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13 May 2008
 
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Home / Finding Work / Personality & Psychometric Testing

Personality & Psychometric Testing

Psychometrics is an all encompassing term that covers a whole raft of job and career related testing and assessment. The tests are designed so that you and your potential employers can assess character strengths and weaknesses and your suitability for a position. Many employers are increasingly using psychometric and personality testing as part of the selection process.

There are two basic types of test, those which test your abilities (aptitude) and those which assess your personality. Psychometric tests are regarded as one of the most reliable indicators of your suitability for a particular job.

  • Employers can use psychometric tests throughout the selection process, but usually in addition to other selection procedures such as face to face interviews and presentations.
  • Aptitude tests are also known as intelligence, ability or cognitive tests. They test your reasoning skills in a timed situation. Typical testing includes verbal and/or numerical reasoning. The type of test will vary according to the type of job you are applying for.
  • Personality tests look at aspects of your personality such as your learning or work style, how you work with others, your motivation levels and how you handle stress. The employers will be looking for a certain type of person who matches their criteria.
  • You can’t prepare for psychometric testing in the same way as you would for an exam or traditional interview as they are assessing your personality and aptitude. Don’t try and second guess the answers that they want. It is best to be as honest as you can when answering the question as only then will you know if you are truly suited to the job.
  • You can, however, improve your pre-test confidence by researching the type of questions you might be asked as many are common to all tests. Try some examples here on Guardian Unlimited 

If you are re-assessing your future career, psychometric testing can really help you understand what careers you may be suited to. You can carry out online pyschometric tests which will give you invaluable insights into your abilties and personality. Take a look at Human Metrics and SHL Direct.