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Psychometric testing is fast becoming a widely used tool in business and career guidance. But what actually is it and how can it be used?
What is a psychometric test?
One definition of a psychometric test offered by Cronbach says:
A test is a systematic procedure for observing behaviour and describing it with the aid of numerical scales or fixed categories.
So, a psychometric test allows for a report of someone to place him or her at a particular level or in particular category. But what kind of categories are there?
There are literally thousands of published psychometric tests. Most psychometric tests fit into one of two categories:
Ability
Ability tests allow for the level at which an individual operates with certain skills, this may be verbal reasoning, language use, mathematical ability or the efficiency at processing diagrams. Ability tests often give a fairly good indication of the ability of one key aspect of an individual
Personality
Personality tests provide an answer to how an individual may cope in certain situations or may provide an indication of their character. Questions in personality tests are often very direct and can be used by third parties to assess an individual or can be used as part of personal development.
Where are they used?
Psychometric tests are mainly used in Business and in Personal Development.
In Business there are four key areas where tests may be used
- Selection – the tests used here try to predict how a person may respond in your company, they may be personality or ability tests and sometimes both. Although it may be hard to predict an individual’s behaviour in years to come, by using psychometric tests in conjunction with other procedures such as interviews and other assessments, a company will have a greater chance at hiring the right person for the job. Considering the current climate, this is more important than ever.
- Promotion & Downsizing – essentially the same as in selection, however, the information that may be used to help identify potential candidates to be promoted or those to be unfortunately removed is much more comprehensive. If an individual has been working in a company then we already have knowledge about how they can perform and their work charisma. Using psychometric tests however, can provide information such as if a individual may be able to cope with a managerial position. Similarly, when downsizing, it’s important to keep hold of the right candidates. Which ones are motivated to be part of your company?
- Formal appraisal – an essential part of any organisation concerned with their employee efficiency. Psychometric tests can help employers understand if an individual’s attitude is becoming more suitable for the job, or if they may be suitable for potential promotion positions.
- Efficiency – do you have a good work force, but they’re not quite reading off the same page. Many companies have that problem; there may be just a couple of individuals who may just not have the same style of business or goals. Psychometric tests can help identify possible issues and allow for the development of an intervention to improve the team morale and efficiency of your workforce.
Personal Development is another area in which psychometric tests can be used.
- Career guidance – the tests in this area can help individuals, school leavers or graduates make decisions about their careers. The tests examine what a person enjoys and some use ability tests in conjunction to assess if the individual would be suitable for that type of job. The career guidance tests can provide areas of interest for individuals
- Personal Development – tests in this area can help you realise who you are, what your strengths and weaknesses may be and can help provide solutions in which you may personally benefit. For instance, you may have a certain career in mind and are not sure if you’ll be able to cope in times of high pressure. Psychometric tests can help identify how you may be in certain situations and that knowledge can inform potential adjustments that are necessary if you are to improve in that area.
Richard is trained in a variety of qualifications allowing him to tailor his services to your needs:
BPS Level A Psychometric Tester
BPS Level B Intermediate Psychometric Tester
ECCOS Personality Test Administrator
Thomas International Personality Profile Analysis Administrator
Thomas International Emotional Intelligence Questionaire Administrator.
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