Tips for using Psych Assessments

There are explores that while psychometric instruments are becoming ubiquitous there remain some misconceptions surrounding psychometric assessments – from both employers and those job seekers taking such assessments – including that it involves purely testing.

Many instruments are not tests. Many assessments explore aspects of workplace behaviour, preference and motivation, as opposed to just ability.

The principle of assessments is to gain insight into individuals’ personalities, skills and competencies, which is why many employers also use such assessments at other times, like when making decisions about promotion, training and development.

For example, a test may imply that while an employee boasts all of the competencies needed to be a successful salesperson, they lack the attributes that would put them first in the queue for senior management training.

There are a range of tools available that organisations can use to explore numeracy, strategic thinking and the ability to deal with complex verbal challenges, as well as off-the-shelf and bespoke questionnaires. The data is used to build a picture of someone’s overall strengths and aptitude, motivations, aspirations, preferred way of working and cultural fit.

For employers considering using such assessments, it’s important to remember that they are not a cure-all solution to recruitment challenges. A person’s track record remains one of the best predictors of their future performance, and face-to-face behavioural-based interviewing is still recommended.

Tips for employers considering the use of psychometric assessments

• Ensure that only properly trained and qualified staff are responsible for conducting, analysing and reporting on psychometric tests and questionnaires. Make sure that the tests you are using are reliable and valid.
• Be certain that there is a clear link between the test and the competency you want to assess; there are numerous psychometric instruments that explore very specific skills.
• Assess people in their own language to give all candidates the same chance. When you are assessing executives in numerous countries, look for a test with parallel language versions.
• Don’t set artificial cut-off scores to hire against, unless you can justify them statistically and legally.
• Monitor ongoing performance. Keep a record of an individual’s assessment results and compare it with their subsequent performance in the job to assess how useful psychometric testing has been for your organisation.