Testing Times
When the job market is less buoyant and employers have more candidates for each advertised role, they are more likely to use tests as part of the interview process. Referring to them as ‘psychometrics’ just makes it all sound even scarier!
Psychometrics help to assess job fit. Employers use them to understand if you will meet the requirements of the job on offer or not. If you get comfortable with them, not only will you do better in selection processes, but you can also use them to manage your career proactively.
Use in Selection
Psychometrics means to ‘measure the mind’. There are two main types of psychometrics - ‘Performance’ and ‘Preference’.
Performance tests are designed to determine a candidate’s level of reasoning skill across three main areas – verbal, numerical and spatial. They are used when the job role requires significant skills with words, numbers or longer term thinking. The good news about these tests is that you can practice them. ‘Kogan Page’ allows you to practice performance tests for free
Preference tests have no right or wrong answers and are better referred to as assessments. They determine your own perspective of your Personality, Interests or Work Motivators. The output is in the form of individual preferences on personality trait or work interest scales. Employers use these to identify if you will fit the job role they have on offer both personality and interest-wise. A good fit means that you’ll like the job and do well at it for the employer.
Career Direction
Completing Preference assessments can provide extremely useful information in terms of career direction. If you are an outgoing, extraverted person, you will need a lively, group environment to work in. Likewise, intuitive people will require more future orientated work roles with a strategic element. The output of these assessments can also suggest ‘best fit’ work roles for you, actual job titles, where you’d be best satisfied and therefore likely to perform well. They can also identify ‘blind spots’ where you may need to put some energy into developing if you’re to further your career.
A career consultant can help you analyse your psychometric results. He/she can help you link them to personally profitable career directions which also make best use of the key skills, experience and qualifications you’ve collected in your work-life so far. Psychometrics can be invaluable in helping you develop your career
You can access professional psychometric and career consultancy services via Online Career Manager – www.onlinecareermanager.com. Alternatively, you can click on any of the links to Career Manager in Workwise.
Go make friends with psychometrics - you may just uncover your dream career!