I sometimes give psychometric feedback to job candidates and the results from the personality questionnaire profile just doesn’t match the person I’ve interviewed and am with at that moment. The results are often a mess: contradictory, inconsistent, clearly someone who has second-guessed every answer rather than simply responding honestly.
One candidate told me last week that he had spent time before completing the questionnaire “revising” – checking through the job description and going over our interview – to predict the “right” answers to the likely behavioural questions in the exercise. Effectively he was coaching himself into a version of himself that he thought the employer wanted to see.
He’d wasted his time – and mine – and it didn’t help his candidacy for the job.
The one thing people get wrong most often about preparing to complete psychometrics is that they treat every type of exercise the same way. But how you prepare depends entirely on what you’re actually being asked to do.
“Psychometric test” gets used as a catch-all term, but not all psychometric exercises are tests, and the ones that are genuine tests need a completely different approach from the ones that aren’t.
We use assessments and utilise a wide range of psychometric exercises in all the work we do. Whether as part of an executive search assignment, a team assessment and development project, or in our executive coaching work, all participants are asked to complete at least one – and often several – types of assessment exercise.
Making sure that those participants are prepared and understand what they are asked to do (and why) is an important part of the process for us.
Here’s how the three main types differ, and what that means for how you should prepare for each:
Ability and reasoning exercises
These are real tests. There are right and wrong answers and your “score” in the test will be based on how many answers you get right, compared to others – usually in similar roles and/or job levels – who have also completed that same test.
Examples typically include verbal, numerical, critical thinking, abstract, and diagrammatic reasoning. They are designed to test your ability to work with that kind of information.
All of the reputable publishers make sample questions available on their websites, usually as a free, downloadable PDF. Ask the employer or recruiter to let you know which specific tests (and the publisher) you’ll be taking for a practice paper or to let you know which tests you are being asked to complete.
These ability and reasoning tests can be difficult if you don’t use that particular “skill” frequently. A bit like cryptic crosswords, they get easier with practice and familiarity. It’s worth spending time getting your brain back into that gear, reading more, doing mental arithmetic, crosswords, and puzzles, in the days before the test.
Situational Judgement Tests
These are growing in popularity, and larger employers increasingly build their own bespoke exercises rather than use an off-the-shelf one. I have written several unique exercises for clients. But there are many published and commercially available – including the Leadership Judgement Indicator.
Situational Judgement Tests present you with a range of realistic scenarios, usually job or industry specific. Each scenario will offer several possible responses and you are asked to judge which is best, and sometimes which is worst.
There’s little to gain from “practising” situational judgement tests, other than to become familiar with the format and style – although again there are examples available on line and in the links below. You need to use your judgement and experience to answer. Your responses will usually help the employer decide whether you are likely to be a good fit for the role, so it is best to answer as you would do if faced with a similar situation at work – and not try and answer what you think the company is looking for.
Personality Questionnaires
Finally, personality questionnaires assess how you might do the job, not whether you can do it. They are not tests as there are no right or wrong answers. Instead they look at your likely style and preferences and what you’d bring to the job that’s different from another candidate.
These will ask you to rate yourself on a scale, depending on how much you agree/disagree with a statement about you, or how much you like or dislike something. Other questionnaires are more binary – asking you to indicate “yes” or “no” in response to statements and others make you choose your which statement is “most” and “least” like you – always difficult and often frustrating for people to complete.
This is where my revising candidate got it wrong. There’s nothing to prepare for here other than to understand the format of the questions and to decide to answer honestly, not strategically.
A step by step guide to preparing for psychometric tests:
- Ask the employer or recruiter what exercises you’ll be doing
Make sure you know whether you will be completing ability or reasoning tests, situational judgment tests or personality questionnaires – and ask which publisher and tests you will take.
You may be asked to complete one, or more different exercises, which can require separate login details. - Practise the tests that may require it
Ask the employer or recruiter to send you practice tests or search for them online. Most publishers provide free access to sample questions on their website. There are also many online providers of sample psychometric exercises. Some links to practice psychometric tests are available at the bottom of this post.
Practise using the techniques outlined above – do crosswords, puzzles, word games and mental arithmetic to get your brain in shape. - Flag any disabilities or special requirements early
If there is any issue that might affect your performance or ability to complete the exercise then you should raise this as soon as possible with the employer or recruiter. There is usually some reasonable adjustment or alteration given to support you in completing these exercises.
- Give yourself the time and a distraction-free space
When it comes to completing the exercises give yourself plenty of time and find a place where you will not be disturbed. Some exercises are timed, while others are not. Either way, you want to be in the right frame of mind – not tired, rushing it between meetings or thinking of something else.
Many online psychometrics are best completed on a proper computer screen rather than a tablet or phone. Different screen sizes can impact on your ability to take in the information. - Read the instructions
Once you have logged in, take note of how to answer, the rating scale used, whether there is a time limit, and any other information the publisher provides.
- Trust your instinct
For personality and situational judgment exercises, your immediate response is usually the most honest one. Overthinking tends to produce less accurate, more inconsistent results. Try to use the full range of options in the scale and do try to avoid using the “unsure” or “don’t know” option. For ability and reasoning tests you should work quickly but carefully. Don’t spend too long on any one question but do aim for the right answer each time.
Whatever the exercise, keep calm and focused to give yourself the best chance of success. - Don’t hit the browser’s “back” button
Unless there are specific instructions allowing this, don’t be tempted to go back to questions again, or look to compare previous answers. At worst, pressing the back button will kick you out of the system and you may have to ask for a new login and do the entire exercise again.
- Ask for feedback afterwards
It is good practice for employers and recruiters to offer you feedback as standard, but ask if it isn’t offered. Whether you are successful or not, the real value is in understanding what the results say about you and how they can aid your development
If you want to prepare for any psychometric tests both SHL and
Saville Assessment offer free examples.
Or you can contact bfpeople. We can offer impartial advice whether you’re taking them yourself or thinking of using them in your organisation. We’re licensed to use a wide range of psychometric tests, situational judgement tests and personality questionnaires.
Written by John Hamilton
John is Managing Director of bfpeople. He is an experienced recruiter, qualified to use a wide range of occupational psychometrics, and a trained executive coach and mentor.
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