What are Psychometric Tests? We take a in-depth look at what Psychometric Tests are and which type best suits your needs.
Psychometric Tests refer to tests that assess one’s personality, attitude, knowledge and cognitive abilities; especially in the context of early career recruitment.
They include a wide range of assessments, each measure different skills and attributes, depending on what is required by a job role, an industry and a particular employer.
This article will take a more in-depth look at what Psychometric Tests are and which type best suits your needs.
Types of Psychometric Tests
As summarised above, Psychometric Tests can come in all shapes and sizes, each of them is designed for a particular purpose. Here are some of the most popularly used types of tests:
Personality Tests
As the name suggests, these tests give an overall picture of a candidate’s personality, natural strengths and weaknesses as well as their preferences. Based on personality psychology theories like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, The Big Five or Belbin’s Team Role, they help build a profile of a potential employee so that employers can figure out whether this person will fit into their team and company culture.
Situational Judgement Tests
Similar to Personality Tests but are also very different, this type of test looks into an individual’s personality, attitude and behaviours, but specifically in the workplace situations. By giving hypothetical scenarios in work environments, these tests give hiring managers valuable insights into how their candidates deal with difficult situations in a job role and their suitability for a position.
Numerical Reasoning Tests
These are tests measuring one’s numeracy proficiency, normally via basic mathematical concepts at high school level, like arithmetic, percentages, ratios, number sequences and some more advanced ones like interests, data interpretation and financial analysis.
While often divided into two branches, Basic Numeracy Tests and Numerical Reasoning Tests or Financial Reasoning Tests; both require test takers to work with numbers as accurately and as quickly as possible.
Verbal Reasoning Tests
To determine whether an applicant has an adequate level of literacy proficiency and good analytical thinking ability, employers use this type of tests. Come in true or false questions, with additional options depending on complexity, these tests are also divided into two branches, Basic Comprehension Tests and Verbal Reasoning Tests. They all, however, expect you as a candidate to be meticulous, yet speedy in your approach.
Diagrammatic Reasoning Tests
Perhaps the most universal type of tests out of all, these tests do not use words or numbers, only shapes, forms and colours to establish patterns and sets of rules, so that test takers can draw logical conclusions from this given information, no prior mathematical or lingual knowledge is needed.
They can be split into Logical Reasoning Tests (essentially the same as Diagrammatic Reasoning Tests), Inductive/Deductive/Abstract Reasoning Tests (they are more specific version of the formal) and Spatial Reasoning Tests or Mechanical Reasoning Tests (these are more advanced ones, used to test one’s ability to visualise objects in both two and three-dimension).
E-Tray Exercise
This is, more often than not, the combination of all or most of the above. They are simply designed to be interactive and to simulate real tasks on the jobs. This type of assessment, besides all the skills and attributes mentioned earlier, it also measures how good one is at multitasking and prioritising.
Other than these, have a look at other Top Aptitude Tests and additional helpful resources to help you get started.