The Candidate Assessment Tool

1. Go to Candidate Assessment Tool – Home and select the language of your choice (English or French).
2. Select the Create an account tab.
3. Fill out all the fields in the form.
   • Note: use a personal email address as this address can’t be changed in the future and it’s more permanent than your work email address.
4. Select Create an account at the bottom of the screen.

To login: Go to Candidate Assessment Tool – Home and login with your email address and password.

To logout: Select MENU in the top left corner of your screen and select Logout from the list.

1. Select MENU in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select My Profile. This will take you to the My Personal Information tab, where you can input personal details for your profile.
   • You’ll need to fill out the Employment Equity section before you can take a test

Make sure you have your password readily available on the day you take the test. 

To change your password:

1. In your account, select MENU in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select My Profile.
3. Select Password from the column on the left side and follow the steps to change your password.

To reset your password (if you’ve forgotten it):

1. Go to Candidate Assessment Tool – Home, and select Forgot Password? in the bottom left corner. Enter the email address of your account and select Send Password Reset Link.
2. Follow the instructions on resetting your password that will be sent to your email address.

We want to make sure you have the support you need to fully demonstrate your abilities. You can customize the testing environment to best meet your needs.

You can modify your view to have your preferred font size and style and text spacing saved in your profile. You can also use your browser settings to change the zoom resolution and colour for both text and page background. There are 3 ways to change your display preferences.

From the MENU tab:

1. Select MENU in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Select My Profile.
3. Select Preferences from the column on the left side.
4. Choose your preferred display settings.

From the Display button:

1. Select Display in the top right corner of your screen.
2. Choose your preferred display settings.

From browser options (variable between browsers):

1. Use your browser’s built-in zoom in and zoom out functionalities.
2. Use your browser’s built-in options to modify background and font colours, where available.

If you find that not all your needs have been met once you’ve customized your display parameters, you may submit an assessment accommodation request.

Important note: Be careful not to use the back and forward features (arrows) on your browser’s navigation once you’ve started, as it could cause technical issues.

During the test, your test environment will include these buttons and features:

Timer

Located in the bottom left corner, the Timer counts down your remaining time to take the test. Selecting the minus symbol (-) will hide the timer. Once the timer has started for your official test, it will continue to count down time, even if you close your browser window or turn off your computer.

Français / English buttons

Located in the top right corner, the Français and English buttons allow you to switch the test environment between English and French. These buttons do not change the language of the test questions.

Test Instructions

Located in the top left corner, the Test Instructions tab displays navigation instructions and information about your test. If you select Test Instructions during the test, the test timer will still continue to count down.

Test Questions

Located in the top left corner, the Test Questions tab allows you to see and answer the questions.

Tools

Located in the top right corner of the screen, the Tools button displays or hides the Notepad, described below.

Notepad

Located on the right side of the screen, the Notepad section is where you can make notes for yourself as you go through the test. Selecting the minus symbol (-) will hide the notepad. These notes won’t be saved or submitted as part of the test.

Display

Located in the top right corner of the screen, the Display button allows you to change your display preferences, as described in the Change your display preferences section.

Quit Test

The Quit Test button is located in the top right corner. Selecting this button at any time will allow you to quit the test without submitting your answers.

If you select this button:

• your answers will be deleted, and you won’t be able to recover them
• your test won’t be scored
• you will lose access to the test, and there may be a delay before you can be retested

Submit Test

The Submit Test button is located in the bottom right corner of the screen.

Navigating the test questions

The column on the left side of your screen provides a numbered list of all the questions in the test and summarizes the status of each question:

• not viewed: questions not viewed will show an icon of an eye crossed out 
• viewed: questions viewed will show an unobstructed eye icon 
• unanswered: unanswered questions will show an icon of an empty circle 
• answered: questions answered will show an icon of a circle that has been filled in 
• marked for review: these questions will have an exclamation mark next to them 

Viewing and answering questions

• Selecting a numbered question will display the question in the centre of the screen, followed by the choice of answers
• You can select an answer or choose to skip a question by selecting the Next or Previous buttons
• You can change your answers at any time before the test time expires
• Don’t forget to come back and answer questions you choose to skip, as the system won’t remind you to complete these questions before submitting your test
• You can Mark for Review a question to remind yourself to go back to it later on; an exclamation point will appear next to this question in the list of questions on the left; you can also select the same button again to deactivate the Mark for Review option
• You don’t need to unmark questions for review before submitting the test; questions will be scored regardless

Familiarize yourself with the test environment and test format by taking a sample test.

To take a sample test:

1. Select Sample Tests from the top left corner of your screen.
2. Scroll down to view the available tests; select a test by selecting the Start button next to it.

If you use accessibility software, make sure to test it out in a sample test; if the software doesn’t work or if you need more support tailored to your situation, you may request assessment accommodations.

Getting started

Once you’ve practised with sample tests and you’re ready to take a test:

1. Log in to your Candidate Assessment Tool account, if you aren’t already connected.
• If your profile isn’t complete or needs updating, you’ll get a notification that your personal information needs to be updated before you can take the test
• Once this is done, select MENU and then My Tests, followed by the Take a Test tab
2. From the Take a Test tab on the left of your screen, enter the Test Access Code provided in your email invitation and select Check-In.
3. Select the Start option located to the right of the test name, under the Actions column.
4. You’ll see a “Welcome” message where you’ll be asked to disable auto-translation in your browser. You’ll need to disable auto-translation to abide by the test’s terms of use.
• Disable auto-translation (variable between browsers)
  1. Select the 3 dots (…) in the top right of the window and then Settings.
  2. Select Languages in the left pane.
  3. Turn off “Offer to translate pages that aren’t in a language you/I read.”
5. Read the welcome message, the terms of use and the general instructions related to the platform; then select Next at each prompt.
6. A pop-up box will appear, prompting you to accept the terms of use and to confirm that you wish to start the test. Select “Yes, I wish to proceed” and then the Next button.
7. Read the instructions specific to the test that you have to take and select the Next button to see the sample questions on the next page. Select Start Test once you are ready to start.

Technical difficulties

If you have technical difficulties during the test (for example, you have an unexpected computer failure or you accidentally close your browser window), log back into the system and continue where you left off. Don’t delay, because your allotted time for completing the test elapses even while you’re logged out of the system.

If you experience extreme technical difficulties during the test (for example, an extended power outage), refer to the email with the test information and contact the generic email address or contact person as soon as possible.

Booking an in-person supervised test session

If you’ve received an invitation to book an in-person supervised test session, you can do so by following these instructions:

1. Log in to your Candidate Assessment Tool account.
• If your profile isn’t complete or needs updating, you’ll receive a notification that your personal information needs to be updated before you can take the test
• Once this is done, select MENU and then My Tests, followed by the Reservations tab on the left of your screen
2. From the Reservations tab on the left of your screen, enter the Reservation Code provided in your email invitation and select Claim Code.
3. Use the Find Test Session option under the Actions column to view the available test sessions.
4. Select Session Information to obtain the address of the test centre and select Reserve when you’ve found the test session that you’d like to book.

Once your booking is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the full details of your test session.

If you don’t find a session with availability, check again periodically, as new sessions are regularly added to the system. If you can’t book a test session before the “deadline date” provided in your invitation email, refer to the invitation and contact the email address provided or the contact person to receive further instructions.

Modifying a reservation

To change your reservation:

1. Log in to your Candidate Assessment Tool account and select the Reservations option in the list of options on the left of your screen.
2. Select the Manage Reservations tab next to the Make a Reservation tab.
3. Select the Edit Reservation option under the Actions column.
4. Select Book Later.

Go back to the Make a Reservation tab and follow the instructions to find and book a test session.

You can request assessment accommodation in the Candidate Assessment Tool as soon as you receive your test invitation. To do so, first you’ll need to create your Assessment Accommodations Profile and then submit an accommodation request.

Note that departments and agencies that invite candidates to take an unsupervised internet test or to book an in-person supervised test are notified when candidates submit an assessment accommodation request. This enables them to ensure that there is enough time to process the accommodation request, and that candidates have enough time to take their test.

Please note that the content of accommodation profiles and requests can only be viewed by the Assessment Accommodation Unit in charge of identifying the appropriate assessment accommodations; it cannot be accessed by, nor shared with, other departments and agencies.

Create your assessment accommodations profile

1. Log in to your Candidate Assessment Tool account and select Home in the top left corner of the screen.
2. Select My Profile.
3. Select Assessment Accommodations Profile in the list of options on the left of the screen and complete the required information.
4. Select Save.

Submit an assessment accommodation request

Unsupervised internet tests

1. Follow the steps to check in for your test in the Unsupervised internet tests section of this page, but do not start your test yet. If you start your test immediately, you will not receive the proper assessment accommodations, which may impact your results.
2. Select the Request an Accommodation option located to the right of the test name, under the Actions column.
3. A pop-up screen will open. Select your Request Type and add any additional information on your request in the Comments (optional) box. Then, confirm that your Assessment Accommodations Profile is up-to-date before selecting Submit Request.

In-person supervised tests

1. Follow the actions to book an in-person test in the Booking an in-person supervised test session section of this page, but do not book your test yet.
2. Select the Request an Accommodation option located to the right of the magnifying glass icon , under the Actions column.
3. A pop-up screen will open. Select your Request Type, the Location (test centre) where you want to take your test, and add any additional information on your request in the Comments (optional) box. Then, confirm that your Assessment Accommodations Profile is up-to-date before submitting your request.
4. You can access your test session information and accommodation request details in the Manage Reservations tab.

If you no longer feel you need assessment accommodation to take your test, you can cancel your request by taking the following actions:

Unsupervised internet tests

1. Select the View Accommodation Request Details option located to the right of the test name, under the Actions column.
2. Select the Cancel Request option.

In-person supervised tests

1. Under the Manage Reservations tab, select the View Accommodation Request Details option.
2. Select the Cancel Request option.
3. Your Reservation Code will be reactivated in the Make a Reservation tab, allowing you to find and book a test session.

You can view the processing status of your assessment accommodation request by selecting the View Accommodation Request Details option.

You’ll be notified when the assessment accommodations proposed by the assessment specialist are ready for your review in the Candidate Assessment tool. You can review them by selecting the View Accommodation Request Details option.

Once you’ve reviewed the assessment accommodation measure(s), you must choose one of the following options:

• accept the accommodations as-is by selecting Accept
• email the assessment specialist using the email address provided if you have questions or concerns with the assessment accommodation measures

You may have access to the options described below if they’ve been identified as appropriate accommodations to remove barriers and if they allow you to fully demonstrate your competency. These options are in addition to the ones described in the Change your display preferences and Navigate the test environment sections.

Extra time

When you select Start Test, a pop-up window will appear showing the total duration of the test, which will include the extra time you’ve been allotted.

When you’re ready to begin, select "Yes, I want to continue," and select Start Test. The timer is in the bottom left corner of the screen and displays your remaining time to complete the test.

Breaks

If you’ve been given time for breaks, a pop-up window will appear, indicating that you have a bank of timer pauses when you select Start Test. This bank allows you to:

1. Pause the test at any time during the test
2. Choose the length and number of pauses you want until your pause time is up

When you’re ready to begin, select "Yes, I want to continue" and select Start Test.

Pause the test

You’ll see the Pause Test button in the middle of the screen, towards the bottom of the screen. When you select this button, you’ll be redirected to a window that shows how much time you have left for breaks. You’ll be able to see the time running in your pause bank by viewing the timer box in the middle of the screen.

You can choose to save some of the time to take additional breaks before the end of the test, or let the time run out completely before resuming your test.

Resume the test

You’ll see the Resume Test button in the lower-middle part of the screen while the test is paused. When you select this button, a pop-up window will appear. You’ll need to confirm that you want to resume the test by selecting the Resume Test button in the lower right corner of the pop-up window to stop your pause bank timer.

You’ll be redirected to your test, and the timer for your test will start running again.

You can repeat the process of pausing and resuming the test until your pause bank runs out. Once your bank timer is at 0:00:00, you have no break time left. You will automatically be redirected to your test and the test timer will start to run again.