Psychometric Tests

Are you afraid of psychometric tests? If so, you're not alone. Psychometric tests are being used more and more by employers to help them find the right employees, but while companies seem to like them, job applicants find them scary.

The good news about psychometric tests is that doing well at them isn't down to good luck - you can actually prepare yourself to take them. By practicing, you can improve your scores, and because you know what to expect you will also be more relaxed and more likely to do yourself justice.

There are lots of different psychometric tests out there, and each of them focuses on different areas, such as verbal and numerical reasoning, personality traits, even stamina! If you know in advance what type of test you will be taking, you can find practice tests to prepare yourself in advance.

As soon as you find out that you have to take such a test, ask the employer what type of test you will be taking - they should be happy to provide you with this information. Then you need to start practicing.

You'll find practice tests available online, and there are also books available to help you practice. There are lots of different types of tests - some are written (pen and paper), others are administered on a computer, or it's possible you will take a combination of both. The average test time is around 15 to 20 minutes, but they can vary.

When you do the practice tests you need to look at your results and figure out what you are good at, and which areas give you difficulty - you then need to spend the most time working on your areas of weakness. It's tempting to do the things you like or are good at, but the best way to improve your score is to target your weakest areas and try to make significant improvements there.

It is also a good idea to practice working against the clock. Almost all tests are timed, so it is essential to practice working under pressure. Only through working in this way will you learn to balance out speed and accuracy.

The truth is that most people are intimidated by these types of tests - but if you figure out what type of test you will have, and practice, you will turn a potential weakness into a strength.