Psychometric tests usually take place in a dedicated room with
desks are laid out in rows and there may be up to 25 other
candidates. You will be provided with all of the materials you
need including pencils and pocket calculators. Increasing you will
find yourself in front of a PC and taking the tests on screen.
This is obviously more cost effective for the employer as the
results are available immediately and can be presented along with
a computer generated analysis
Before the test begins you can expect the test administrator to
provide a thorough explanation of what you will be required to do.
For example you will be told the type of tests you will be taking
and the duration of each. You will also be given the opportunity
to ask any questions you have before the test begins.
The test administrator is will try and make the test as fair as
possible for all of the candidates. For example, if you mark your
answers on the wrong answer sheet then this will be taken into
account and you will not lose any marks. You must of course tell
the administrator what has happened at the end of the test.
When the Test Begins
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Listen carefully to the instructions
and if you don’t understand something then ask.
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If the test is on a PC then make sure
that it is working properly.
-
Read the instructions for each question
carefully.
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If you are going miss a question then
either guess (if you don’t plan to return to it) or make a mark
next to it that you can easily find it later of you have time.
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Pay no attention to how any other
candidate is progressing, you have nothing to gain by knowing
whether they are ahead of you and you will undermine your
confidence if they are.
If you have practiced tests in a
structured way you will have developed a feel for your optimum
speed through the questions. This is the speed at which you are
making the best compromise between progress and accuracy. This is
something that you will have learned from experience and that is
unique to you. Use this knowledge and do not change your pace even
if you feel that you cannot finish the test in the allotted time.
If you realize partway through the test that you will not finish:
Don’t panic, some aptitude tests are designed to be impossible to finish
and you will only under-perform if you deviate from your optimum
pace. The only change that you should make is to guess at
questions that you know from experience that you find difficult,
as this will give you more time for those that you are more
comfortable with.
If you realize partway through the test that you will finish with
time to spare: Do not deviate from your optimum pace but be sure
to mark clearly any questions that you want to return to in the
final minutes of the test, either to check or to attempt to
answer. There is nothing more frustrating than failing to find
these questions at the last minute when taking a second to mark
them up at the time would make it easy to find them.
Preparing Yourself for Psychometric Tests
Psychometric testing can take place at any stage in the
recruitment process. Although it is usually used to screen
candidates prior to the first interview, it can be used later in
the process, for example prior to a second interview.
Some organizations apply psychometric testing in ways that are
directly relevant to the job. For example, you may only have to
take a numerical reasoning test if the job you're applying for
requires good numerical skills. However, many organizations use
verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and abstract reasoning tests as a matter of
routine irrespective of the precise demands of the job.
After they have received candidates resume’s the organization will
screen them against the job specification, discarding those where
the qualifications or experience are judged to be insufficient.
The remaining candidates will each be sent a letter telling them
when and where the psychometric testing will take place and what
form it will take.
The test date is usually set one to two weeks after all of the
resumes have been processed. You will usually receive sample
questions, so that you have an idea of the type of questions used
in the test. This is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity
to prepare for the test and that nobody is going to be upset or
surprised when they see the test paper.
You will usually be told the date, time and place of the test. The
format, duration and whether there are any breaks scheduled. The
types of test you will be given, any materials that will be
supplied and whether the test is paper based or uses a PC or
palm-top computer.
When you receive this letter, if you have any special requirements
you must notify the test center immediately. This would include
disabled access and any eyesight or hearing disability you may
have. Large text versions of the test should be available for
anyone who is visually impaired and provision for written
instructions should be made for anyone with a hearing disability.
In addition, if you are asked to sit a psychometric test as part
of the recruitment process, you should:
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Be briefed about the purpose of the
test before taking it
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Have the results of the test provided
to you in a private feedback session
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Be informed of organizational policy
about distribution and storage of the results
It is perfectly normal to feel some
stress and nervousness when you are told that you need to take
psychometric tests as part of the selection process. This can be a
particular problem if you haven’t taken this type of test before.
Most of the nervousness is simply a fear of the unknown and a
feeling that you will ‘let yourself down’ and that the test will
not be a fair reflection of your strengths and abilities.
If you do not act immediately to tackle this stress then its
effects will become more corrosive as the test date gets closer.
You may experience physical symptoms such as a lack of ability to
get to sleep and psychological symptoms such as loss of
concentration and mild depression.
The job selection process will always involve an element of
stressfulness which is mostly due to confronting a situation over
which you do not have total control. For example, you cannot
predict or influence the personality or behavior of the
interviewer or know in advance which questions you will be asked.
However you can, and probably have already, prepared for the most
likely questions. You can also make educated guesses as to which
areas of your resume the interviewer will concentrate on.
With regard to the psychometric test component of the selection
process, your preparation can and should be far more
straightforward. You can influence your scores in these tests
significantly by understanding the question types and practicing
them. Not only will this improve your test scores and increase the
chance of you getting to the next stage of the selection process,
but by taking positive action you will tackle the cause of the
stress directly.
You will hear a lot of advice for coping with the symptoms of
stress and anxiety, including: relaxation, exercise and
visualization. While all of these things can help, the most
effective solution is to take direct action and spend your time
practicing
psychometric tests in the most systematic and efficient way
possible.
Everything you need to pass
psychometric tests |
