Psychometric
tests and aptitude tests
When looking for a job it is very easy to concentrate
solely on what YOU can get out of a new position, and how YOU should
prepare. Instead try looking at the recruiting process from an employers
point of view.
Recruiting personnel is a long and expensive process, it is very important that a company get it right, if they hire someone that turns out to be unsuitable then it costs time, money and potentially business.
If
a new recruit causes personality conflicts within an established team
or department then other members of staff become unhappy and under perform.
To
reduce the possibility of hiring an inappropriate candidate employers
use several filtering methods, traditionally these have been the CV, covering
letter, and interview. However respected companies that recruit a large
volume of people can receive hundreds of CV's and coving letters for each
position they advertise, they are finding that traditional candidate elimination
techniques do not go far enough and are not cost effective.
Not only are CVs time consuming to read but there is also no consistency in the type of information they show and they can fail to include vital candidate information which the employer is looking for. It is also known that people exaggerate their qualifications and experience on their CVs and tell the employer only what they want to hear.
As a result employers are using psychometric testing more and more in addition to the traditional selection methods.
A psychometric test usually comes in the form of approximately fifty questions or statements, for example:
-
'My friends say I'm a good listener'
-
'I have always been a quick thinker'
-
'I like to take risks'
-
'I am not a very determined person'
For
each statement there is usually a five-grade answer bar ranging from 'strongly
agree' to 'strongly disagree'. You have to read each statement carefully
and circle the response that best represents your opinion, for example
you if a statement is somewhat true but you do not strongly agree with
it then you would circle a four out of five.
Your
results are scanned into a computer for interpretation after which the
employer will print out your profile. By varying the type of statements
included in a test the employer can get a general overview of your personality,
whether you are a good team player and what motivates you in the workplace.
It is also possible to base a test around a specific role, for example
you could be tested to see if you possess the innate qualities required
to be a good sales person.
Aptitude
Tests
In
addition to psychological analysis employers can use aptitude tests designed
to measure your capacity to perform in a particular way. They include
aptitudes for manual dexterity and speed, mechanical ability, spatial
awareness, reasoning, abstract reasoning, clerical work, and your numerical
and verbal skills.
This
type of psychometric testing also has a place outside of candidate selection.
Employers can use them to assess whether their staff need any extra training,
or to evaluate an individuals suitability for promotion.
School
leavers and those without career direction can use aptitude testing as
a guide to see what jobs their skills lend themselves to. If you undertake
a test for your own purposes your results may highlight strengths and
areas of weakness, as an example if you do not meet a certain standard
of numeric proficiency then perhaps a career in accounting is ill advised.
However it should be noted that just because a psychometric test tells you that you would make a lousy bank manager, that doesn't mean that you have to reassess you career objectives if bank managing is what you had your heart set on. Reason why the test showed that you would not be suitable and try to address those issues.
Personality Tests
A personality
test can be used to get a generalized overview of a persons character,
for example their anxieties, whether they are sociable, assertive, extroverted
or introverted. Their suitability for the job can be judged from their
responses. For example successful Sales staff should be outgoing, financially
motivated, confident and persuasive.
It
is questionable how much value personality testing has in offering personal
career enlightenment. If you don't know what your character is like and
where your skills lie, what chance has a computer got? However it is a
good way of focussing your thoughts and often when in career limbo that
is exactly what is required.
Faking
it
It
is possible to cheat the personality psychometric test by putting answers
that may not be your true responses but instead are the replies you think
show the employer that you have what it takes excel in the role to which
you are applying.
Yes
this approach could work in your favor but you will not be recruited solely
on the results of your test as it is likely you will also have to submit
a CV and be interviewed. There is no point in deceiving the employer because
if you are not really suitable for the job and get it you will underachieve,
disappoint your employers, you will not be happy and will probably have
to leave.
Tests
try to guard against intentional manipulation by posing the same question
more than once but wording it differently. For example 'I find it difficult
to work with others', and 'I enjoy team work', if there was a discrepancy
between your replies then the chances are you are faking it.
Online
Psychometrics
The
latest trend in psychometrics is towards online testing. Candidates applying
through a job site can complete and submit their test and an employer
will have the results well in advance of the interview.
As
with hard copy psychometrics, the online versions usually come in the
form of statements and instead of circling your response you tick the
relevant box. You can take your time over your answers and should you
make a mistake there is no need to cross anything out, you can simply
tick a different box or press the 'back' button in your browser.
Do
they work?
Psychometric
tests can cause suspicion and bemusement in equal measure. Some people
consider them to be time wasting psychological mumbo jumbo and think that
the results are very much dependant upon your mood on the day. Until you
have actually completed one and witness the accuracy of the results then
you should not judge them as a means of interpreting personality traits
and aptitude.
A recent
study concluded that 87 percent of employers' use psychometric testing
in conjunction with interviews to select their employees, their value
is now generally undisputed.
An
employer will not found their entire decision on the basis of your test
results so do not panic, they are not designed to catch you out. You are
well within your rights to enquire what the employer is assessing for,
and whether there will be a chance to discuss the results of the assessment.
