How is high school math used in job screenings?

I've heard some jobs use high school math knowledge in their screening processes. Does it really happen, and if so, how important is it to keep those skills sharp? Any specific examples would be helpful as I plan my future!

Absolutely, high school math skills can come in handy during certain job screening processes, particularly for positions in fields that heavily depend on numerical reasoning, analytics or quantitative decision-making. This can range from engineering and software development positions to roles in finance, statistics, and even some high-tech manufacturing jobs.

Here's an example: an engineer might need to use geometry for CAD design, while algebra might be part of cost or profit calculations in a business or finance setting. Additionally, jobs with lots of data analysis often utilize concepts from statistics that you would learn about in a high school math class.

As a more specific example, some employers might give a test in the interview process to assess your basic high school level math skills. For instance, if you're interviewing for a job where you would need to do statistical modeling, you might have to answer questions related to algebra or basic probability.

As to how important it is to keep these skills sharp, it will really vary by job field. For some professions, high school-level math knowledge will be used on a daily basis while others may seldom or never use these skills. However, even in cases where math isn't directly used in day-to-day tasks, often times, having a solid understanding of math can enhance your problem-solving and decision-making abilities, which all employers highly appreciate!

Remember that the depth and complexity of mathematics a position requires ultimately depends on the industry and specific job role. You should certainly have a basic grasp of high school-level math as part of your foundational knowledge, but whether you need to regularly practice and maintain those skills would be contingent on your career trajectory.