Are you completely new to the wonderful world of psychometric tests? Perhaps it’s been a few years since you last searched for a new job, or perhaps you overheard a conversation about it and just thought it sounded interesting. Either way, this post will outline everything you need to know about psychometric tests.
What exactly is a psychometric test?
A ‘psychometric test’ is quite a broad term. Put simply, a psychometric test is a form of assessment designed to find out certain key details about the person taking it. They can be used to assess your personality traits, knowledge, your thinking abilities and much else besides — it all comes down to the type of psychometric test you take.
What are the different types of psychometric tests?
Psychometric tests come in many forms. The type of test you take will depend mainly on the role you’re applying for, and the skills the employer thinks necessary. The three most common types of psychometric test are:
Numerical reasoning: designed to test how well you deal with numbers.
Verbal reasoning: designed to test your reading and comprehension skills.
Diagrammatic reasoning: designed to test your logic and problem-solving ability.
Find out more about the different types of psychometric tests.
What does the test look like?
Most psychometric tests will be done online. Companies will naturally have their own way of delivering psychometric tests, but you’ll probably find that you’re asked to complete the test prior to the interview stage.
Your prospective employer will either send you a link to the test, or invite you along to a test centre (a similar process to taking your driving theory test). Most tests consist of a series of multiple choice questions, and you’ll usually be working against the clock.
For a better idea of the questions you’ll find on your psychometric test, take a look at our Sample Questions and Answers.
Why do employers use psychometric tests?
From an employer’s perspective, psychometric tests are an incredibly useful way of identifying the candidates most suitable to a given role. By asking candidates to complete psychometric tests, they can get a very clear idea of who they are, what their strengths are and how suited they are to the role.
Not only do psychometric tests help employers make their recruitment process a lot more accurate, they also save a great deal of time as the employers only need to interview candidates whose skill sets they already have a clear idea about.
How popular are psychometric tests?
There’s no doubt that psychometric tests are rapidly growing in popularity. Most large companies use them. In fact, around three quarters of FTSE 100 companies use psychometric testing as part of their recruitment process.
Thanks to their usefulness and efficiency, psychometric tests are becoming increasingly popular with smaller businesses and agencies too.
How can I prepare for my psychometric test?
Just like your GCSEs, A-Levels, driving test and other examinations, the key to success is practise! The better you can get yourself used to the psychometric test format, the better your chances of passing with flying colours.
Read our Top Tips for Passing Your Psychometric Test.
Image by Chuk Yong from Pixabay
