By Gabriella Griffith

Got a psychometric test coming up? Don’t panic, read this…

No-one likes to hear the word ‘test’ - it brings back bad school memories, second only to P.E. shorts and custard.

More than 70 per cent of companies now use psychometric tests to sift through applicants at an early stage. Odds are you’ll come across them at some stage when looking for a new job in London or elsewhere.

Luckily, according to Wendy Lord, chief psychologist at psychometric test publishers Hogrefe, you should be delighted to face the T-word.

“People need to adjust their attitudes towards these tests, and not think of them as school-like exams,” she explains.

“They are more objective than interviews, so candidates should be glad to have them.”

Broadly speaking, psychometric tests fall into two categories. One set is designed to measure ability (numerical or verbal reasoning). The other type scopes out personality traits (how you are likely to react in certain situations).

There is a misconception that the latter is less important than ability testing. Ability can be improved upon, so it is increasingly important for organisations to ascertain how you will behave as an employee.

So how do you prepare for such tests?

The ability test

When it comes to ability tests, you can do a lot of preparation. A certain level of arithmetic is expected by numeracy tests. If it’s been 10 years since you sat through a maths class, a bit of homework wouldn’t go amiss.

“There is a lot of practice material out there,” advises Chartered Psychologist, Mark Parkinson. “It won’t make you a mathematical genius, but it will make you feel more comfortable about what you are about to face.

“The more relaxed you are, the quicker you will work and you’ll be less likely to make mistakes”. Try the huge resource on Parkinson’s site for starters - www.markparkinson.co.uk.

Swotting up for ability-based tests isn’t particularly fun, but it’s also not rocket science.

How, then, do you prepare yourself for a personality test?

The personality test

According to many leading psychologists, your personality is formed by age 25 – chances are you’re stuck with what you’ve got.

1. Be yourself.

I know - a scary prospect.

But there are mounting arguments for simply answering questions truthfully rather than trying to fool the system.

“The worst thing that you can do is lie,” Parkinson insists. “There are ways to measure answering patterns. If you are answering in a socially desirable way, trying to please, the test will pick up on it.”

Lord agrees: “You are not doing yourself any favours by trying to cheat. If you are lying, generally, you will take longer to answer questions and the computer will pick up on that.”

Many of these tests are hundreds of questions long. Trying to maintain a consistent lie throughout will not only give you a massive headache, you’ll probably trip up along the way too - rendering your entire fallacy pointless.

And you might not even know what kind of person the company is looking for. As Parkinson explains: “There are no right or wrong answers – you could end up shooting yourself in the foot.”

2. You’re looking for the right job too

The recruitment process is a two-way street.

If a personality test shows that you’re not suitable for the job, then chances are you’re not. “If you lie, you’re condemning yourself to a job that you won’t like,” Lord points out.

These tests are not always about your ability to do a job; they are about what kind of environment you should work in. A real people-person shouldn’t be stuck working alone, for example.

3. Don’t panic

Happily, the best way to prepare for a personality test is… to relax! Have a superb night’s sleep and wake up refreshed and confident.

“You need to make sure you’re operating at the top of your game. Get lots of rest and you shouldn’t get flustered,” says Lord.

If you are performing the test remotely, make sure you’re in a quiet area with no chance of interruption. Chances are you’ll speak to your examiners before you get cracking, so ask about anything you’re unsure of.

Also, Parkinson says it’s quite normal to not answer all of the questions. Heart attack averted.

Don’t forget to get feedback

A massive part of taking psychometric tests is your own personal awareness.

“The more you do these tests, the more relaxed you will be the next time. Ask for the results and gain insight into the sort of roles to which you are suited,” explains Lord.