The aim of psychometric tests used in recruitment is to get a clearer understanding of someone and how they will perform in a job. Interviews are one way of predicting how well a potential employee might get on, but interviews are notoriously hit-and-miss and occasionally bordering on useless as a job performance indicator. Step up psychometrics: a more objective, fair, reliable measure of future job performance.

So it is with great interest that we heard about a study claiming to use people’s Facebook profile to build a personality profile of applicants. The study has been compiled by the Northern Illinois University, the University of Evansville and Auburn University. The study used human resource professionals to analyse the Facebook profiles of 56 people.

The best way to build a personality profile is to ask the respondent a series of questions, with scales of how well they agree or disagree with each statement. This new study claims to be able to grade people on the ‘Big Five’ personality scale not through questionnaires but through looking at their Facebook profile for around 10 minutes. The personality factors measured are often referred to as: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

Ten minutes? Facebook profile? Interesting idea but we’re back to bordering on useless. In fact, the results of any attempt to map a Facebook profile to someone’s Big Five personality traits might be worse than useless; they’re probably misleading. Careers and employment are issues to be taken seriously and are to be given thorough consideration on the part of both the employer and employee.

We welcome all attempts to predict future job performance of applicants, but this idea should remain in the ‘work in progress’ pile.

Gaining feedback after you have completed psychometric tests can be extremely valuable when you are going through the job selection process. Whether you have been offered the position or not, it is always beneficial to know your strengths and weaknesses, particularly if you are looking to improve your performance on future assessments.  Some recruiters may write to you with your test results, or arrange an individual feedback session face-to-face or over the telephone. However, many organisations are unable to do this on account of time constraints. This can often be true of large graduate employers who deal with vast numbers of potential candidates and large volumes of test results.

Asking recruiters for feedback

It is always worth trying to get feedback from the employer by contacting them directly, via email or in writing. You may like to try requesting a written report of your test results. It is also good practice to enquire in advance about an employer’s feedback processes if you know you will be completing psychometric tests, and the employer should provide you with feedback as a matter of courtesy and good practice. Employers abiding by the British Psychological Society guidelines on psychometric testing (i.e. most employers) have agreed to provide feedback to candidates, so you are perfectly within your right to ask for it.

Evaluating your own performance

In the absence of feedback from the employer, you may need to rely on self-evaluation. In doing so, it is important that you think constructively about your performance across each of the psychometric tests you completed. Ask yourself what your strengths and your weakness were and what you might have done differently next time around. For example:

• How was your pacing? Did you spend too much time on the early questions and compromise the latter ones?
• Did you struggle to make sense of the symbols or diagrams used in the numerical reasoning test?
• Were you familiar with the vocabulary used in the verbal reasoning test?
• Was there anything that felt easier or more enjoyable? What tests do you not need as much practice on next time?

Your answers will give you some clues as to what you need to practice in advance of future assessments. But be warned – we are often our own worst critics, so use the self-evaluation approach with caution and be sure to always pick out the strengths in your performance.

What happens at assessment centres?

Assessment centres involve the extensive evaluation of candidates for an extended period of time; sometimes lasting one or two days. During this period candidates undertake a range of exercises and activities which typically include: interviews, presentations, aptitude tests, personality tests, group-exercises, and in-tray exercises.

Graduate employers are increasingly using assessment centres as part of their selection process as it allows them to broadly assess the aptitude of their candidates, as well as their ability to thrive in real-life work situations. Furthermore, informal social events throughout the assessment day provide employers with an additional insight into the social and communicative skills of candidates.

Some top tips for the big day

Facing a one or two day barrage of assessments is likely to be an anxiety provoking prospect for any candidate. However, there are many things you can do to get yourself psychologically and practically prepared!

Firstly – try and find out from the organisation what kinds of test you will be doing. You may already be able to guess from the type of position you are applying to. Forewarned is forearmed!

Try and get lots of practice in – it will do wonders for your performance and will help you overcome some of the anxious thoughts and feelings that might otherwise cloud you on the big day. You might like to take a look at our pack of expert tips and real-life examples of assessment centre exercises, as well as our range of psychometric practice tests.

Finally – keep in mind that the assessment centre can be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your breadth of skills. So, if you don’t perform as you had hoped on one particular exercise, you may have the chance to make it up in another area!

Tackling the group exercise

What’s involved?

For many organisations, it is vital that their employees have the ability to communicate with others and to work well within teams. For this reason, employers regularly include some form of group exercise when inviting candidates to the assessment centre. This will often be in addition to individual assessments such as interviews, personality tests and aptitude tests (e.g. verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and inductive reasoning).

Group exercises can vary considerably and may include role plays, case studies, topical discussions and problem-solving tasks.  For example, you might be required to take part in a discussion about an issue relating to the organisation and be allocated a particular role to adopt (e.g. company director). Alternatively, you might be asked to solve a business or ethical dilemma, to plan a project within a given budget or to get creative and build a physical structure together as a team.

How should you approach it?

The range of different scenarios you could face may seem rather daunting, but rest assured, there are some key things you can do to ensure you succeed in any group exercise:

• Be sure to communicate your ideas clearly, calmly and logically.
• Always remember to actively listen to others in your group – this means attending carefully, summarising and clarifying their ideas.
• Make sure your opinions are heard but also take the time to enable other’s to contribute – facilitation is a sophisticated and much sought after skill!
• Go back to basics – remember the art of conversation: keep appropriate eye contact, take turns, try not to interrupt and never raise your voice.

Get more top tips

To get you ready for the big day, we have developed an extensive Assessment Centre candidate preparation pack which includes expert tips from the assessors themselves and real-life examples of group-exercises.

What is visual impairment and why does it cause difficulties?

Visual impairment refers to a wide spectrum of sight difficulties and can range from partial sightedness through to blindness. A visually impaired person is considered to have irretrievable loss or distortion of vision which may be improved but not easily corrected by glasses or contact lenses.

The highly visual nature of psychometric tests is likely to present a visually impaired candidate with difficulties. For example, they may struggle to read the instructions, see the test stimuli, scan text, switch focus and discriminate between different colours (colour blindness). As such, these candidates may be unfairly disadvantaged across a large majority of aptitude tests; including numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, inductive reasoning, as well as more real-life tasks, such as the in-tray exercise.

How can employers help?

Under the Disability and Discrimination Act 1995 and the Equality Act 2010, employers are required to make necessary amendments to ensure that their selection processes do not discriminate against persons who have significantly impaired vision.  The amendments that employers make to psychometric tests will largely depend on the tools and strategies that the candidate is already familiar with. Furthermore, employers must be careful not to make adjustments which invalidate the test. Examples of adjustments might include:

• Using Braille in place of text
• Transcribing tests into audio versions
• Using assistants to read out text and record answers
• Using larger fonts or magnification screens and devices

These amendments may lengthen response times and so candidates may need to be awarded extra time.

What do the psychometric testing guidelines say?

The British Psychological Society (BPS) has developed guidelines to advise those administering psychometric tests with people who are visually impaired:  Visual Impairment and Psychometric Testing (BPS, 2007). The BPS recommends that employers investigate the nature and severity of the visual impairment and consult with chartered psychologists or test publishers before making any test amendments.

Click here to read the full guidelines: Visual Impairment

In this tough economic climate, employers want to be certain that the candidate they select is the right person for the job. Employers are therefore eager to recruit individuals who demonstrate their ability to thrive in real-life work situations. For this reason, if you are applying for a popular job, you may be asked to attend an assessment centre to complete an in-tray exercise.

In-tray exercises form part of a wider battery of psychometric and aptitude testing. In essence, they assess your Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes (known in the recruitment industry as ‘KSA’) across a range of situations which simulate real-life work demands. The competencies tested will be determined by the employing organisation and the requirements of the particular vacancy. However, it is common for in-tray exercises to involve the sorting, analysing and prioritising of complex information under a given time-constraint. For example, you may be given a pile of documents to read, prioritise and action. Increasingly popular are the computer-based versions of this exercise (known as e-tray or inbox exercises) which often involve managing incoming emails.

In-tray exercises may feel somewhat unfamiliar compared to psychometric tests; which are more akin to the exam-type scenarios of school days. Further still, unlike aptitude tests, it is not just your answers that count – you may also be assessed on your behaviour and demeanour when undertaking the in-tray exercise.  At AssessmentDay, we believe that preparation and practice can maximise your performance on tasks, particularly when they are novel to you.  This is why we offer free in-tray exercises, with solutions, as well as expert tips on how to approach them.

Employers must be careful not to unlawfully discriminate using psychometric tests

The Disability Discrimination Act, which came into force in 1995, requires employers to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair selection process for potential candidates.  Given the growing popularity of aptitude tests within selection procedures, employers are expected to accommodate the needs of candidates whose test performance may be impacted by sensory impairments or other conditions.

People with dyslexia may be particularly disadvantaged by psychometric tests. Dyslexia is most commonly associated with impaired literacy skills; however, people may also present with difficulties in memory and speed of processing. As such, it is acknowledged that these candidates are at risk of performing poorly on psychometric tests if necessary amendments are not made, particularly on literacy-based tests (e.g. verbal reasoning tests).  The inherent danger is that candidates with dyslexia will not be given the opportunity to demonstrate their true abilities, and therefore, their suitability for the vacant position.

What do the psychometric testing guidelines say?

With this in mind, the British Psychology Society (BPS) has developed guidelines to advise those administering psychometric tests to people with dyslexia: Dyslexia and Occupational Testing (BPS, 2006). This document recommends that employers:

• Provide all candidates with the opportunity to discuss difficulties that might impact on their test performance.
• Ask candidates with dyslexia about the specific nature and severity of their difficulties.
• Consider making necessary amendments which are specific to the individual needs of the candidate, e.g. additional time.
• Consult with a chartered psychologist or with the test publishers to discuss potential amendments which will not invalidate the test.
• Consider alternative methods of assessing the same skill, e.g. real-life work situations.

Click on the link to read the BPS guidelines in full: Dyslexia and Occupational Testing.

Why might dyslexia cause you difficulties?

Dyslexia can cause difficulties in reading, writing and spelling. It has also been associated with impairments in working memory, processing speed, perception and motor skills.  These skills and functions are called upon when potential employees are asked to complete aptitude tests as part of the recruitment process.  It is possible then that candidates with dyslexia are somewhat disadvantaged in this process, particularly when undertaking literacy-based psychometric tests (e.g. verbal reasoning and verbal comprehension tests).

How can you help the employer help you?

In line with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, employers are aware of their legal responsibility to select candidates through a fair and non-discriminatory system.  However, as a candidate, there are a number of steps you can take to help your potential employers make the necessary amendments.

Firstly, it is important to inform the organisation as soon as possible that you have dyslexia. They may want to ask you further details on your diagnosis and the severity of your difficulties. It is commonly understood that dyslexia affects each individual differently and so it is likely that your potential employers will want to know the specific impact on you and your test performance. It may also be useful to inform them about adjustments made for you during previous test or exam situations (e.g. increased time allowance or the use of a scribe).

What next?

Finally, it can be beneficial to familiarise yourself with the types of aptitude tests you will be expected to complete. At AssessmentDay, we have a range of practice papers that will enable you to experience different kinds of psychometric tests; including verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and inductive reasoning. This will allow both you to anticipate what, if any, difficulties you may encounter on the assessment day and will give you a great opportunity to practice your skills.

At Assessment Day, we are well aware that finding a job is not as easy for everyone. Not only is finding a specific job that is likely to stimulate and edify you going to be hard, but once you find those few rare potential careers, you are likely to be up against a huge amount of competition.

We also know that there are ways to help you in such a situation. From visiting us to take a free psychometric test in preparation for the interview process to actively expanding your experience and qualifications, everything from the skills you have to the way in which you conduct yourself in an interview will make a major difference to how easy or hard it is to get a job.

Therefore, how hard it is to find the right job will be different for everybody. With more and more people leaving university with strong degrees, the competition for every single job is tougher than ever and standing out is more and more important. The more you can do to give yourself the edge, the easier it will be to get your foot in the door.

As such, more and more companies are actively using online aptitude tests to more easily distinguish between otherwise extremely similar candidates. By having as much experience and as many qualifications as possible, and by practicing the likes of numerical reasoning tests you are far more likely to look right on paper and prove yourself to be right in practice too.

When you are looking to fill a vacancy, you are likely to be faced with a wide variety of applicants. Finding out which one is going to be the perfect candidate is not always easy since loyalties towards those already in the company along with the ability of other applicants to ‘blag’ their way through interviews can all mean that the true perfect candidate can be totally overlooked.

Seeing someone’s ability within your own company may well blind you as to whether or not they are suitable for a different role, and understanding if certain skills can be utilised in other areas can be difficult.

In both situations, online psychometric tests can help. These tests can instantly help you to see past any bravado or certain gifts for the gab to see the core potential of an individual. Whilst someone may have the perfect skills to see them excel in a role, they might also get nervous in interviews which could obscure their potential to those who are conducting an interview. The right online tests can establish everything from their levels of abstract reasoning to simply how their personality is likely to fit in with your current team.

Using the right tests will help to put candidates more at ease and remove a great deal of the stress of a normal interview environment, allowing you to see far more effectively just how they perform, whether you need to understand their skills of verbal reasoning or just how well they are likely to interact with others.

So, you’ve been told that you need to take an aptitude test for a job you have applied for. If you have never taken such a test, you are probably not going to know what to expect. So just what are these tests used to establish?

Firstly, it is worth noting that not all tests are going to be the same. Whilst a great many will be used to discover more about a candidate’s personality traits along with their strengths and weaknesses, other tests can be far more specific, focusing on anything from numerical reasoning to contextual understanding.

They can be very specific in the way that they are used, allowing employers to very succinctly gauge a candidate’s suitability to a specific role and they can also simply be used to work out how easy a person will fit into a certain work environment.

For those who have never taken such tests before, it can be very beneficial to find out exactly what is going to be in store. At Assessment Day, we offer you the chance to practice psychometric tests to understand exactly what you are likely to be faced with. Not only will practicing such a test help you to feel more relaxed by removing uncertainty but practicing such tests can also simply help you to get better at them too.

By being prepared for such a test, the levels of stress and anxiety on the day are likely to be vastly reduced meaning that not only are you likely to better at any test, but also that you will be more relaxed during any interview you are given too.