What is a psychometric test? When is it conducted?

Psychometric tests are increasingly used by the companies and recruiters to assess the skill and potential of an employer. They are treated as a standard and scientific method to measure the capabilities and analyze the behavioral skills of a person.

Many companies design the tests to check the suitability of a candidate for a particular role in the company. Based on the results of the psychometric tests, they can analyze the personality traits, attitude, and character of a particular person.

What are psychometric tests?

• Psychometric tests are not just about luck. Prior preparation to these tests will help you in scoring and will make it easier for a recruiter on what is he/she is looking in the test process.

• Companies want to discover their competencies through the selection process. Conducting these tests will help them give a benchmark to work in terms of measuring abilities.

• Psychometric tests are a fair way of comparing candidate’s strengths irrespective of their educational background. They are impersonal, standardized and objective and is a level playing field.

• They are often used as a filtering mechanism in a recruitment process mostly in early stages. They often can be influenced by candidates who answer questions where they tell interviewer rather than what they think, what the interviewer wants to hear. This will totally mislead the interviewer.

• A psychometric test consists a set of questions which will assess the student/employee's limitations and strengths prior to hiring. It will not assess your analytical or critical thinking skill but it will tell your characteristics.

• They measure your behavioral styles, opinions, and motivation. It tells you whether you can be a leader or a follower.

• These tests will measure your personal attributes such as career motive, willingness, and determination.

• A psychological makeup will define how we respond to people or to a critical situation. It tells you whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, and it also assesses the suitable professional role for your attitude.

• It is not like an aptitude test where u have a right or wrong answer this test is only meant to know about yourself. It does not check the ability but checks whether you are fit enough for the role.

When is it conducted?

• A psychometric test can be conducted in the first stage of the recruitment process.

• It can also be a part of your online/offline application form.

• They can be conducted alongside an interview.

• Some of the tests are conducted at the end to re-test the results of earlier rounds.

• A psychometric test can be categorized into personality tests, aptitude tests and skill tests.