Page 63 - Scholarship Guide Feb 2020

ARTICLE 61

What Is A Psychometric Test

And Why Are Employers

Looking At It?

PSYCHOMETRIC TESTS

ASCERTAIN AN INDIVIDUAL’S

SKILLS AND PREFERENCES.

As companies are starting to place more importance on a social and
cultural fi t, psychometric tests are becoming more commonplace to help
employers make an informed decision about a candidate’s suitability for
a role within their organisation.

Psychometric tests may sound daunting but it’s merely a way of
gathering information about the job applicant. Your responses will be
assessed by an expert and the results handed over to your potential
employer to compare with other candidate profi les.

These tests are typically categorised into 2 main groups: Personality
Tests (such as the Myers-Briggs tool) or Ability tests, which test you on
logical and quantitative problems.

The former has no right or wrong answers and measures characteristics
for the job at hand, the latter does have correct responses and judges
you based on your problem-solving skills.

Personality tests are more relaxed and feel like a fun quiz it helps
employers assess if you’ll fi t into the company’s culture, while ability
tests are conducted like an academic exam with stipulated completion
times that measure your mental aptitude – especially for jobs like IT or
engineering.

It is commonly utilised at different stages of the selection process, for
example:
• You may be promoted by a URL after sending in an online application
form
• You may be asked to do the test right before your interview
• Possibly, at the second stage of interviewing – you may be asked to
retake the test to confi rm the results of the previous psychometric test

How should one ace the Ability Test then?
1. Practice makes perfect! There are many practice websites with
various psychometric tests to try for free. Familarise yourself
with all the questionnaires and the various styles to avoid being
tripped up by an unfamiliar format. This will help you improve
on your timing and accuracy, and pinpoint areas that need more
concentration. You can also pop by your University Career Services
office to enquire about their practice tests, if they have any on