Psychometric tests attempt to score people according to knowledge, ability, personality style etc. GraduateCoach has put together a summary of psychometric tests.

Graduates might reasonably believe that exams are finally over for good. After all, the very definition of leaving University means no more sitting in silent rooms writing the answers to difficult questions doesn't it? Sadly No! Today's employment process generally involves assessments of ability, aptitude, emotional intelligence, personality and a whole range of weird and wonderful things to help try and fit the right candidates to the right roles.

Many graduates baulk at the very idea of these tests. Mostly this is because they do not know what to expect. Firstly, the word psychometric itself puts a lot of people off. All it actually means is that it is concerned with educational and psychological measurement. Psychometric tests attempt to score people according to knowledge, ability, personality style etc.

For example a company employing hundreds of accountants might test their own staff and find that the best performers generally all do well on a test that attempts to score a candidate's ability to remember a sequence of random numbers. The company might now ask prospective employees to take the same test. They know that those who score well in this test appear more likely (although there are no guarantees) to make good accountants. This is the basis of psychometric testing, although the example is very simplistic and the actual process of creating tests that are of real value is immensely time-consuming specialist work. Tests are rigorously examined to ensure they are not accidentally biased against groups of people.

By reading up a little on psychometric tests and perhaps taking a sneaky peek at what is in store, you can get yourself into the best possible frame of mind and feel confident that you will be able to do your best in an assessment situation.

ASE are one of the major publishers of psychometric tests in the UK. Their website offers free practice tests for people such as graduates who may be about to sit one of their assessments for real. The practice questions give a flavour of the actual tests, allowing candidates to know in advance the types of questions they will face and the formats that these questions will be presented in.