Psychometric Assessment
- Psychometric tests are a common part of the job interview process at many companies across the world.
- They generally consist of a series of timed questions, that are most often numerical (maths questions), verbal (reading comprehension questions) or logical (diagrammatic questions).
- Psychometric testing is often used in recruitment to help companies work out which applicants are most likely to be successful in a particular job.
- Testing aims to assess how specific abilities of a candidate will relate to the requirements of a role.
- There are many different types of psychometric tests but broadly speaking, they fall into two categories:
v Tests of ability (what a person can do)
v Tests of personality (what a person is like)
Why Are Psychometric Tests Used?
- Psychometric tests are widely used because they are a cheap and effective way of distinguishing between candidates and accurately identifying who is likely to be successful in the job role.
- They can be administered to candidates early on in the process and don’t require a face to face meeting, thereby reducing the time and costs associated with selection.
- They are also one of the best predictors of job performance: research has shown them to be 14 times more predictive of job performance than the average interview (Hunter, J.E. & Hunter, R.F. (1984) Validity and Utility of Alternative Predictors of Job Performance, Psychological Bulletin, 96, 72-98).
