Psychometric testing – pros and cons

Psychometric testing is on the rise and so is confidence in them, fuelled by growth in developing markets.

The Global Assessment Barometer asked 2,776 HR, recruitment and talent practitioners from 14 different countries for their input in 2016.

You can download the full report here.

To give you an idea, out of the companies that used psychometric testing they found that:

• 81% expected to make reliable and less risky decisions (67% in 2010)
• 57% believed that testing can predict future performance (49% in 2010)
• 94% use psychometric testing during the hiring stage (77% in 2010)
• 63% use them for employee development activities (43% in 2010)

You’re probably thinking what is the catch?

Well, if you are going to use this tool as part of your recruitment process you should consider it as just that, one part. Use various tests if possible and then combine the results with interviews, on-site tests, references and other tools. It is never wise to put all your eggs in one basket.

The bottom line is that they work best when they are used to help build the bigger picture and not necessarily used to build the whole picture.

One of our clients, Esdevium Games, said:

“I found the psychometric testing process very enlightening, including holding up the mirror with my own results! It was very illuminating to understand the dynamics of how personalities work together, and the kind of individual we should be looking for when filling our vacancies, to both fulfil the role and play to the strengths of the team.”

Find out more about our psychometric testing service here.

Pros:

• Every candidate dreads the question, “what are you not so good at?” – The most common response might be, “I am too much of a perfectionist!” At this point, the recruiter does an internal eye roll! A psychometric test can highlight areas of concern and give the recruiter an opportunity to explore these issues before hiring.
  As you already have an idea of areas in which they need support, you can put a development strategy in place.
• As well as highlighting top performers they show good cultural fits – You can find out more about cultural fits here
• Interview performance and job performance do not always match up – A psychometric test can give deeper insights at that initial stage of hiring, minimising the costly risk of employing someone who won’t be a good performer
• They can provide accurate insights of a candidate’s suitability for a role – for example, some roles work best with an extroverted personality type. You can find out more about personality types here

Cons

• The tests may not always be accurate – The candidate may go out of their way to explore the ideal candidate for a role and then answer questions dishonestly
• Test anxiety can create a false negative – Results might be skewed and not representative if the candidate is a bad tester
• The tests may put certain individuals at a disadvantage – If they have a different cultural background or a language barrier, they might not test as well as others and not necessarily because they are not a good fit for the role
• The tests need a trained individual to deliver and interpret – It may be more effective to pay for third party support and save the expense for higher level positions requiring more specialist skills

Reality HR has trained and experienced consultants who regularly recommend and implement psychometric tests with our clients. Find our more about our service here.

If you need advice or want to explore psychometric testing within your business, they call us for a chat on 01256 328 428 or arrange a call back below.

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