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Improve HR strategy with psychometric assessments to select top talent.

Personality questionnaires, logic tests, evaluation of intelligence quotient, multiple choice questions (MCQ) of general knowledge, the psychometric test comes in different forms, all with the aim of providing greater insight and/or evaluating the aptitudes of candidates. Thus, at a time when soft skills prevail, more and more companies are asking their candidates to carry out tests during the recruitment process, and also their employees. But how should organisations use these tests? What are the advantages? Here are some good reasons to integrate them into your HR processes.

Defining Psychometric Testing

Used for professional selection and orientation, the psychometric test is used to measure an individual's logical, verbal and numerical skills, as well as personality, motivations and professional behaviour.

Test Categories

In occupational psychology, the aptitude test sits alongside personality tests, intelligence tests and situational tests or projective tests. Among the different types of tests, we publish the personality inventory (SOSIE), intellectual aptitude tests (DAT™  Next Generation, Watson-Glaser™ lll), and the motivations and professional interests (Which Career For Me).

What Situations Are Psychometric Tests Used In?

Psychometric tests are used in various situations of personal and professional life, in particular for a skills assessment or as part of a recruitment process.

For career guidance: Career Counsellors in guidance centres and skills assessment centres commonly use psychometric tests to support their clients in their professional development. Doing a personality test, or evaluating an individuals motivations and professional interests, makes it possible to identify the main elements of an individual's profile and inform the types of roles that may appeal or be suitable for them. For example, tests can highlight their interests, values, predispositions for manual or intellectual trades, creative or analytical temperament, as well as their ability to work alone or in a team, etc.

For certain competitive roles: A number of professions use psychometric tests as part of their pre-employment assessment process. The Watson Glaser-lll for example is most commonly used as a screening tool for recruitment in the legal sector, whilst the NHS employs the use of a number of psychometric assessments to sift and select candidates. Many sites offer free psychometric practice tests in order to help candidates prepare and train for the skills required.

For access to certain professions: The application process for specific professionals such as training to become a train driver or pilot also sees candidates required to undertake technical tests and targeted psychological assessments. Aptitude tests measure in particular the ability to concentrate, resistance to stress and even cognitive abilities. For example, Air France’s selection process, one of the most demanding, includes difficult psychological tests, with a series of logical consequences, as well as group and individual interviews, all over two days!

The Advantages of Psychometric Assessments

Scientific Reliability

Psychometric tests make it possible to evaluate an individual, based on an objective statistical approach. As part of its scientific validation, the psychometric assessment must be calibrated to situate a person in relation to a representative sample of the population, with criteria such as age, gender, level of study etc.

The effectiveness of these tools is guaranteed by three criteria: reliability (similar results and scores if the test is taken several times by the same person), validity (the usefulness and specific performance of the test), and sensitivity (the discriminating power that distinguishes individuals from each other). It is strongly recommended to complete the tests with a feedback interview, conducted by a psychologist or a person trained in the tools.

Improved Candidate Experience

Completing tests allows a candidate to check that their profile is suitable for the position offered and that they do not waste their time applying for it. Taking a personality test allows them to identify or confirm their character traits. Similarly, candidates can test their know-how and appetite for a position, with a practical simulation test. Passing tests therefore allows you to get to know yourself better, to identify both your strengths and your points of vigilance, and to assess your ability for which you are applying.  From the employer’s perspective, by collecting complete information on the candidate, the employer can best support them in the onboarding phase, a crucial period for retaining talent.

Secure & Objective Decision-Making

For certain technical positions or management functions, candidates must pass a battery of tests before the job interview. These tools indeed help to objectify recruitment, thanks to the concrete and reliable information they deliver, which is not always communicated via a CV and cover letter. In addition, they make it possible to avoid cognitive biases and discrimination, even unconscious.

In order simplify the recruitment process, it is possible to give a test only to applicants on the short list, for example to decide between two applicants of the same level. The SOSIE, for example, provides the recruiter with details of the personality traits of the prospective candidate and their values. In fact, the results of a test, scientifically proven, support the recruiter in his decision-making, whatever the outcome. However, to evaluate the candidates in an optimal way, it is recommended to cross all sources of information (CV, letter, tests, recruitment interview).

Greater Candidate Insights

Completing assessments allows the recruiter to ensure the suitability of a candidate to occupy a specific position; by verifying that his profile meets the expectations of the role, both in terms of know-how (hard skills) and behavioural skills (soft skills). Among the tests used by companies is the Watson-Glaser™ III , which assesses the critical thinking ability of candidates called upon to manage and make decisions. Salespeople can also be tested in a targeted manner on their behaviour in a professional situation (relationship with the customer, conflict management, etc.).

In addition, psychometric tools can help to predict candidate success, helping to reduce turnover and the costs associated with recruitment errors. As a recruiter, you can assess the candidate's ability to perform in the role and, in part, their professional development. How will this person fit into the existing team? How are they likely to evolve in the company? Are they capable of innovating? Knowing a candidate's potential also helps shape and inform HR teams long-term strategic skills management.

Pearson TalentLens has partnered with HirePro, a leading online proctoring provider, to offer secure and automated proctoring across our talent assessment library. This partnership ensures all clients of our globally recognized suite of psychometric assessments continue to drive a fair and data-driven talent acquisition and development process.

As part of the partnership, HirePro’s automated online proctoring will be fully integrated with Pearson TalentLens standalone talent assessments. Bringing decades of experience in recruitment automation, HirePro delivers a secure platform that is:

• ISO 27001 Certified: ensures the platform follows the world’s best-known standards for information security
• GDPR Compliant: meets the requirements for properly and securely handling personally identifiable candidate and employee data.
• Proven Success Rate: boasts video and image proctoring success rates of over 99%.

Automated Proctoring Features Now Available

Talent and human resource professionals using Pearson TalentLens assessments can now benefit from the following automated proctoring features:

• Video & Audio Monitoring: auto-detect suspicious activities in a test taker’s video or audio during the session, including a change in the person taking the test or too many human voices in writing test.
• Image Monitoring: auto-detect suspicious activity in images, such as a face mismatch flagged due to a missing face or obstruction of the webcam.
• Browser Monitoring: auto-detect suspicious browser activities like camera view and tab change warnings.
• Complete Recording: video recordings are available for the complete assessment session and can be accessed anytime for audits and reviews.

HirePro records the entire session and provides recommendations generated by AI to highlight possible infractions. Even with these recommendations, the final decision on test takers will needs to be taken by the client and/or talent acquistion team. The session recording and recommendations are for helping with the review.

In today’s remote-first world, online talent assessments have become a crucial part of the recruitment and hiring process. Companies often rely on these assessments to identify and select the most suitable candidates for open roles.

With the increased scrutiny placed on online assessments due to the rise of automated language modeling and artificial intelligence, it’s now more important than ever for companies to ensure their assessment results are valid and lead to accurate data-driven hiring decisions.

A study conducted by HirePro, a trusted recruitment automation and proctoring solution provider, found that “30% to 50% of candidates cheat during entry-level job assessments.” While this figure drops to 10% to 25% for lateral job assessments, companies must be proactive in curving cheating in their talent assessments. This is where online remote proctoring provides the most value to talent acquisition professionals.

What is online proctoring?

Proctoring is the practice of monitoring candidates during an assessment. Its role during the testing process is to ensure the fairness and security of the assessment, prevent cheating, and ensure all test takers follow the given rules and guidelines. There are three main formats in which proctoring is utilized:

• Live Proctoring: involves a real-time proctor monitoring candidates during the assessment process through a live video call.
• Automated Proctoring: utilizes advancements in AI-driven algorithms to analyze the candidates’ behavior during the assessments (eye movements, background noise, etc.).
• Recorded Proctoring: records the entire assessment session so that it can later be reviewed by the talent acquisition team.

The Challenges of Proctoring Online Talent Assessments

Online talent assessments offer numerous advantages, such as flexibility and accessibility, but they also pose specific challenges that can compromise the accuracy and validity of results. Some of the key challenges include:

• Cheating: without proper supervision or proctoring, candidates can participate in cheating using unauthorized materials, online assistance, and help from others.
• Impersonation: there is a risk of impersonation, where someone else takes the assessment on behalf of the candidate.
• Technical Issues: disruptions can occur due to technical glitches on a candidate’s computer internet bandwidth constraints, causing disruptions and a frustrating assessment experience.

The Role of Proctoring in Mitigating Challenges

Online proctoring plays a pivotal role in addressing the challenges associated with talent assessment platforms. By incorporating online proctoring measures, companies can enhance the credibility of their candidate evaluation process. Here are some key benefits of proctoring:

• Ensuring Assessment Integrity: proctoring solutions ensure that candidates follow all the rules and guidelines set by the assessment.
• Verifying Candidate Identity: leading proctoring solutions offer identity verification, which matches the face on their webcam with a valid form of a picture ID provided by the candidate prior to the assessment.
• Minimizing Technical Issues: proctoring solutions are often seamlessly integrated into the assessment process, reducing the amount of software the candidate needs to use.

Pearson TalentLens & HirePro Remote Proctoring

Proctoring is an essential part of our talent assessment platform. Our goal is to ensure the fairness and reliability of your talent acquisition process. That’s why we have partnered with HirePro, a leading remote proctoring provider, to bring you automated proctoring solutions across our talent assessment portfolio.

As technology continues to evolve, you can be sure we’re continuously improving our proctoring methods to safeguard the integrity of our assessment and strengthen the confidence in your candidate evaluation process.

Learn more about how Pearson TalentLens uses proctoring to deliver valid results.

According to the authors of the Which Career For Me program, too many companies rely on skills as the only basis for internal mobility. Between job descriptions and skills repositories, the concept of motivation is still not included, yet it is central.

Competences fade, motivations last

In a job description, we generally find professional activities and technical skills, recently completed with some soft skills and personality elements. When it comes to internal mobility, the standard tool remains the intranet job board, which consists of posting job descriptions, their geographical characteristics, and the associated salary.

However, skills are rapidly becoming obsolete in a world of constant change. The OECD has confirmed this: their lifespan used to be estimated at 20 years in the 1960s-1970s and will not exceed an average of one year in 2025. In a context of mobility, it is not necessarily those who have the skills for a job who are most motivated to get it. Today, employee motivation is key. The latest generations prioritize purpose in their jobs. People leave a company when motivation fades and they no longer relate to it.

Becoming an active member of your own mobility

Each person has his or her own motivating factors. This is why employees need to have tools that empower them to take ownership of their careers. Questioning themselves about their own professional interests or even their frustrations helps to regain this power. Many people undergo mobility as a result of reorganizations, for example.

Nevertheless, even in this context, it is possible to involve employees by giving them the opportunity to identify positions that interest them. It is important to trust them. 

Acquiring new skills using motivation

Competence, which is transient, is ultimately not a barrier to mobility. Science has proven that brain plasticity allows for the development of skills in any field. Therefore, there is no such thing as being "good at math" and "bad at French". In reality, skill acquisition is primarily a matter of motivation. A person motivated by research and inquiry will likely have difficulty in building business skills.

Psychologist Carol Dweck from Stanford University coined the concept of growth mindset. It reflects the fact that as long as a person believes that they can develop skills in a field, they will do so successfully. All it takes is the right training. Its opposite, the fixed mindset, could be summed up by the sentence, "I was never good at this, I will never get there." In reality, in a mobility context, technical skills are secondary. It is motivation that is the driving force behind success.

Support Talent Development with Pearson TalentLens

Learn how Pearson TalentLens can help empower your talent teams so you can start building a future-proof workforce today.

Learn more about our Which Career For Me tool. 

Future-proofing recruitment strategies with psychometric insights.

There’s no avoiding the pace at which jobs are evolving, and along with them the skills required to succeed. Recently, LinkedIn highlighted the top 25 fastest-growing job titles from Data Science Manager to Machine Learning Engineer. Many roles didn’t exist ten years ago, others have developed as technology has advanced.

Add to this mix - the development of AI and digital technology, changes in the economic and global climate, new generations taking up positions in the workplace and shifts in work-life priorities - and we have a talent market that is continually being shaped and moulded by these factors into something new. 

Organizations are looking for ways to navigate this evolving talent market and identify candidates who have the right skill sets, abilities and shared values for their business. Research indicates that “just over half (52%) of talent leaders in the UK are using analytics or technology to support their hiring and workforce planning decisions,” making psychometric assessments an ideal way to help recruitment/hiring managers, select top talent, develop current employees and evolve employees into future roles.

What is Psychometric Testing?

Psychometric tests for recruitment are the key to matching the very best candidates to the most suitable positions. They are used to measure a range of crucial skills which can aid the recruitment process, such as:

• Numerical skills
• Verbal skills
• Abstract skills
• Critical thinking
• Logical reasoning
• Personality traits and values
• Ability testing

How Can it Assist?

Interviews assess a candidate’s suitability for a role up to a certain point, but psychometric tests can assist in determining other crucial factors. These include how well that individual will fit into the existing team, their development within a certain role and their specific preferences and personality traits. Psychometric testing supports the recruitment process by offering specific information about an individual’s fit for a certain role.

The Benefits of Using Psychometric Tests

There are numerous reasons why psychometric testing can be of benefit to the recruitment industry, including:

• Reduce hiring costs and increase candidate pool - Adaptive testing means that you can use just one test to assess a varied pool of individuals with differing abilities along the performance spectrum. On average, a 'bad hire' costs companies 30% of each hire's annual salary. Tools including the new RAVEN'S Adaptive can help you strengthen your decision-making process.
• Quickly sift out unsuitable candidates - with Talent Match you can reach a wide range of candidates who fit your requirements. Skills-based hiring can ensure you’re not ruling out candidates too early, which helps to improve your efficiency and supports candidates’ quality up to the final stage of recruitment.
  
• Predict performance - Tools such as the Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal test is seen as a successful tool for predicting job success. Research shows that organisations can predict over 70% of performance by using the right tools. Results can help you identify and select good team members and possible future leaders.
• Full picture of a candidate - Combining tests into one assessment package enables you to get a full picture of a candidate from skill sets and personality to their ability and values. Helping you to identify the likelihood of a candidate fitting into a team, role or environment.
• Reduces unconscious bias - Taking into account variations in personality, values, learning styles, for example, is a very important “though often a ‘hidden’ and so overlooked aspect” Angus McDonald. Including psychometric tests in your recruitment process can help to reduce bias because they are standardised and objective unlike other methods such as interviews.

Harnessing Technology in Psychometric Testing

Types of Tools Available

• Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal - This test measures critical thinking ability. It assesses the ability to look at a situation, understand it from multiple perspectives and effectively separate facts from opinions and assumptions. This appraisal is particularly suited to graduates and managers and looks at comprehension, analysis and evaluation.
• SOSIE™ - This tool measures personal and interpersonal values and personality traits. It can be used to create an even broader picture of a candidate when combined with ability tests within the recruitment process. This test will also offer an insight into the personality and motivations of the candidate, as well as their fit with a role or organisation and, ultimately, their performance.
• Numerical Data Interpretation Test™ (NDIT) - This test is designed to assess an individual’s ability to interpret and manipulate data. This skill is crucial for numerous roles and offers an additional insight alongside academic grades, which do not necessarily predict how well a person will perform when interpreting data in the workplace.
• RAVEN'S™ Adaptive/Advanced Progressive Matrices - These tests are widely used within recruitment for graduates, as well as for IT and engineering. They measure inductive (abstract) reasoning and identify advanced observation and clear-thinking skills.

Ability and Personality

When it comes to hiring, it is crucial to achieve a good balance between sufficient ability and the type of personality that is best suited to and compatible with an organisation.

Psychometric testing offers a deep insight into the personality, behaviours, motivations and aspirations of an individual, enabling the recruiter to see if these factors are as closely aligned with the environment, company and role as the candidate’s ability and CV. Psychometric tests enable recruiters to gain a fully rounded insight into a candidate, offering an effective evaluation and thorough understanding of skills, ability and personality.

Valuable Insights 

Insights into aptitude, skills, personality, and motivation are essential to select the very best candidates and to develop and guide your workforce throughout their career at your organisation. Reliable and scientifically proven, our solutions support you in your daily work to get the clearest possible picture of a person’s current and future potential.