Many have labeled the expression "emotional intelligence" as an oxymoron in the same vein as minor crisis, larger half or deafening silence because they don't associate emotions with intelligence.
Moreover, the two notions are considered to exclude each other.
How can an emotional person be intelligent or vice-versa? Aren't intelligent persons rational, logical and unemotional? Well, being emotionally intelligent is not impossible.
Contrary to the general belief, an exceptionally intelligent person can poorly mange her emotions and make some of the most reckless moves.
An eminent student can end up working in a high-profile company and earn big money, but his personal life is a mess.
Situations like divorce or bad relationships with children might throw him into misery and desperate acts.
There are several types of tests to assess one's emotional intelligence.
Psychologists classify them into three main categories:

1. self-support tests - they compare your responses to those of thousands of others, collected in a database.
   Areas such as the way you see yourself coping with crisis situations, how you are prone to interact with others and the way in which you might describe your mood at times are covered by such tests.
   The most common used test is EQ-i.
   National Psychological Associations validate the tests employed to evaluate one's emotional intelligence.
   In order not to return misleading results, these tests have to meet some standards;
2. 360-degree assessments - they take into consideration the perceptions of others.
   Different persons have a different perspective upon you- the way in which your spouse sees you differs from your boss' or your subordinates' view.
   EQ-360 is one of the most commonly used 360-degree assessment test.
   
3. Performance assessments are similar to IQ tests.
   Emotional intelligence is measured as an ability through this type of test.
   Possible requirements of such tests include to recognize emotions in pictures of people, to choose responses to difficult life situations or to demonstrate an understanding of basic principles about emotions.
   The test supervisor compares your score to thousands of others who have undergone the same test.
   MSCEIT is the most known and used performance assessment test.
   

These tests help determine your strengths and weaknesses and the way you are likely to behave in the real world in various contexts.