The lowdown on Psychometric testing
As everyone knows, 'filtering' is a system used by most employers in order to get the best person for the job. Interviews, assessment centres, CVs, and, increasingly, psychometric tests are all included in the selection process
Employers like the tests as they help make the process easier. But what are they exactly?
Psychometric literally means 'to measure the brain' - but don't let that intimidate you! The tests are formed of aptitude tests and personality questionnaires and are used to determine a person's competence, skill, sensitivity, memory, intelligence and personality. There are no specific rules. For example, tests for management consultancy roles will be different to those for a sales manager.
Personality questionnaires, usually un-timed, help to work out how people are likely to behave in different situations, their social skills and work style. They are also used for self-assessment purposes to help people understand their strengths and weaknesses.
While it's easy to give what you think is the right answer, it's better to be yourself as the employer may be looking for a range of personalities rather than the one you think they want. Also, sophisticated testing methods mean it's easier to spot any inconsistent answers while not answering honestly means you may get a job that might make you miserable.
Unlike personality tests, which have no right or wrong answers, aptitude tests, which look at verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning, definitely do. They don't test general knowledge or intelligence but rather your potential, logic and thinking performance.
For example, the numerical test won't ask about algebra or trigonometry but will test your mental agility to determine how quickly you understand numbers. It may be worth freshening up on your times tables, percentages, fractions and long multiplication. You may be asked to complete a sequence of numbers, state the largest fraction or interpret date tables.
By the same token, verbal tests do not question your spelling skills but rather how you respond to written text. For example, you may be presented with a paragraph of text and asked to interpret the information. Logical reasoning usually involves spotting patterns in diagrams.
The tests are timed with multiple choice answers so working quickly and precisely is key. Like personality tests, they are also used for self-assessment as an aid to career development. The way the tests are conducted varies from employer to employer. You may be invited to do it online or at their offices and typically, there may be 30 questions to answer in about 30 minutes. Scores are generally compared to those of other candidates for employers to compare potential.
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