What is Psychometric Testing?

Psychometric testing refers to the process of measuring a candidate's relevant strengths and weaknesses. This form of measurement is primarily employed to assess employment suitability, including company-candidate fit. The aim of psychometric tests is gain an accurate bearing of the candidate's cognitive abilities and personality/behavioural style.

The process of testing candidates is a bimodal process. In order to increase the validity of the psychometric testing process, Psych Press endeavours to assess candidates using both cognitive tests and personality assessments. It has been found that implementing both forms of testing subsequently complements and increases the validity of the assessment process. Detailed below are the main areas of concentration for both cognitive aptitude and personality assessments.

Cognitive / aptitudes psychometric tests

Cognitive abilities (i.e. numerical reasoning and spatial reasoning etc) are important characteristics to the successful application of skills in many occupations. Psychometric testing can provide key insights into a candidates ability to communicate, make decisions and calculate cause and effect in certain occupational scenarios.

Psych Press offers customised batteries of psychometric tests to target specific areas of cognitive ability. Tests are drawn from six main cognitive aptitude types including; Abstract/Conceptual, Verbal, Numerical, Mechanical, Spatial and Emotional reasoning.

• Abstract / conceptual reasoning assessments are psychometric tests which focus primarily on a candidates level of fluid intelligence. As such these tests measure a candidates ability to promptly and accurately learn complex information to aid in problem solving processes. Abstract reasoning tests are culture-fair as questions are presented in diagrammatical form which reduces its emphasis on verbal ability.
• Verbal reasoning aptitude tests focus on the candidates ability to effectively pay attention to and communicate business related concepts in a verbal form. These tests pay particular attention to candidates effective use of written ideas and information to construct accurate conclusions.
• Numerical reasoning aptitude tests establish a candidates ability to perform accurate arithmetic to understand and present conclusions regarding numerical data. Central themes emphasised is the analysis of numerical data through the interpretation of graphs and basic calculations.
• Mechanical reasoning tests identify a candidates ability to perceive and understand the kinetic role of visual objects. These motion and effect tasks are indicative of the techniques used in everyday performance of realistic problem solving tasks. This test takes a diagrammatical form and requires candidates to understand the subsequent effects of the configuration of certain elements.
• Spatial reasoning tests focus on a candidates ability to perceive, construct and deconstruct visual objects within differing contexts. For example, spatial reasoning tests assess whether candidates are able to mentally flip, rotate and/or fit together objects.
• Emotional Intelligence reasoning tests target a candidates ability to handle emotional components (e.g. self and others emotional disclosure) in roles such as customer service, human resources, sales roles and team work. Emotional intelligence reasoning is different from personality assessments in that Psych Press utilizes psychometrically sound forms which recognises the emotional ability of a candidate.

Personality / behavioural style psychometric tests

Personality tests are assessments which require the least preparation on the candidate's part. Rather, personality psychometric tests tend to measure an individual's relatively stable behavioural tendencies and preferences within an occupational context. The behavioural basis of personality tests are primarily due to indirect and complex nature of personality. It is also important to note that personality tests do not consist of questions which have correct answers assigned to them.

Occupational Personality Tests

• 15 factor questionnaire plus is an occupational testing method based on Cattell's 16 factor theory of personality. The 15FQplus endeavours to provide a culture, age and gender fair assessment of a candidates occupational characteristics. For example, the 15FQ employs the assessment of the five widely used personality factors; extraversion, neuroticism, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness. Further to these five factors, it also incorporates further factors drawn from Cattell's 16 personality factors.
• Hogan Personality Inventory is a psychometric personality assessment which is regularly employed as an optimal aid for human resource management. The HPI is commonly utilised to enhance talent recruitment and employee development. The assessment derives its system from the Five Factor Model of personality but further sub divides to allow greater insight into occupational qualities evident within a candidates personality.
• Jackson's Personality Inventory (for overseas clients) assesses personality in terms of its relevance to occupational, interpersonal and organisational behaviours. The JPI’s 15 factors are clustered with five higher order categories; analytical, extroverted, emotional, opportunistic and dependable.
• Motives, Values & Preferences Inventory gains a bearing of what makes a candidate tick through analysis of their values and motives. These can then be aligned against the companies to establish a best fit scenario.

Sales Personality Tests

• Sales Achievement Predictor is a psychometric test which identifies the sales effectiveness and talent levels of potential employees. This unique inventory measures critical abilities and traits that are fundamental to success in sales—and in related fields such as customer service, sales management, marketing, and public relations.
• SPQ Gold is an online and paper based test which allows insight into a candidates sale abilities, especially in regards to call reluctance. Employee resistance and/or avoidance to make the first contact is what is meant by call reluctance. This assessment allows greater insight to a candidate's preferences and abilities in sales and thus allows for greater screening and employee development.
Sigma Survey for Sales Professionals is a psychological test for measuring candidates personality dispositions towards interpersonal behaviours, work attitude and general personality cues important within a successful sales environment.