Psychometric assessment often plays an important part in the recruitment process, but for applicants it can be a nerve-wracking experience. However, help is at hand. We've put together some top tips to help you prepare for ability tests along with some useful advice on how to approach personality questionnaires in the right manner so that you are able to carry out both to the best of your ability.
Preparing for an Ability Test
If you have been informed that you must undertake an ability or aptitude test, ask if there are any practice tests available. If the organisation is unable to provide you with practice leaflets, there are many available on the internet. Our featured sites can provide you with a range of online practice questions and information.
Practise the relevant skill areas; for example, for numerical reasoning tests, attempt basic mental arithmetic with and without a calculator. You will usually be required to use addition, subtraction, division, multiplication and calculations of percentages and ratios, along with the ability to extract information from charts and graphs. However, unless a job requires a very high level of numeracy, numerical tests are not likely to be set higher than GCSE-level maths. If you are going to complete a numerical test, take your own calculator; if their use is permitted, it will normally be acceptable for you to use your own.
Verbal ability may be improved by reading manuals, technical reports or academic and business journals. Practise extracting and summarising the main points from passages of information.
Preparing for a Personality Questionnaire
Although you may ask to be provided with details on how the personality questionnaire will be structured, there is very little you can do in way of preparation.
The best way to compete a personality questionnaire is to relax and give an honest response; an answer based on your gut instinct is better than a studied one. Work through the questions at a comfortable pace, but try not to ponder too long over any one.
Do not try to create an 'unreal' image; guessing what the employer is looking for is difficult and could well be counter-productive as most tests are designed to check the consistency of your answers. You should also consider whether you would want to be in a job that does really not suit you.
