What Kind of Test Might You Face at Interview?

Research from Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK shows that 70% of multinationals and an increasing number of SMEs use psychometric tests during the recruitment process. This means that as a job applicant, it is very likely that you may face a psychometric test during the recruitment process for your next job. This should not concern you greatly, because this may simply be what it takes to get the best job; therefore, your focus should be on properly preparing yourself for these tests so you can maximise your chance of success. It is important to prepare because research shows that practicing tests under simulated test conditions will mean that you perform better during the ‘real thing’. But, what tests should you practice for? While most employers will tell you that there will be a psychometric, many of them will not tell you what the test will be. So, in this article, we thought we would supply you with a little insight into the kind of tests you might face at interview.

There are generally four types of  psychometric test you may face at interview; these are: Aptitude, Attainment, Personality and In-tray exercises and we have described these tests in detail below:

Aptitude Tests

These kinds of tests are intended to measure an individual’s thinking power. The two types of aptitude test that you could face are Logical Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning tests.

Logical reasoning tests measure your ability to use numbers in a logical and rational way, whereas abstract reasoning tests require candidates to recognize relationships between shapes and figures.

You will find that these tests are presented to you in a multiple choice format and will be performed under tests conditions; typically you will be allowed 30 minutes to complete the test. These tests will usually be supplied by an online third party provider like Brainbench.com or SHL.com. Practicing these tests will improve your performance on the day and you can find many examples of these tests on the internet.

Attainment Tests

Attainment tests will assess the level of skill or knowledge that you have acquired in a specific area – it is not a measure of your innate intellect. These tests are used for a variety of roles and professions, and are used particularly in technical roles, such as programming where you could find that your knowledge of specific programming languages, java, C or C++, is assessed. Typically, a third party test provider like brainbench.com will supply the tests.

Personality Tests

Employers generally use these tests to try and understand how a candidate would behave in work situations. It will assess things like: team working, stress management, conflict management, honesty, reliability, interpersonal style etc…

Once the employer has assessed the candidate’s personality profile and work-placed behavioural preferences, they can see how closely this profile matches the organizational blueprint. The closer the match the better the fit between the employee and the organization, in theory.

Unfortunately, there is no right or wrong answer to these questions so it is not easy to prepare. What you can do however, is to try and apply to organizations that have a culture and working style that is similar to your own. It will mean that your own personal style is more likely to match that of the organization – and that your personality test results will be more in line with the employer’s needs.

In-Tray Exercises

This is a practical test in which candidates are required to complete a task that they might do during a typical day on the actual job, hence the term ‘in-tray’.  For example, if you are a proofreader, you might be asked to proofread a business document, or if you are a sales person you might be asked to conduct a sales pitch for one of the company’s products, in a role play format, with the hiring managers playing the role of client.