Korn Ferry Tests

What is a Korn Ferry Assessment?

The Korn Ferry assessment is an online exam that is used by employers to help them hire the right people.

The assessments comprises of various tests aimed to assess your skills, personality, and work traits, ensuring you are well suited for the position you’ve applied for.

It tests prospective employees on their personality, the way they approach a problem, and their leadership skills, as well as their cognitive ability and competencies.

Often presented as a ‘blended assessment’, the adaptive nature of Korn Ferry’s online tests means that each test challenges a candidate’s specific skill level. This means that as you progress, the difficulty of the questions gets harder or easier depending on if you answer correctly.

If you’ve been invited to take a Korn Ferry exam by prospective employers your assessment may include the following:

Leadership Potential Assessment

• Korn Ferry Assessment of Leadership Potential (KFALP)
• Korn Ferry Four-Dimensional Assessment (KF4D)
• Korn Ferry viaEdge

Cognitive skills tests

Korn Ferry cognitive skills tests are also known as Talent-Q Elements and Aspects tests.

• Korn Ferry verbal reasoning

• Korn Ferry inductive reasoning

• Korn Ferry spatial reasoning

• Korn Ferry numerical reasoning

• Korn Ferry personality test

• Korn Ferry situational judgment

The different types of Korn Ferry test and how they work

There are several different assessments within the Korn Ferry test battery - which ones you will be given depending on the skills needed for the role you’ve applied for. Below we’ve outlined each type of test, the format, what to expect, and some example test questions.

Korn Ferry Assessment of Leadership Potential (KFALP)

The Leadership Assessment from Korn Ferry provides test-takers with a series of work-related scenarios with a number of different actions. Candidates need to decide on the most effective response, which is then measured against the required competencies. The style of the test is similar to a situational test.

The test is designed to predict an individual’s potential to advance to higher levels of leadership within an organization.

Example KFALP question

During a team project, you notice that one of your team members is struggling to complete their tasks on time and appears overwhelmed. As a leader, how would you address this situation?

A) Ignore the issue and hope it resolves itself

B) Delegate the struggling team member’s tasks to others without discussing it with them

C) Approach the team member privately, offer support, and discuss possible solutions

D) Publicly call out the team member in a meeting for not meeting expectations

Correct Answer: C) Approach the team member privately, offer support, and discuss possible solutions

Explanation: A strong leader is empathetic, communicative, and supportive. In this situation, the best course of action is to approach the struggling team member privately to discuss the issue. By offering support and engaging in a conversation about possible solutions, the leader demonstrates a genuine interest in the team member’s well-being and fosters a collaborative problem-solving approach. This will likely lead to a more positive outcome than the other options, which could exacerbate the issue, damage morale, or create an unhealthy team dynamic.

Korn Ferry Four-Dimensional Assessment (KF4D)

The Korn Ferry Four-Dimensional Assessment (KF4D) is designed to provide a holistic understanding of an individual’s potential by measuring four key dimensions:

• Competencies
• Experiences
• Traits
• Drivers

The KF4D assessment typically includes a combination of multiple-choice questions, situational judgment tests, and behavioral simulations. The test may also incorporate self-assessment questionnaires that require you to rate yourself on various aspects such as personality traits, values, and interests.

The questions may cover topics such as problem-solving, communication, teamwork, adaptability, and leadership. The situational judgment tests will present you with real-world scenarios, and you’ll be asked to choose the most appropriate response from a list of options.

Example KF4D question

During a company-wide meeting, you are asked to present a new initiative that will require a significant change in the way your team operates. How do you introduce and communicate this change to your team?

A) Provide a brief overview of the initiative and let the team figure out the details on their own

B) Share the rationale behind the change, address potential concerns, and involve the team in the implementation process

C) Implement the change without any explanation, assuming the team will adapt quickly

D) Ask the team to vote on whether or not to implement the change

Correct Answer: B) Share the rationale behind the change, address potential concerns, and involve the team in the implementation process

Explanation: Effective leaders recognize the importance of clear communication, especially when it comes to change management. Option B demonstrates an understanding of the need for transparency, empathy, and collaboration during a significant change. By sharing the rationale behind the change, addressing potential concerns, and involving the team in the implementation process, a leader can foster a sense of ownership and commitment to the new initiative. This approach is more likely to lead to successful implementation and buy-in from the team, compared to the other options, which lack clarity, empathy, or collaboration.

Korn Ferry’s viaEdge

The Korn Ferry measures an individual’s learning agility, a critical determinant of leadership success. The test revolves around five key factors of learning agility:

• Mental
• People,
• Change,
• Results,
• Self-awareness.

By evaluating these dimensions, organizations can identify potential leaders who possess the ability to adapt, learn, and thrive in uncertain situations.

The test format consists of a mix of self-assessment questions, situational judgment questions, and forced-choice questions.

Korn Ferry’s situational judgment

The Korn Ferry situational judgment test is an essential tool used to assess an individual’s ability to respond effectively to various work-related scenarios.

The test consists of a series of situational judgment questions, which present real-life work scenarios and require you to choose the most appropriate response from a set of options. These scenarios may involve managing conflicts, dealing with ethical dilemmas, or solving complex problems.

Example situational judgment question

You are the project manager for a team that is working on a new product launch. The deadline for the launch is in three weeks, but you have just discovered a significant issue with the product design that will require additional time to resolve. Your team members are already working overtime to meet the current deadline. What do you do?

A) Proceed with the launch as planned, hoping that the issue will not be noticed by customers.

B) Request an extension on the deadline from the executive management and explain the issue.

C) Reassign some of your team members to fix the issue, even if it means further overtime.

D) Attempt to fix the issue without informing the executive management, hoping to meet the deadline.

Correct Answer: B) Request an extension on the deadline from the executive management and explain the issue.

Explanation: In this scenario, the best option is to request an extension on the deadline from the executive management and explain the issue (Option B). This choice demonstrates transparency, responsibility, and effective communication, all of which are essential for good leadership. By informing the executive management about the issue, you give them the opportunity to make an informed decision about the best course of action.

Korn Ferry’s numerical reasoning

Korn Ferry’s numerical reasoning test assesses the ability of the candidate to interpret data, figures, and statistics to answer questions. There is no need for any previous knowledge for these tests, other than basic mathematical understanding.

Example numerical reasoning question

If a company’s revenue is $180,000 and its expenses are $135,000, what is the company’s profit margin?

A. 25%

B. 30%

C. 35%

D. 40%

Correct Answer: A) 25%

Explanation: Profit margin is calculated as (Revenue - Expenses) / Revenue. In this case, the profit margin is ($180,000 - $135,000) / $180,000 = $45,000 / $180,000 = 0.25 or 25%.

Korn Ferry’s verbal reasoning

Korn Ferry’s verbal reasoning test requires candidates to read, understand and interpret written information and use that to answer questions. The information given may be related to the role, or it may be more abstract.

To answer verbal reasoning questions well, it is important to avoid using prior knowledge when answering.

Example verbal reasoning question

Read the following statement and select the appropriate conclusion based on the information provided: “All employees at XYZ Corporation must complete mandatory annual training. Laura is an employee at XYZ Corporation.”

Correct Answer: B) Laura must complete the annual training.

Explanation: The statement indicates that all employees, including Laura, must complete the mandatory annual training.

Korn Ferry’s logical reasoning

In the logical reasoning test, candidates are presented with a series of questions that require them to analyze patterns, identify relationships, and deduce conclusions based on the given information.

The test typically consists of multiple-choice questions, with each question requiring the test-taker to select the most appropriate response based on the presented data.

This assessment evaluates a candidate’s ability to think abstractly, discern patterns, and apply logical reasoning to solve complex problems. As a result, it provides employers with valuable insights into an individual’s capacity to succeed in roles that demand a high level of analytical and critical thinking skills.

Example logical reasoning question If A > B and B > C, then:

A) A > C

B) A < C

C) A = C

D) Cannot be determined

Correct Answer: A. A > C

Explanation: If A is greater than B and B is greater than C, then A must be greater than C.

Korn Ferry inductive reasoning

The Korn Ferry inductive reasoning test measures an individual’s ability to identify patterns, analyze data, and draw logical conclusions from a given set of information. It is used by employers as a means of evaluating a candidate’s problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Test-takers are presented with a series of visual and numerical sequences, which challenges individuals to discern underlying patterns.

Example inductive reasoning question Study the following sequence and determine which shape should replace the question mark.

[Square] - [Triangle] - [Circle] - [Square] - [Triangle] - [Circle] - [Square] - [Triangle] - [?]

A) Triangle

B) Square

C) Circle

D) Pentagon

Correct Answer: C) Circle

Explanation: In the given sequence, we can observe a simple pattern of three repeating shapes: square, triangle, and circle. The pattern is as follows:

1st shape: Square

2nd shape: Triangle

3rd shape: Circle

4th shape: Square (repeating the pattern)

5th shape: Triangle

6th shape: Circle

7th shape: Square

8th shape: Triangle

Following the pattern, the 9th shape in the sequence should be a circle. Therefore, the correct answer is option C) Circle.

Korn Ferry spatial reasoning

The Korn Ferry spatial reasoning test evaluates a candidate’s ability to visualize and manipulate two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects mentally. This test is designed to measure the spatial awareness and reasoning skills of individuals, which are often essential for success in roles that involve spatial planning, problem-solving, and navigation.

The exam typically consists of a series of questions that present you with images of different shapes, patterns, or objects. Your task is to analyze these images and answer questions related to their spatial properties or relationships. For example, you might be asked to identify which object is a rotated version of a given shape, or to predict how a folded pattern would appear when unfolded. These questions require you to mentally manipulate the objects and visualize their transformations, testing your ability to comprehend complex spatial relationships.

In preparation for this test, it is beneficial to practice mental rotation, visualization, and other spatial exercises to sharpen your skills. As you work through sample questions, try to approach each problem methodically, breaking it down into smaller components to make the task more manageable. Additionally, consider timing yourself during practice sessions to simulate the time constraints of the actual test, as this will help you develop strategies for answering questions efficiently and effectively.