based style of standard psychometric tests. Instead, it uses game based tests to measure your abstract, verbal and numerical reasoning. This means that you no longer have a series of questions on the screen and no calculator or paper pad is necessary.
You are expected to follow the instructions carefully as you start each test or game.
The theory behind DFES' cognitive test
The cognitive test model is based on the Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory of the structure of human cognitive abilities.
The theory combines concepts like fluid and crystallised intelligence and the three-stratum model of intelligence. It has aided the evolution of the psychometric approach in understanding human cognitive characteristics by employing advanced statistical techniques like factor analysis.
What to expect in DFES' cognitive test?
The cognitive test measures three components about your cognitive abilities:
- 1. Problem Solving:
In problem solving the test assesses your ability to quickly learn, adapt and solve problems.
This measures your ‘fluid intelligence:’ the ability to see a problem for the first time and find out how to solve it without any prior knowledge.
- 2. Numerical Reasoning:
In numerical reasoning the test assesses your ability to understand numerical concepts, work with numbers and use formulas to solve problems.
- 3. Verbal Knowledge
In verbal knowledge the test measures your knowledge of the English language – focusing on spelling, grammar and identification of errors in text.
Timer
Each of the tests in the cognitive set of games is timed at 5 minutes.
What to expect in the problem solving sections of the cognitive test:
The cognitive test has three mini tests measuring your problem solving skills:
- Gridlock
- Resemble
- Short Cuts
The ‘Gridlock’ test
In this mini test you need to solve a number of consecutive grid based puzzle games as quickly as you can.
There is generally a central grid and you have to fit the given figures in (rotate, drag and drop) to complete the grid.
The ‘Resemble’ test
In this mini test you will be presented with a figure in the left section and generally a simple ‘angle of rotation’ value given beneath it, for example: 180o or 90o.
All you have to do is mentally rotate the figure on the left by the angle indicated and recreate the resultant figure in a central grid on the right.
The ‘Short Cuts’ test
In this mini test you are asked to move a particular ball and move it to a destination indicated by stars. You are supposed to move the target ball to the destination using the fewest moves as quickly as possible.
What to expect in the numerical sections of the cognitive test:
The cognitive test has two mini tests measuring your numerical ability:
- Numbubbles
- Tally Up
What to expect in the ‘Numbubbles’ test
This mini test displays a target number and a number of bubbles with simple equations.
Your task is to identify the bubbles containing an answer equal to the target value displayed.
What to expect in the ‘Tally Up’ test
This mini test displays two sections with numbers (appearing as tokens) in each frame. Your task is to decide which frame has a higher value of numbers (tokens) or both frames might be of equal value.
What to expect in verbal knowledge section of the cognitive test:
In the cognitive test you will have two mini tests measuring your verbal knowledge:
- Proof It
- Pop Up
What to expect in Proof It test
In this mini test you are presented with series of texts that include grammatical errors such as punctuation errors, missing words, misspelled words and grammatical errors.
Your task is to identify all grammatical errors in each text in 1 minute.
2. DFES' emotional intelligence test -
What is DFES' Emotional Intelligence test?
The emotional intelligence test was developed as a reasoning measurement of people’s emotional intelligence using 3 distinctive aspects of your emotional intelligence.
- Ability to identify emotions in facial expressions.
- Ability to identify people's emotions based on their behaviour.
- Ability to manage emotions.
DFES' emotional intelligence test includes 3 parts:
Part 1 measures your ability to identify emotions in facial expressions. This section is timed. You have 3 seconds to identify an emotion on someone's face.
Part 2 measures your ability to identify people's emotions based on a scenario or situation. This section is timed. You have 1 minute for each test screen.
Part 3 measures your ability to manage emotions. This section is not timed. You will need to select a corse of action to emotionally based scenarios.
The challenge with DFES' emotional intelligence test:
Contrary to most Emotional Intelligence tests used in the market, DFES' test is a reasoning rather than a personality based test. This means that the DFES' emotional intelligence test regards EI as a cognitive ability and therefore uses a timer as part of the test.
What is a DFES Emotional Intelligence test question?
The DFES test has two types of test questions:
The first type or test question style includes a short scenario that describes a situation about one or two people. Then you are asked to decide what is each person in the scenario likely to feel. Your answer will not only include the emotion but also the facial expression that conveys the correct emotion.
The second type or test question style includes a screenshot of a face and you are asked to decide whether this facial expression conveys a specific emotion. Your answer can only be yes or no.
Let's review the following example test question for the DFES emotional intelligence test:
Is this Surprise?
Here you need to analyse the facial expression to identify the correct emotion.
How IPC helps you to prepare for Fire and Emergency Services WA (DFES) cognitive and emotional intelligence tests
The Institute of Psychometric Coaching (IPC) has developed a variety of tailored preparations to ensure you are ready for your cognitive test. Our professionals have analysed strategies and techniques and developed a full range of countermeasures. Our preparations include:
1. Online specific DFES cognitive and emotional intelligence practice tests
- Online practice mini tests – tailor made for DFES' cognitive and emotional intelligence tests.
- A large pool of timed practice cognitive tests online such as Resemble, Tully Up, Numbubbles, Pop-Up, Short-cuts and Proof It.
- Step by step solutions at the end of each mini test
- Test scores in comparison to others
- Feedback on how to improve
Benefits include:
- Based on real DFES cognitive and emotional intelligence test questions
- Timer mimics the pressure of taking the real test
- Immediate access
2. Face-to-face tutoring for DFES' cognitive and emotional intelligence tests as well as for the interview.
Experience gold standard service with IPC’s personal tutoring.
Our personalised service includes:
- One-on-one tutoring delivered by experienced Psychometric test trainers.
- Face to face sessions (in our Melbourne and Sydney offices) or via Skype live
- In depth analysis of your cognitive weaknesses to focus the session and maximise your scores
- Working together to ensure you reach maximum potential and capabilities in your Cognitive, Emotional Intelligence and Personality tests
