What is Psychometric Test? | Meaning & Definition | Akrivia HCM

What is a psychometric test?

A psychometric test objectively measures an individual’s cognitive skills, personality characteristics, and behavioral style. Psychometric tests are often used in recruitment to assess a candidate’s suitability for a particular job role.

Types of psychometric test

Here are some of the most common types of psychometric tests used in recruitment:

1. Cognitive ability tests:

• Numerical reasoning tests: These tests measure a candidate’s ability to solve mathematical problems.
• Verbal reasoning tests: These tests measure a candidate’s ability to understand and comprehend written text.
• Logical reasoning tests: These tests measure a candidate’s ability to think logically and solve problems.

2. Personality tests:

• MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator): This test measures personality type and identifies four dichotomies: introversion/extraversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving.
• 16PF (Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire): This test measures 16 personality factors, including dominance, sociability, emotional stability, and openness to experience.
• EPQ-R (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised): This test measures three personality dimensions: extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism.
• NEO-PI-R (NEO Personality Inventory-Revised): This test measures five personality factors: neuroticism, extraversion, interest in experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.

3. Work-related skills tests:

• Technical skills tests: These tests measure a candidate’s knowledge of a particular technical skill, such as programming or software engineering.
• Customer service skills tests: These tests measure a candidate’s ability to provide excellent customer service.
• Leadership skills tests: These tests measure a candidate’s ability to lead and motivate others.

They aim to assess candidates’ suitability for a particular job role and not to make decisions about a candidate’s worth as a person.

Why use a psychometric test?

Psychometric tests are used in recruitment to provide employers with a more objective and comprehensive assessment of candidates’ suitability for a role. They can provide more detailed and insightful information than traditional assessment methods. They can help identify candidates with the right skills and abilities, as well as those with the personality traits and motivation to succeed in the role.

For example, psychometric tests can help employers to determine how well a candidate might work within a team, their management style, and their willingness to follow the rules or take risks. These are all key indicators of whether someone is right for a job within a particular company.

Psychometric tests are not a perfect predictor of job performance, but they can provide employers with valuable insights into a candidate’s suitability for a role. When used with other assessment methods, such as interviews and reference checks, psychometric tests can help employers make more informed hiring decisions.

Benefits of psychometric tests

Here are some of the benefits of using psychometric tests in recruitment:

• Reduces Subjectivity: One of the main benefits of psychometric tests is that they eliminate bias in the recruiting process. This allows employers to make decisions based on factual data rather than unfounded opinions.
• Accurately Measure Abilities: Employers can accurately measure an applicant’s abilities and cognitive skills with psychometric tests. Instead of relying only on previous experience and qualifications, employers can get a comprehensive view of the individual’s strengths and weaknesses.
• Improves Hiring Decisions: Because the tests give employers a better understanding of applicants’ skill sets, employers can make decisions more aligned with their job requirements. The tests can help ensure employers hire the best individuals for the job.
• Enhances Workplace Performance: Psychometric assessments can help to improve workplace performance by accurately matching employees to the right job roles. This results in a better work environment, where people are placed in roles that suit their skills, improving efficiency and job satisfaction.
• Supports Training and Development Programs: With the help of psychometric tests, employers can get an understanding of an employee’s potential development areas. This makes it easier to tailor training and development programs to each learner’s learning styles and preferences.

Overall, psychometric tests can be a valuable tool for recruitment, but it is important to use them appropriately and to be aware of their limitations.