Personality testing

In your selection process it is very likely that you will have to face a personality test. These days, the personality test is so popular that companies looking to recruit, administer it to most job applicants and for most positions. While the job interview examines your overt behaviour, the personality test 'aims' to reach deeper, and expose those areas you might not be aware of, thereby providing recruiters with a more comprehensive profile of your personality. Their purpose is one - to assess the match between your personality profile and the required job profile; to screen out candidates.

The most commonly used personality test in the UK is SHL's OPQ32 which measures 32 personality traits such as Persuasiveness, Trust, Decisiveness and many more.

An additional personality test you may encounter is the 16PF which measures 16 basic characteristics such as Dominance, Apprehension, Vigilance and many more.

We strongly recommend candidates not to underestimate the importance of preparation for the personality test. Contrary to what some recruiters want you to believe, that there are no 'right' or 'wrong' answers, since these tests aim to be an objective tool there are bound to be 'right' and 'wrong' answers; answers that match the personality profile the company is searching for. Needless to say most of us would not apply for a job that requires a complete opposite profile to ours; for example, we would find it hard to believe a timid and shy person applying for a sales job.

Hence, understanding the personality test can prevent you from making foolish mistakes and improve your chances of success. Personality tests have built-in traps that you must be aware of before you take the real test.

Psychometric Tests

What are Psychometric Tests?

A psychometric test is a way of assessing a person’s ability or personality in a measured and structured way.  There are 3 main types of tests: ability, personality and interest (although both personality and interest are more like psychometric questionnaires).  Some tests are used by employers to help them in their recruitment process while other tests can help people with career decision making.

It is common for graduate employers to use psychometric tests as part of their selection process.  Organisations believe tests help them recruit the right people with the right mix of abilities and personal qualities.  They are also useful for "sifting out" large number of applicants at an early stage and so saving the employers both time and money.  

Tests can be administered by pencil and paper or computer.  You may be asked to take them in an assessment centre, test centre or online.  Employers may set a particular score which you need to achieve to proceed.

Competency Testing

These are also known as skills-based, behavioural, situational or structured interviews! It's a style of interviewing used so that a candidate can best show how they would demonstrate certain behaviours/skills in the work place; by answering questions about how you have reacted to and dealt with previous work place situations.

Traditional job descriptions are now quite out-dated. Most organisations will analyse a role by breaking it down into key competencies. For example the competencies of a lawyer may be planning and organising, innovation, personal drive, problem analysis and decision making. If an organisation uses this type of interviewing, it is very likely that your job will be defined on this basis and your performance in it will be managed through competencies. For example your appraisal may well be linked to evidence and real-life examples of having demonstrated these competencies.

 

'Placing Talented People into Rewarding Companies'