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Psychometric Tests are used to measure the potential behaviors of an Individual. These assessments have been an essential element in the recruitment process for many organizations. Many recruiters believe it to be the most reliable tool in making the recruitment more accurate and better.
Why psychometric assessments were introduced in the recruitment process?
Earlier, recruitment used to include the screening of resumes and the interviews of the candidates only but companies needed to make sure that time and money invested are well paid-off. As the initial recruiting process used to take many days, there was a need for more accurate and less time-consuming performance evaluating system. With the psychometric tests, hiring managers can narrow down the applicant’s resumes by taking the psychometric test before the final interview round. This means that they can make the hiring process easier and quick while selecting a right candidate to the organization.
Components of Psychometric Tests
Psychometric assessments consist of mainly two tests which are designed to measure the candidate’s full range of mental abilities. But these assessments are mostly used in accordance with business needs and the position they are hiring for. These components are:
Aptitude or Ability Test
Aptitude tests are designed to test the candidate’s intelligence or IQ. These assessments generally include multiple choice questions and can be considered more as IQ questions. In doing so, companies and recruiters look for two types of intelligence while taking aptitude tests and these are- Fluid Intelligence and Crystallized Intelligence. Fluid intelligence is the ability to solve problems and strategic thinking. While on the other hand, Crystallized Intelligence refers to the ability to apply skills and experience in completing a certain task at a given time.
The types of aptitude test can include:
- Data Checking- This test provides an overview of candidate’s ability to check the error and his/her ability to pay attention to details.
- Mechanical reasoning– These tests show how well a candidate can utilize his/her technical skills to solve a problem.
- Spatial reasoning- These tests describe an individual’s ability to visualize images and shapes.
- Abstract reasoning- Abstract reasoning provides the hiring manager an overview of candidate’s ability in picking trends from a set of data.
- Verbal ability- These tests usually measure candidate’s understanding of languages and include questions and answer to a specific paragraph.
- Work Sampling- Such type of test calculates candidate’s ability to learn a skill quickly.
- Numerical Reasoning- As the name suggests, it includes numerical questions which are related to Maths.
Personality tests in psychometric assessments are designed to see a candidate’s personality. These tests include questions which are related to applicant’s behavior and feeling in certain situations. The personality test aims at providing a full analysis of candidate’s motivation level, his/her interests and what attitude a candidate holds under pressure. These tests are usually carried without any time constraints to get the most honest responses from the candidate.
Are Psychometric Assessments Effective?
Psychometric assessment in a recruitment process has been shown to have the most important place since its advent. Almost 80% of the HR using Psychometric tests believe it to be the most important tool for selecting the right talent. However, there has been an ongoing debate over the years about the reliability of these psychometric assessments in the recruitment process.
Psychometric assessment helps employers and hiring managers to make the right decision by evaluating candidate’s working style, cognitive ability, motivation level and how well he/she can work as a team. But these assessments should never be used in isolation but as a part of a whole performance evaluating system to minimize the risk of bad hiring.
Are the results of psychometric tests valid?
The psychometric test aims to provide an objective data of candidate’s strength, weakness, behavior, skills, intelligence and his/her suitability for the job. It can be said that these assessments provide scientific credibility and accuracy to the recruitment process.
Apart from that, it allows the hiring manager to select the best fit among all the applicants as all the applicants are given the same assessments and the results obtained from these tests make the selection process fair and unbiased.
Psychometric tests hold an important place in the recruitment process as they are known to provide an all-round view of candidate’s personality and attitude. Psychometric assessments also help the recruiters by reducing the interviewing workload and making the recruiting process less time consuming and accurate.