Psychometric Assessment

In addition to interviews, employers may use a range of testing methods for further insight into an applicant’s personality, motivations and abilities.

Many graduate employers now use psychometric assessment early in their selection process. Psychometric assessment is often administered as a series of online tests and inventories and may also be a precursor to or part of an assessment centre.

Designed by psychologists, psychometric assessments are used to assess a candidate’s abilities, personality, motivations, values and interests under standardised conditions in line with a particular role. Many types of assessment are used to help the employer build an overall profile of you and, importantly, how you would fit into their workplace.

Psychometric assessments typically fall into two categories: aptitude test and personality inventory or motivational fit.

Aptitude tests are used to measure mental reasoning ability – most commonly numerical, verbal, comprehension, and abstract or spatial reasoning skills. These tests are usually timed so the pressure can be intense. If you have to take one of these tests, work quickly but accurately and don’t be surprised if you can’t answer all questions.

Personality inventory or motivational fit tests are designed to reveal interests and motivations. The typical format is preferential questions (where you select from a series of choices). There are no right or wrong responses, just individual answers, which psychologists use to develop a profile to then compare to that of an employer’s ideal candidate.

Emotional intelligence (EI) tools may be used to identify candidates who possess strong ‘emotional competency’. EI is your capacity to:

  • recognise and manage emotions in yourself and your relationships
  • use feelings to guide your thoughts and actions
  • motivate yourself and others.

Preparing for tests

You can prepare for psychometric testing by asking the employer questions such as:

  • What sort of tests do they conduct and what do they measure?
  • How long will the tests go for?
  • Can a calculator be used in numeric tests?

You should also:

  • practice by taking sample tests, either online or through your careers service
  • complete crosswords, number games and puzzles to sharpen your problem solving ability.