Psychometric testing explained – what you need to know

Psychometric testing has become commonplace to the recruitment process. Companies utilize the tool to assess employee suitability. Most psychometric tests will now be completed online. You will usually be provided a venue or assessment centre in which to undertake these assessments to ensure your environment is controlled. You may find in some instances, if you are undertaking assessments in an assessment centre, that some assessments may still be paper based.

Why?

Psychometric testing is used to compliment and reaffirm what has been demonstrated through the interview process. These tools provide the company with further understanding about an individual’s cognition, personality or behavioral styles; which can greatly assist in recruitment decisions.

Types of tests

Broadly, psychometric testing can be broken into two major groups: cognitive assessment and personality, or behavioral based, assessment. Nearly all assessments will be in multiple choice format.

1. Cognitive assessments

These are also referred to as aptitude tests. These provide further insight into competency in particular areas. These assessments are all usually timed, and to perform best, compete as many questions as possible as accurately as possible.
The main cognitive assessments are outlined below:
a) Abstract reasoning – one of the 3 most common cognitive assessments, focusing on your problem solving ability. Questions are usually in diagrammatic format and these assessments aim to test your strategic thinking ability and reasoning.
b) Verbal reasoning – another of the most common cognitive assessments, this assesses your ability to communicate verbally and your ability to decipher the logic in statements. You will receive written information which you are required to draw conclusions from.
c) Numerical reasoning – the final most commonly used cognitive assessment, this assesses your ability to calculate and interpret numerical data which is presented in statistical tables and graphs. Often you will be provided with a calculator and paper to assist you in the mathematics, although some assessments are required to be completed without a calculator.
d) Mechanical reasoning – this assessment involves assessing the ability to review and problem solve mechanical objects or diagrams in sequences. Such assessments will be commonly used if the company is testing your practical and mechanical ability.
e) Spatial reasoning – assesses your ability to understand and manipulate 2 dimensional or 3 dimensional shapes. These questions generally involve rotating, flipping or reversing shapes. This assesses the abilities commonly required in science related jobs, architecture or design.
f) Emotional intelligence – this assessment measures the ability of a candidate to understand, and their reactions to, themselves and others emotionally.

2. Personality profiles

These assessments provide information on preferences, interests and motivations. Such preferences cannot be right or wrong, so you cannot study for these assessments. To answer these questions you are best to consider a work situation or context and how an outcome or situation would affect you and your motivation. The best way to complete personality assessments is by answering without too much thought, to go with your first instinct, and to answer all of the questions. The most common personality assessments are: general personality, occupational personality, and sales personality. Again, it must be stressed that there are no right or wrong answers to these assessments, rather it would be that an employer is seeking a ‘cultural fit’.

Preparation

It is difficult and, in most instances, best to not prepare for such assessments. Advisable preparation includes knowing which assessments you will be undertaking, what these assessments will be assessing and how long they will take to complete.

Sample assessments are available online. These provide the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the format of the assessments and help you to understand what to expect. Completing these sample assessments generally will not improve your results and they will not enable you to pre prepare your answers.

Websites which offer such sample tests include:

http://www.derby.ac.uk/careers/onlinepsychotesting.htm

http://www.qantas.com.au/infodetail/about/employment/QTests.pdf

http://www.shldirect.com/

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/psychotests.htm

http://www.myersbriggs.org/

You can also mentally prepare and sharpen your skills by completing crosswords, strategic puzzles or playing strategic thinking games such as chess. Practice your problem solving skills, read newspapers and journals often, analyze financial reports and tables and think through patterns and objects. Such practice will not necessarily improve your current ability in any of the tested areas, though may sharpen your thoughts and concentration.

Finally, the night before your assessments, get a good sleep and ensure you arrive to the required location with plenty of time to spare to prevent feeling rushed or flustered. If you are unsure of any instructions when you arrive, ask the assessor. Be careful to read all of the instructions provided, and the questions carefully, to give yourself the best opportunity to answer as many questions as possible, correctly and accurately.

Be yourself – if you are the right person for the role the tests results will be in your favour!