An introduction to Psychometric Testing & Assessment

 Understanding how personality affects behaviour and performance at work can be critical to matching the right people to the right jobs, both in personal development and recruitment.

Psychometric Testing & Assessment allows recruiters to better assess candidates and how they may perform. 

What is Psychometric Testing? 

Psychometric testing and assessment is a process whereby candidates are assessed according to pre-defined competencies and criteria in order to ensure a better match between candidate and job. The tests are administered either online and on paper and generally follow a multiple choice format.

Psychometric testing assesses different aspects of a candidate: personality, aptitudes, work ethic etc. In recruitment it is used to assess candidates for a particular vacancy or vacancy requirement. For example, a test for a customer service role might assess a person for their contact style; while another test might assess a candidate’s dependability and behaviour under pressure.

However, Psychometric assessment might also be used with existing employees to assess motivation, or for graduate recruitment, or to identify leaders etc. Psychometric testing can test just about anything you need it to test.

Using Psychometric Testing & Assessment in recruitment

Where you place psychometric testing in the recruitment process is also a consideration. Some recruiters make the assessment part of the initial job application. Indeed, some recruiters make their recruitment decision on the basis of the psychometric assessment process alone.

Other recruiters introduce psychometric testing later and use it as a candidate screening process. Where you impose the assessment will depend largely on your own needs.

Implemented correctly, however, psychometric testing can bring a raft of recruiting benefits. Firstly, it can lead to improved hiring decisions leading to improved performance from your workforce. Secondly, it can help to reduce staff turnover through better person-job and person-team fit. Thirdly, psychometric testing can save time and money with early identification of the best candidates. And finally, psychometric testing offers better insight into individuals’ strengths and development requirements.

However you implement a psychometric test, the key objective is to make better hires. Nothing in the process should get in the way of applications or annoy candidates. The process should be as simple and transparent as possible.

Next steps? Check out these other guides and articles:

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Careers Sites
• An introduction to Careers Sites for employers
• An Introduction to Recruitment Branding
• An introduction to Referral Recruiting
• Search Engine Marketing for Recruitment
• Ten tips for a great careers site for employers
• Ten tips for choosing an applicant tracking system