Welcome to the professional world! Psychometric tests evaluate two things: your personality and your abilities. Here’s a quick guide on how to nail them.
Congratulations on your graduation! Now that you’re ready to enter the professional world, you must know about psychometric tests in the screening process.
There are many types of psychometric tests but they mainly assess two things: your personality and your abilities. Here’s a quick guide on the tips and tricks to land your first dream job.
What They’re For
These tests are commonly given early on in the application process to help employers:
- Screen hundreds of applicants without interviewing each of them
- Work out if you are a good fit with their team and company culture
- Identify which candidates have the skills and expertise for the job
Resumes and portfolios highlight your skills and expertise but psychometric tests give insight into the applicant’s potential and determine if you match the criteria they’re looking for.
Types of Tests
There are hundreds of variants of psychometric tests, from apps to games and from different organizations that developed them. The two most common types are cognitive ability tests and personality tests.
Cognitive Ability Tests measure your aptitude and intellect. They test your knowledge and skills and your ability to do something. They resemble college admission test questions but in shorter versions. Depending on the field you’re applying for, most tests are:
- Verbal reasoning
- Numerical reasoning
- Abstract reasoning
- Error checking
- Data analysis
- Mechanical reasoning
Personality Tests, on the other hand, are more versatile. They assess your motivations, attitude, and situational problem-solving skills. There are no right or wrong answers so there’s no need to overthink your answers. The most common types are MBTI or 16 Personalities Test, Values Assessment, and DISC Assessment. The main purpose of this test is to determine your:
- Leadership potential
- Values and motivations
- Competencies
- Strengths
- Teamwork
How to Prepare for Cognitive Ability Tests
In Cognitive Ability Tests, your intelligence levels are compared to a standard so you must achieve a certain score to pass. It’s not necessary to aim for perfection but we recommend striving for above-average scores to have an edge against other candidates.
Other things you need to do are:
- Read the instructions carefully to understand what you’re being asked to do.
- Be mindful of the time as most of these tests have an automatic timer the moment you click “begin”. If you don’t know the answer, don’t let it take your time. It’s best to move on to the next question
- Have all the tools you need before the test starts. In most cases, you need a pen, paper, and a calculator to answer some questions.
- Practice. If you’re uncomfortable with timed tests, there are lots of psychometric tests you can practice online for free like Psychometric Test Project and TestPartnership’s Complete Guide to Psychometric Testing in Recruitment.
- Breathe and relax. You know the answers so no need to overthink.
How to Prepare for Personality Tests
For personality tests, there is no need to practice. These tests are more flexible and have almost no tools necessary. All you need to do are:
- Research the company culture and values to make sure they align with yours.
- Be genuine. We repeat, there are no right or wrong answers, just truthful ones.
It’s a Match!
Remember, psychometric tests and job applications are about matching the right candidate with the right company. It’s not just about them choosing you but also you choosing them! Good luck!
