What is a Psychometric Test in Recruitment?

Psychometrics and Testing

Increasingly employers are turning to psychometric tests to help them identify the right candidates for their roles objectively and accurately.

Psychometric assessments can help you to identify candidates’:

• Abilities – such as in verbal and numerical reasoning
• Personality style and preferences
• Work-specific skill areas such as managerial potential.

Psychometrics tend to test ability, aptitude, and personality

The most common tests we have come across throughout our graduate campaigns have included:

•  Numerical reasoning tests which will assess how well you interpret data and potentially maths skills.
•  Verbal reasoning tests so the business can test how you understand written information.
•  Personality tests that assess your character and personality letting the business see how you may or may not fit with their culture or environment.

Other tests can include assessment on logical, inductive, or deductive reasoning. This will depend on the role/scheme. Many businesses will also test on aptitude, so they understand skillset. This may be online or while at the business on an assessment day. All of the above are generally under timed/exam-based conditions.

Top Tips

Top tips for getting the best out of psychometric assessments:

• Use exercises with strong technical pedigrees in areas such as reliability (consistent results) and validity (testing relevant skill areas)
• Use exercises that relate directly to the important job and person specification criteria, particularly if you are using test results to screen out candidates
• Explain your test processes clearly to candidates so they understand why these are being used
• Consider re-assessing short-listed candidates in controlled settings later in the selection process, if tests are completed online remotely (such as at home)
• After you appoint a candidate, use the psychometric assessment results to help you develop the individual from day one
• You should offer candidates feedback so that the good reputation of your organisation is preserved
• Review the test results to ensure there is no adverse impact on particular candidate groups
• Review test results against the performance of candidates who are subsequently appointed to see how well they are predicting future job success.

For further information on processes and the use of assessments, please visit informedassessment.co.uk