About Cut-e/Aon
Used by organizations worldwide, and across multiple sectors, Cut-e is a popular provider of talent acquisition and development solutions. Its various tools and services help employers recruit and progress the very best talent available to them.
As part of its offering, Cut-e publishes a range of skills, ability, and behavioral assessments. These tests, most commonly used in the screening stages of recruitment, give hiring teams deeper insight into an applicant's true potential and unbiased, comparable data that helps inform selection.
Cut-e was acquired by professional services firm AON in 2017, so its tests are now known as AON assessments. The content, structure, and purpose remain the same though, whether referred to under the Cut-e or AON banner.
What are Cut-e scales verbal tests?
The Cut-e scales verbal test is one of the publisher's pre-employment assessments. It is a verbal reasoning test that measures a candidate's ability to process written information that is new to them.
The types of questions presented require the test taker to analyze passages of text and use their aptitude for verbal reasoning to draw logical conclusions from what they read.
An applicant's performance in the Cut-e scales verbal test tells an employer more about their language comprehension, problem-solving ability, and capacity for learning. As it is taken under timed conditions, the test also serves to demonstrate how well the individual performs under pressure.
The format of Cut-e scales verbal tests
Cut-e publishes its scales verbal test in several variations to suit different job roles and sectors, including a version specific to the finance industry.
If you're asked to take the Cut-e scales verbal test, you should expect a somewhat different format than other verbal reasoning tests you may have come across.
First, the test is short, at just 12 minutes long. There can be up to 49 questions in total, though there is no official requirement that you complete them all - just work through as many as you can in the allotted time.
Second, the questions are presented in a way unique to Cut-e.
What you'll see are several tabs, each containing short passages of text. These tabs, and the information within them, form part of a wider document - for example, an annual financial report. You'll then be given a series of statements followed by the multiple choice options of true, false or cannot say.
For each statement, you must navigate to the relevant tab and interpret the information given to draw your conclusions.
It's also worth noting that negative marking applies in the Cut-e scales verbal test, meaning you lose one mark for every incorrect answer. That said, you can expect the level of difficulty to be job appropriate, with language no more complex than you would use on a daily basis if offered the position.
Which employers use the Cut-e scales verbal tests?
As Cut-e publishes its scales verbal test in a version specific to the finance sector, it is a popular choice with many leading financial employers and professional services firms. Some of these include:
- AXA
- Credit Agricole
- Credit Suisse
- ANZ
- Morgan Stanley
- Nomura
- UBS
- Deloitte
You will also find many notable organizations outside of these sectors use the Cut-e scales verbal test when hiring for roles within their finance departments.
As these tests measure essential skills like language comprehension, problem-solving and decision making, they are used as screening tools for jobs in all types of financial services, including accounting, investments, banking, tax, and insurance.
Tips to boost your scores on the Cut-e verbal tests
1. Practice reading with a critical eye
Verbal reasoning is a natural skill, but it can be significantly improved with practice. Make reading a regular habit - you can use anything from academic textbooks to news articles - and question the information given.
Ask yourself what it's suggesting, what facts are given to support its claims, and what assumptions have been made. As you build on this skill, take practice verbal reasoning tests at regular intervals to track your progress.
2. Familiarise yourself with the test format
As its format is so unique, it's recommended you take Cut-e scales verbal specific practice tests, and plenty of them. This will boost your confidence as you get used to navigating between the different tabs.
Notice how your pace improves as you remember more of the information contained in each tab - by around question 10 you should be able to head straight to the right source. This is a key strategy for your official test. Allow yourself more time for earlier questions and aim to work slightly quicker towards the end.
3. Extend your vocabulary
Whilst you can't predict the questions you'll be asked on your Cut-e scales verbal test, you can predict the type of language that will be used. By extending your knowledge of this language, you arm yourself with a competitive advantage.
You should regularly read financial publications, analyse key words and their meaning, research industry terminology, and seek clarification on anything you don't understand.
4. Pay attention to details
Attention to detail is critical in any pre-employment test, but with the Cut-e scales verbal - where marks are deducted for incorrect answers - it's especially important.
Digest all the information given and read every question statement twice so you know exactly what it is implying. Never make assumptions either. Base your answers solely on the details you have been given.
5. Stay calm and focused
With the limited time allowance of the Cut-e scales verbal test, it's easy to become flustered and lose concentration. Remind yourself that no one expects you to answer all 49 questions and that all you can do is give it your best.
FAQs
What is a good score on a Cut-e verbal test?
There's no definitive answer here, as each employer will set a benchmark score against which your results will be compared. Comparisons will also be made with the scores of your fellow applicants, so what's considered a good score also depends on the performance of your competition.
Can you fail a verbal reasoning test?
Aptitude tests like the Cut-e scales verbal aren't designed with a pass or fail structure. Instead, they show an employer what you're capable of. It's then up to the hiring team to decide if your results, along with the rest of your application, make you a good candidate for progression.
Are Cut-e verbal tests hard?
Cut-e designs its tests at varying difficulty levels to suit a range of job roles. As someone seeking work in the finance sector, you can expect your scales verbal test to be challenging, but at the same time representative of the language comprehension, you'll need to succeed in the field.
What is the fastest way to answer verbal reasoning questions?
There are no shortcuts to completing a verbal reasoning test. The only way to improve your speed without compromising on accuracy is to take plenty of practice tests and to take them under timed conditions. In doing so, you'll learn to interpret texts at a pace.
