Psychometric tests are a comprehensive suite of online challenges provided to gather information about your personality, capabilities, and preferences. These types of tests are becoming super popular amongst big companies during the selection process for graduate programs; so if you’re interested in working for organisations like Coca Cola, Nestlé, Commonwealth Bank and more, get ready to exercise those core brain muscles.

With grad programs only offering a limited number of spots, organisations have been turning to standardised tests to give every candidate a fair chance. But don’t stress, the tests won’t dig deep for your personal or childhood information. They analyse if you demonstrate the right cultural “fit” for an organisation. Employers want to know which candidates have the whole package: skills, intelligence, personality and cultural perspective.

Here’s some info to familiarise yourself with the process and what you can expect:

When to expect them
Usually implemented during the first stage of the selection process, employers will call for applications – those who demonstrate promise in their resumes will be offered a psychometric challenge. You can expect to receive a link to the test with specific instructions on how to tackle the questions.

These tests are designed to put pressure on you, and it’s been found that only 1-2% of candidates can actually complete these tests. But the secret is – you don’t need to finish to get a perfect score. So, take your time and try to complete as many as you can. A good rule of thumb is to contemplate your key strength and work preferences. Meditate or go for a long walk or a run. It’s also not a bad idea to ensure you’ve had enough sleep, and drink lots of water to keep your brain active and working.

Types of tests
You’ll more than likely be presented with one or all of the following tests:

• Numerical reasoning – data, graphs and charts focused
• Verbal reasoning – written information, evaluation of arguments, decision-making
• Abstract reasoning – shapes and patterns (inductive reasoning)
• Logical reasoning – follow through to a conclusion based on information (deductive reasoning)

Employers are interested to find out if your workplace preferences meet theirs. Questions are generally multi-choice, completed in a short period of time e.g. 20 minutes for 20 questions, and may centre around topics like physics, social sciences, business, mathematics etc. But, no specific knowledge of these areas is required. They’re testing how you’ll behave in the workplace, your ability to comprehend and interpret language, analyse data, and apply problem-solving skills to find solutions.

How to prepare
There are many websites that offer free practise tests online, for example the Psychometric Institute, Grad Tests and Chandler Macleod. As they say, practice makes perfect – so if you can get your hands on some of these before your final assessment with your dream company, complete as many as you can. You might have to sign up to access the free stuff but you don’t need to go any further and spend money – a taster of each should be all you need. Not all jobs will have the same questions, as some roles require a different level of complexity, but they can be similar.

Psychometric tests in action
If you’re really game and thrive in these types of environments, GradConnection run a Top 100 Future Leaders competition every year to engage with the best university students across Australia. In this competition you’ll take part in psychometric testing, interviews, mock group assessments, and a ceremony at the end if you are a finalist.

Advice
Just remember, not every company is looking for an extrovert who can run the company. Each role is different and requires special skills, talent and personalities. So be yourself, and answer as honestly as possible. If you don’t progress through to the next recruitment stage, that just means your values and cultural “fit” didn’t align – who wants to work for a company that doesn’t think like you do anyway?

Being aware of your strengths and weaknesses, your values and motivators can help you prepare for psychometric tests. If you’d like to discover more about what drives you, attend the ‘Who Am I?’ workshop on this Wednesday at 12pm in B300.215 Bentley Campus. Book in through UniHub. If you can’t make it to the workshop, you can complete the online module through Curtin Challenge.