What is a Psychometric Assessment?

A Psychometric Assessment is an assessment that is carried out on an individual or group of individuals to assess specific attributes or traits. This form of assessment employs one or more of a miriad of psychometric instruments (often questionnaires) that identify the presence of something and measure the extent to which it is employed by the individual being assessed. It might look to measure such things as confidence, problem–solving ability, abstract or creative thinking or such things as extraversion or introversion, to name but a few.

All psychometric instruments have to pass two primary scientific tests before they are eligible for use by a psychologist, these are the two tests of Scientific Validity (i.e. it must measure what is suggests it measures and not something else entirely), and scientific Reliability (i.e. it must produce the same or very similar results when tested more than once on the same individual). It must be able to pass these two tests to a high level of significance to be classes as fit for use.

Who uses these Assessments and Why?

Psychometric testing plays an important role in selection practice. 70% of leading UK firms use them as they assist organizations to positively discriminate between large groups of applicants to ensure the selection of those individuals most suited to the role being applied for and to maximize the potential for smooth integration into the organization.

Moreover, their power in predicting successful subsequent job performance is – especially for cognitive tests – amongst the highest of any selection tool or process employed to date. They are excellent for identifying and assessing the various mental functions, cognitive skills and psychological attitudes that are directly linked to specific job performance.

Why are Psychometric Assessments a Useful Tool?

This extremely useful tool can help organizations maximize their potential through the rigorous selection of individuals for specific roles within the organization thereby increasing the potential for good organizational fit for any candidate.

Furthermore, Psychometric Assessment assists organizations, not only in assessing the current knowledge and skills of an individual, but in predicting the future behaviour or performance of individuals working within the organization. This means that Psychometric Assessments can be a valuable aid in an organization's change management planning, organizational structuring and personnel development.