Psychometric Testing

Employers are using psychometric testing more often to assist in the hiring process. These tests can provide additional information that cannot be obtained from application forms or interviews. They help assess whether a candidate has the skills for the job, their character is suited to the role / company and how they may cope with certain work situations.

Below is a brief description of the main types of psychometric tests and some tips to help you navigate each test.

Verbal reasoning

These are used to assess a candidates understanding and skill with language comprehension, spelling and grammar.

Tips for verbal reasoning tests:

• Pay attention to detail - concentrate on a single word or even one letter at a time. Sometimes similar words are put in to confuse you. One word read incorrectly can change the entire meaning of a sentence.
• Re-read a passage or sentence - wording can be purposefully ambiguous so meanings may not be clear immediately.
• Don't take language for granted - avoid skipping over words or assuming the meaning. These tests take advantage of this and try to catch you out.

Aptitude and Ability tests

Ability tests measure a candidate's potential to learn the skills needed for a new job by testing verbal, spatial and numerical ability.

Aptitude tests are used to predict how well a candidate can perform a particular job or task. They examine a candidates potential by testing aptitudes that are relevant to the job available. Aptitude tests are a test of a person's natural ability.

Both ability and aptitude tests are usually related to a specific requirement of the role and will give an indication as to how you will perform in certain aspects of the job.

They may test:

• spatial awareness (dealing with diagrams and three-dimensional shapes)
• verbal reasoning
• numeracy
• problem-solving
• manual dexterity or hand/eye co-ordination

Tips for ability and aptitude tests:

• Don't panic - questions may seem complex but often the correct answer is the most obvious and simple one.
• One answer - all answers may be correct to a degree but there is usually only one truly correct answer.
• Be systematic in your approach - more often than not these types of tests are timed so it's a good idea to leave the harder questions to the end and concentrate on the questions you are more confident with first.
• Look for common themes - there is often a common theme or characteristic to every shape or pattern in the question.
• Practice - there are a number of online sites where you can practice aptitude tests for free.

Personality profiling

These are designed to see if your personality profile is regarded as suitable for the position. Candidates will often be asked to indicate a preference for a word or statement. Areas such as dominance, leadership and management style are likely to be explored.

There are no right or wrong answers here so just be honest.

Abstract problem solving

This test measures your ability to identify patterns and extract meaning from a mass of seemingly random or very complex information.

Tips for abstract problem solving:

• Don't overlook the obvious - the simple or obvious answer is often the correct one, and there is usually only one correct answer.
• Look for common themes - there is often a common theme or characteristic to every shape or pattern in the question.

Numerical reasoning

These tests involve calculations and numerical problem solving. For numerical problem solving the actual mathematics involved may be very simple, but you are being assessed on your knowledge of how to apply them.

Tips for abstract numerical reasoning:

• Look for sequences and patterns - look at numbers increasing or decreasing, common denominators or combinations of numbers.
• Be aware of basic mathematical principals - anything divided or multiplied by zero is zero. Two even numbers multiplied by each other will give another even number. A negative and positive number multiplied by each other will give a negative number. Two negative numbers multiplied always produce a positive number, and so on.

Sources

1. www.monster.co.uk
2. www.psychometrics.co.uk
3. www.infomaticsonline.co.uk
4. www.careerservices.govt.nz