You receive a summons for psychotechnical tests. The document mentions “reasoning tests,” “situational judgment,” and “personality.” No specific program, no reference manual. Where to start when the formats evolve every year and traditional preparation no longer covers the entire spectrum of tests?
Hybrid psychotechnical tests: what changes concretely in 2026
The most significant trend this year affects the very structure of test batteries. Several major French groups have switched to platforms that mix, in the same timed session, logical reasoning, calculation, verbal comprehension, situational judgment, and personality.
BNP Paribas, for example, has migrated its tests from the Aon (cut-e) suite to the Maki platform. MAIF also uses Maki for interactive assessments that closely resemble real work situations. These are no longer isolated tests taken one by one: the tests combine cognitive abilities and professional situational assessments in a continuous sequence.
For the candidate, the consequence is direct. Preparing only logical sequences or numerical series is no longer enough. You also need to familiarize yourself with business scenarios, dynamic questions, and integrated personality formats within the battery. Before starting any training, the first step is to identify the platform used by the recruiter or organization, and then practice psychotechnical tests on materials that replicate these hybrid formats.
Logical and numerical reasoning: work on speed, not just method
Solving a logical sequence without time constraints generally poses no difficulty. The timer, however, transforms a simple exercise into a trap. Most candidates who fail reasoning tests do not lack skills: they lack speed on formats they encounter on the day of the test.
Working under time constraints from the start of preparation makes all the difference. Set a timer to a level slightly below the actual time of the test. If you are comfortable at 80% of the allotted time, on test day you will have a margin to manage stress.
Three categories of reasoning appear in almost all batteries:
- Numerical and alphanumeric series, where you need to identify a progression rule between numbers or letter-number combinations. The difficulty often comes from double rules (one for even positions, another for odd).
- Graphical series (matrices, rotations, symmetries), which test abstract reasoning. The reflex to acquire: first look for the transformation between two consecutive figures before checking the proposed answers.
- Applied numerical reasoning, which requires interpreting a table or graph, then calculating a percentage, a deviation, or a trend. Reading the material often takes more time than the calculation itself.
Varying the types of series in each training session prevents getting stuck in a single mechanism. In real conditions, the categories flow seamlessly.
Situational judgment and personality: tests that cannot be crammed
You are a team leader. A colleague openly criticizes a decision you just made in front of the rest of the group. Four reactions are proposed to you. Which one to choose? This type of question does not have a “correct answer” in the mathematical sense. It measures your ability to assess a social situation and choose a behavior appropriate to the professional context.
Situational judgment tests (SJT) have become widespread well beyond public service competitions. They now appear in the recruitment batteries of private groups, integrated into platforms like Maki. The common trap: responding with what you think the recruiter wants to hear rather than what you would actually do. Modern batteries include consistency questions that detect this bias.
To prepare, the most reliable method is to read scenarios and formulate your own response before looking at the proposed choices. If your initial reflex corresponds to one of the options, you are on the right track. If you consistently hesitate between two close answers, reread the statement looking for the word that distinguishes the two contexts (urgency, hierarchy, client, colleague).
Personality questionnaires, on the other hand, cannot be “prepared” in the traditional sense. However, understanding what they measure (extraversion, emotional stability, conscientiousness, openness, agreeableness) allows you to approach the questions without anxiety. The consistency between your answers matters more than each answer taken in isolation.
Planning effective training for psychotechnical tests over four weeks
Four weeks are enough for solid preparation, provided the work is structured. Here is a breakdown that works well for hybrid tests:
- Week 1: identify the exact formats of the battery (platform used, duration, types of tests). Take a complete mock test without preparation to identify your weak points.
- Week 2: work on the reasoning categories where the initial score was the lowest. Two sessions of 30 to 45 minutes per day, always timed.
- Week 3: add situational judgment exercises and review the scenarios missed in the mock test. Start chaining mixed blocks (logic + verbal + SJT) to simulate the cognitive fatigue of a complete battery.
- Week 4: take two to three complete mock tests under real conditions (duration, screen, no breaks). Analyze recurring mistakes without trying to correct everything: focus on the two or three reflexes that yield the most points.
Analyzing your mistakes after each session is worth more than multiplying exercises. A candidate who understands why they made a mistake on a double series will not make the same error again. A candidate who completes 200 exercises without review will reproduce the same biases.
The 2026 format of psychotechnical tests pushes for broader preparation than before. Hybrid tests require cognitive versatility, not specialization. Identifying weaknesses from the first mock test, then focusing on the formats actually present in the targeted battery, allows for quick progress without scattering efforts.