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Pre-screening test helps reserve recruiters match people with jobs

  • Published
  • By Dana Lineback
  • 940th Wing Public Affairs
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Active duty Air Force recruiters began offering applicants an unproctored online version of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, Nov. 1.

The new Pre-screening, internet-delivered Computer Adaptive Test is a practice test for the ASVAB, the comprehensive exam used by all branches of the military to get a general idea of an applicant's aptitude in relation to jobs available.

Reserve recruiters, however, will continue to rely on the Evaluation Standardized Test, an in-house test.

The EST is a tool the air components have been using for about 15 years now, according to Senior Master Sergeant Carla Lang, 940th Wing Reserve Recruiting Flight chief.

When a non-prior service applicant walks through the door of the reserve recruiting office in Yuba City, Calif., Air Force Reserve recruiter, Tech. Sgt. Michael Morales' job is to match the prospective recruit to the right position, according to qualification standards and the needs of the Air Force Reserve.

The EST is one of the tools Morales has at his disposal to assist in that task.

"We encourage every applicant to take the 20-minute EST on their first visit to our office. It gives us a reliable indication of the individual's aptitude,"  Morales said. "The advantage of the EST over the new PiCAT is really for the recruiter to be able to know that the applicant took the test without assistance."

Lang said the EST is advantageous for both the applicant and the government.

"Applicants can use this test to know how they score in relation to (the qualifications for) a job they may be interested in," she said.

"The EST saves the government an abundance of money and time by giving us an idea of whether the applicant is ready to pass the ASVAB before sending them to the Military Entrance Processing Station in Sacramento to take that exam."

"It's also an opportunity to target recruits for the particular positions we need at the 940th Wing," Lang added.

Morales admits not everyone who comes into his office does well the first time they take the EST.

"If an applicant scores low, it limits the jobs they qualify for. So, we send them home with a book and a study guide and encourage them to study. There are also websites out there offering free ASVAB preparation and practice tests. We encourage applicants to check these out, as well. When they feel comfortable, they can come back," said Morales.

"If an applicant can score higher on the EST, their chances of doing well on the ASVAB increase. A higher score, of course, opens up their eligibility for more jobs. The ultimate goal is to recruit quality applicants who are going to experience successful reserve careers."