What do the SSBs look for?
The SSBs look for Officer Like Qualities — a well-rounded personality with practical intelligence, social adjustment, leadership and dynamism. Here is what that means in practice.
The simple answer is: a well-rounded personality.
Selecting future officers, not just employees
Unlike most other placement tests, the SSBs are interested in selecting suitable men and women who will be trained to become responsible officers — officers who can lead men into the battlefield. They need candidates who have a fine blend of practical intelligence, social adjustment, leadership and dynamism, acquired through personal effort and experiences in life.
Overt and covert behaviour
Evaluating the Officer Like Qualities involves not only observing the outward personality but also assessing the subconscious and unconscious thoughts of a candidate. The SSBs therefore assess both the overt and covert behaviours of an individual — which is why the testing runs across psychology, group tasks and interview, over five days.