Understanding Psych Tests

In this day and age, employers and recruitment agencies are increasingly using psychological evaluation as part of their assessment procedures – both when selecting new staff, and for the development of existing staff.

Psychological evaluations can help with:

	identifying a staff members work preferences
	objectively comparing and assessing one candidate against another
	Selecting and determining a career path which best suits an individual
	Finding out more about a current staff member / applicants strengths and /or limitations

For an individual sitting one of these tests, there are a few easy tips which will help ensure you perform to the best of your ability. Preparation is not necessary, just try and get a good night’s sleep prior to the testing day, and make sure you have something to eat before going in. If the testing session is likely to take a long time, it may be prudent to take something to snack on. At ICG all testings are to be completed in the comfort of your own computer and room.

If an upsetting or unexpected event occurs prior to the assessment, consider postponing your appointment, as this may effect your ability to perform under pressure.

When booking a test time, remember that morning is better for most people, as you don’t have the stresses of the day playing on your mind.

If you need glasses to read or see the computer, don’t forget to take them along!

During the timed tests, both speed and accuracy are important, so don’t spend too much time on any one question. If you’re having difficulty with a particular problem, skip it and come back to it later.

Regardless of the outcome of your assessment, you should call and get feedback about your results. This will help you to learn more about your strengths, and any areas you may need to make improvements in. Remember not to stress too much about the testing process, as its only one tool used in the recruitment process, and we all know that every individual possesses different strengths and weaknesses.

To learn more about your strong and weak areas, ICG Recruitment Group has developed ‘CareerStep’, a service which offers valuable information about the type of work you may be interested in. The personalised reports are based on the individual’s preferences, competencies, and ideal working environments.

From an employer point of view, ICG offer a range of tests to help with the recruitment process, covering aspects such as Personal Style ( reviewing a candidates competitiveness, openness to new ideas, extroversion, self confidence and ability to work in a team environment), Job Ideals ( where we rate many factors, such as physicality, complexity, interaction and autonomy, to gauge the jobs and tasks which ideally suit each candidate), and Numerical, Verbal, and Logical Reasoning, which involve a comprehensive set of questions which accurately test a candidates ability and aptitude in each of these areas.

My advice to you when you have been requested to do one is just do your best and don’t stress.

Best of luck