Psychometric Assessments - Career Strategies Series #8

They offer an extra lens through which to view a person and play a part in forming a more complete picture. Here are a few insights into the process and some tips on how to do your best when completing them:

Two categories

Questionnaires tend to fall into two categories - either personality/leadership profiling tests or aptitude/ability tests. In some instances, you will be completing a combination of these.

Some questionnaires are available on the general market, while others, like our proprietary LeaderFit™ suite, are bespoke and exclusive to an organization. Although the tips below are designed to help you familiarise yourself with the process and principles, they are not exhaustive and do not guarantee the outputs or outcomes.

Profiling your personality

Personality or leadership profiles provide insight into your personality traits, preferences, motives or drivers, or blind spots. They often identify where individuals can add the most value and where there may be risks to be considered.

Bear in mind the following points when completing such questionnaires:

1. Question formats vary, but typically you will be asked to respond in two different ways. Either you’ll be asked the extent to which you agree with a statement, or to rank statements in order of how much you agree, given how you operate.
2. These are not ‘tests’, and there are no right or wrong answers. Rather, the profiles generated provide insight into how an individual will approach a role. They do not make assumptions about whether they will succeed.
3. Always make sure you read each statement carefully and respond honestly.
4. Be aware that there are various checks built into questionnaires. These are to prevent cheating and manipulation and validate responses by measuring, for example, their consistency.
5. While most personality profile tests are not timed, it is important you find a quiet space to avoid distractions and interruptions so you can do your very best. If you have any special requirements to
   complete the questionnaire, tell the organization or recruitment consultant upfront.

Measuring your aptitude

Cognitive aptitude or ability tests are considered strong predictors of performance in professional roles. The most common of these are the verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning. These are timed tests where you will be responding to a series of multiple-choice questions.

Here’s what to consider when preparing for aptitude or ability tests:

1. Practice. Practice. The most effective approach is to familiarise yourself with the types of questions. While this will not enable someone with limited reasoning skills to outperform others, it will help you to optimize your performance.
2. There are many online resources to practice aptitude tests. If you are undertaking a test with Odgers Berndtson, we will always provide you with practice tests in advance of an aptitude assessment.
3. Practice tests are designed to familiarise you with the format but are not necessarily an accurate indication of the difficulty level of the
   test you will eventually sit.
   
   Here are some examples:
   https://www.savilleassessment.com/PracticeTests
   https://www.practiceaptitudetests.com/
   
   
4. Finally, it might seem obvious, but always make sure you read the questions thoroughly for maximum understanding. It is best to move steadily and systematically through the questions. As time is limited, rather than getting stuck on a question, move on, so you complete the test.

At Odgers Berndtson, our commitment to Candidate Care means that we would be delighted to supply you with a copy of your psychometric profile if required. We also offer short feedback sessions with our in-house Assessment and Development Consultant to guide you through your profile and explain it in more detail.

Check out the other insightful articles in our Career Strategies series. 

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