The Miller Analogies Test (MAT) is a standardized test normally used for graduate school admissions. The test is composed entirely of analogies. But does the workplace value your ability to solve analogies? Why is such an ability important?
You may think that MAT scores are relevant only to getting into a graduate program, but not so. Regardless of what you might think, your scores can follow you far beyond enrolling in the school of your choice.
When you apply for a job, some companies may want to see your MAT scores. Essentially, employers look at your MAT score the same way schools do. If a company asks for a MAT score, it likely wants a standard for comparing you to other applicants.
Like schools, companies want to gauge your ability to think and reason, to see if you’re well rounded and/or intellectually curious. People like to base their decisions on facts, and a MAT score is one more fact they can use to consider the strength of your application for the job.
Additionally, companies know that, with the world changing so quickly, they need to hire people who have the ability to adapt. Today’s technology will probably be obsolete in ten years. To companies, getting a good score on the MAT may mean that you can think on your feet and apply your current knowledge to solve new problems as they arise.
For example, if you worked at a produce company and were able to recognize that cold-press juicers were selling well in southern California, you could recommend that the company increase its advertising in that area. You’d bring tangible value to the company with your ability to identify relationships.