Psychometric testing is like taking quizzes or tests, but these tests are specially designed to measure things like how smart you are, what your personality is like or how good you are at certain skills.
What is Psychometric testing?
1. These tests are made in a way that everyone gets the same questions and follows the same rules. This helps make sure the test is fair.
2. They're designed to give you similar results every time you take them so they're dependable.
3. These tests are good at measuring what they are meant to measure. For example, a maths test should actually measure how good you are at maths.
4. Your results are compared to how others did on the same test. This helps see how you stack up against a group of people.
5. There are tests for different things, like how smart you are, what your personality is like or how good you are at certain tasks.
6. These tests are used in schools to see how well students are doing. In jobs, they are used to figure out if someone is a good fit for a position.
In short, psychometric testing is a way to use tests to learn about people's abilities, personalities and skills in a fair and reliable way.
These are the reasons why employers use psychometric testing.
1. Fairness: Tests treat all candidates the same way with the same questions and rules. Interviews can vary a lot and might not be fair to everyone.
2. Consistency: Tests are consistent – they give everyone the same experience. Interviews can be different from one person to another, making it hard to compare candidates fairly.
3. Less Bias: Tests are less likely to be influenced by things such as how someone looks or talks which can happen in interviews. Tests focus on specific job-related qualities.
4. Predictive: Tests can often predict how well someone will do in a job. Interviews, while important, may not always be great at this because they rely on personal impressions.
5. Standardised: Tests are made carefully following research and testing so they are reliable. Interviews can vary a lot in quality.
6. Used Together: Usually both tests and interviews are used to get a full picture of a candidate. Tests provide objective data and interviews provide personal insight.
7. Efficiency: Tests can save time and effort because they can be automated. Interviews take more time and often involve several people.
Remember that some employers will combine a test with an interview and reference check to be able to make the best decision about who to employ.
This useful link helps tell you what you need to do to prepare for a psychometric test.