Psychometric Testing
A guide
for job applicants
If
your potential employer is asking you to complete a
pre-employment assessment, this is a
good thing.
It means that they are
taking pains to evaluate candidates with different backgrounds
fairly and
objectively, and to make smart selection decisions.
It's also a very good
indicator that you are applying to an organisation that will be
great to work for, where you will enjoy the company of
high calibre colleagues.
The Process
When you attend an
assessment at Insight Matters you
have nothing to fear. You will be made comfortable and put at
ease, with no nasty surprises or trick questions!
It's not necessary to
prepare in any special way, except perhaps to remind yourself of
common mathematical concepts, such as how percentages work. You
will not need any special knowledge, or even general knowledge,
to do well.
This is because at
Insight Matters you will only do
'applied' tests which assess your ability to handle information
similar to that which you encounter in the real world.
The process may take
anywhere from 90 minutes to 5 or 6 hours - most often about 3.5
hours. You may be asked to do a combination of exercise, such
as:
-
Numerical reasoning
-
Verbal comprehension
-
Task simulation
exercises
-
Occupational
personality profiling
-
Interview with a
Corporate Psychologist
It's sensible to sleep well
the night before and eat healthily – plenty of protein,
vegetables and no sugar – so that your mind is clear and
energised on the day.
Be yourself
Some candidates worry
that they should present a different persona. Don't. If you know
that you are suited to the job, then being 'you' is the best way
to perform well and secure the position.
Afterwards
Your assessment is unlikely
to make or break your application by itself. At the end, results
will be submitted to your potential employer, who will consider
them in combination with:
-
Your experience
-
Their interviews with
you
-
Comments from your
referees
-
The level of training
they can provide
-
The availability of
other skilled candidates
Once you have been informed
of the decision, you have the option to receive
feedback on your test results.
If you join the
organisation this may be quite extensive, but even if you don't
you can still receive some feedback over the phone from the
psychologist who assessed you.
Good luck!
