We’ve all had the conversation. A friend’s been for a
job interview, "Blimey," he says nervously, "They asked me to do a
psychometric test. No idea if I ticked the right boxes..."
Between 65% and 70% of interim management job interviews
now involve some form of psychometric testing with many standard job
positions also requiring these tests to be performed as part of the
hiring process. But what is a psychometric test? What’s your potential
new employer really looking for? And what’s the best way to make sure
you pass the test and get the job?
These days, interim employers may well receive hundreds
of applications for one job. A psychometric test offers them a quick way
to find the candidates who are suitable - who possess the skills and
knowledge they’re looking for, and if necessary, who’ll work well as
part of a team.
Typically, a psychometric test might include questions
on numeracy and literacy - but there’ll also be questions about your
attitudes and feelings as well. And don’t be surprised if some questions
seem to repeat themselves. That’s to check the consistency of your
answers.
So if you’re faced with a psychometric test when you go
for your interim job interview, what is the best way to make sure that
you do
well? Here are a couple of tips:
- Practice makes perfect. If you think - or know - that you’ll be faced with a test, just Google the words ‘psychometric test’ and you’ll find any number of sites with sample tests. If you do a few tests you’ll soon get the hang of them, so that the actual test for your job won’t come as such a surprise.
- Be yourself. There’s no point in giving the answers you think are expected (you might find yourself with a totally unsuitable job for one thing!) and as we’ve already seen, the test will contain "checking questions." So be yourself and don’t spend too long on any one question. Your ‘gut reaction’ is almost certainly the one to go with. At the end of the day, these tests are to test your personality and so don’t over-think them!
This psychometric tests guide was provided by Chris Martin of
Interim Partners, the UK's leading interim management recruitment specialists.
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