An Introduction to Decision Making Test

What type of questions are decision making questions?

These are a part of verbal reasoning type questions. They are basically based on any recruitment questions, and you must decide whether the candidate referred to in the following question will be selected or not. It could be recruitment for any job, research work, college admission etc., and hence every type of recruitment for different jobs will have a different criterion to be appointed. Sometimes different types of paragraphs, other than recruitment, are also provided; you just must read and answer the following questions.

The question is divided into two parts. The first one contains some basic information that is the basic criteria to be recruited, and the second part contains some additional information that provides some other criteria, helpful for the candidate if they do not fulfil the basic criteria. Hence the examinee is tested for their decision-making ability, taking all the information into consideration. 

Some basic tips to solve them

1. Try to properly examine the whole question and write down whatever is given on the side in short.

2. Try to match the criteria with the information provided about the candidates.

3. Special criteria, as you will see, will only be applicable for one or two of them; make the decision very calmly and only after taking everything into consideration.

 Below I have tried to provide some examples so that it will be better to understand.

A. Following are some criteria that are required to be followed to recruit new managers in HR for an XYZ firm. The candidate must:

a. must have done MBA in HR with 1st class, securing a minimum of 70% marks

b. has a minimum experience of 2 years after the qualification.

c. Age is more than 27 but less than 30 yr as of 1.2.2022.

d. has passed the selection test with about 65% marks.

However, if a candidate does not fulfil criteria a and b but has passed the selection test with more than 65% marks and is within the acceptable age, they can be considered and be referred to the chairman. If a candidate is more than 30 years but less than 32 years of age and scored less than 65% but more than 60% and fulfils both a and b criteria can be referred to the senior manager of the firm.

Now, based on the above information, try to decide the fate of the candidate mentioned in the following questions. You are not supposed to assume any additional scenario and must follow only the stated criteria. All of the above information is given as of 1.2.2022. you are supposed to mark your decision as follows:

• If the candidate is selected

• If the candidate is to be rejected

• If the information is not enough

• If the case needs to be referred to the chairman

• If the case must be referred to the senior manager

Q.1. Sneha has an MBA degree in HR with 75% aggregate and has an experience of 3 years. She was born on 2.6.1993. She scored 70% in the selection exam. Do you think she is a suitable candidate?

Answer- Let’s write all the given criteria again here:

1. Score in MBA- more than 70%

2. Experience min 2years

3. Age – between 27 to 30 as on 1.2.2022

4. Score in selection exam- more than 65%

If you see here, Sneha has a score of 75% in MBA (fulfils criteria a), the experience of 3 years (fulfils criteria b), age is 28 (fulfils criteria c), and she scores 70% in the selection exam (fulfils criteria d).

Hence, she must be selected.

Q.2. Anil scored 78% in MBA and has been working since 2018. He was born on 7.9.1990 and scored 62% in the selection exam. What is his fate as a candidate?

Answer- Solve this like the previous question, which is:

Anil scored 78% in MBA (fulfils criteria a), experience is of 4 years (fulfils criteria b), but scored 62% in the selection exam and is of 31 years as on 1.2.2022. If you recheck the question above, you will see that he fulfils the additional criteria.

Hence, He must be referred to the Senior Manager.

Q.3. Akash scored 65% in his MBA and has only started working in 2021. He was born on 1.1.1995. He scored 80% in the selection exam. Decide his fate in the firm.

Answer- Again, like the above solution

Akash scored 65% in MBA (does not fulfil criteria a), experience 1 year (does not fulfil criteria b), but is 27 years of age (fulfils criteria c) and has scored 80% in the selection exam. He fulfils the additional criteria.

Hence, he should be referred to the Chairman.

So, in this way, you can solve all the questions easily.

Conclusion

Decision-making type questions are very marked fetching and can help you score well. Just try to concentrate on the criteria given and apply them to the following questions. I hope the above article was somehow helpful, and now you are confident enough to solve more complex questions.