As an employer, choosing the right candidate can be a daunting task. Even after numerous man-hours choosing a candidate, some leave or underperform. At face value, many candidates seem perfect, however, do they have the aptitude, skill or personality to perform their roles effectively?
Therefore, it is important to consider pre-recruitment psychometric testing which can make the selection process easier. Why should an organisation conduct psychometric tests when you can check academic records? Simply put, good academic grades don’t necessarily equate to career success.
What are Psychometric Tests?
Psychometric tests are evaluations undertaken by employers who assess the intelligence, abilities, potential and personality of prospective candidates. Based on the responses given by these candidates, employers can get valuable insight into various aspects – their future job performance, ability and motivation.
Type of Psychometric Test
Broadly, there are two types of psychometric tests – ability and personality. Let us understand both these aspects a little better.
Ability – There are various terms synonymous with ability – capability, capacity, potential, talent, skills, and so on. This test helps recruiters identify candidates’ level of intellectual ability. An employer can assess candidates’ verbal, numerical, logical and critical thinking.
Personality – In simple words, personality can be defined as a person’s nature or ability to handle their emotions, social situations and stress. Therefore, apart from having the skills to do the job well, a candidate should also have the motivation and temperament to handle job stress. They should be able to adapt to the new environment and work as a team.
How is a Psychometric Assessment conducted?
The whole process of administering psychometric tests and analysing the results is known as a psychometric assessment. Questions given in a psychometric assessment are usually in the multiple-choice format and can be administered online or in person, i.e., office setup. Some of the questions are situation based and evaluate a person’s reaction patterns, whereas others assess the intellectual capacities and aptitude of the individual. Hence, some of the questions are structured while others are open-ended. It is also important to know that some sections of the test are timed bound, especially those measuring a person’s aptitude.
After the evaluation, feedback is given to the person taking the test. This can help the candidate understand their strengths and weaknesses and give them a deeper insight into their behaviours.
What is a Pre-Recruitment Test?
Hiring the wrong candidate can be very costly for an employer, and hence it is important to use pre-recruitment tests during the hiring process.
Conducting these tests even before you meet the candidate can help eliminate all unfit applicants and save the organisation a lot of time and effort. Pre-recruitment tests are similar to psychometric tests as they aim to determine a candidate’s suitability for the job. Moreover, these tests also examine the capabilities and performance at the workplace, thereby giving employers the option of making informed choices.
Apart from aptitude and behaviour, a pre-recruitment test will also entail language proficiency, situational tests, role-based tests, technical skills (specific to the role) and so on. With this all-rounded approach, the employers get quantitative evidence of the competency of each candidate.
Importance of Pre-Recruitment Tests
Even though recruitment tests may be long and elaborate, it helps narrow down the right candidate for the job. A thorough and detailed assessment can help your company in many ways.
First and foremost, these tests are reliable as the results are measurable, which means that they are free of emotions, judgment and prejudice. Secondly, it can eliminate unsuitable candidates, thereby saving the company wrong hiring costs. Thirdly, pre-recruitment tests help streamline the process, save time and give better results. Moreover, hiring the right employee can increase job satisfaction, lead to higher employee retention and increase overall productivity. The perfect employee will be able to adapt to the work environment with ease.
Lastly and most importantly, pre-recruitment tests can be used for all recruitment at different entry levels. From mass hiring from campus to lateral hiring, manager hiring and sales force hiring, a pre-recruitment test can be used.
The Pre- Recruitment Package
Choosing from a variety of pre-recruitment tests can be very confusing. Apart from the skills that your company wants to evaluate, you need to also check for the reliability and validity of the test. These factors ensure that the test will give you the results that it promises.
A pre-recruitment package from Psychometrica provides a comprehensive analysis of various essential skills, cognitive abilities and core strengths required for job success. It is extremely reliable and has shown positive results. Moreover, it also mentions areas of development, which are provided as feedback. And so, it offers a thorough insight into your potential candidate’s overall abilities and skills, making it a perfect choice for your organisation.
