PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING? WHAT’S THAT.

“The biggest mistake people make in life is not trying to make a living at doing what they most enjoy.” - Malcolm Forbes

What is Psychometry

Psychometry is a specialized field dealing with the measurement and assessment of individual functioning.  “Psychometric Testing" often interchanged with the terms "occupational testing" and "psychological testing" is increasingly being used by different organisations for a range of quite separate purposes, including recruitment and selection, training and development and counselling-including career counselling.  Psychometric tests are in fact psychological assessment tools which use measured, criterion-based and standardized interview techniques - in addition to background information, to provide a powerful way of obtaining objective, comprehensive, and relevant information about a person’s ability to function in a wide variety of areas.

Psychometrists use a variety of educational, clinical and developmental tests to determine individual functioning in many areas, such as:

As a result, the use of psychometric tests, of one form or another, is becoming more and more common in the selection process for employment and in establishing a firm foundation for career choice by individuals/students.  The purpose of psychometric testing is to make an assessment of personal attributes such as personality, interests, aptitudes or general intellectual ability.  It can be used as an aid to short-listing candidates for employment, either as part of a structured interview process, or as a component in a more extended selection procedure, eg. within the context of an assessment centre.

THREE MAIN TYPES
Psychometric testing falls into three main types:

Ability testing                    
Ability tests measure a person’s potential, for instance to learn the skills needed for a new job or to cope with the demands of a training course.  Ability tests are prospective: they focus on what the person is capable of achieving in the future or their potential to learn.

Aptitude testing
Designed to measure your capacity to perform in a particular way.  They include aptitudes for manual dexterity and speed, mechanical ability, spatial awareness, reasoning, abstract reasoning, clerical, numerical diagrammatic, mechanical, and verbal.  The results of aptitude tests can be used to compare your score (and therefore ability to perform) with test groups of others tested, who are already working in this occupational area.  It may mean the application of just one score, or the combination of aptitudes seen as central to a particular occupation.

Personality testing
Tests used to find out about the user's personality in terms of anxiety, sociability, assertiveness, leadership skills or evidence of being extrovert or introverted.  In other words they assess the relatively stable and enduring characteristics of the person, which distinguishes them from other people, makes them unique, but still permits a comparison between individuals.  These can be important in certain professions, and in determining how far individuals can go in terms of career progression. 

These tests are usually untimed and there are no "right" or "wrong" answers.  Answers should be given as honestly as possible since they will produce a personality profile which will be used to help judge whether you will suit a particular type of work and working environment and/or be able to deal with the demands of a specific job.

Psychometric Tests will usually be given in the form of paper and pencil questionnaires, but may also be computer administered. In it's simplest form, a test will have a set of questions or tasks for the subject to complete, known as test items. However, simulations like in-tray exercises (which may consist of memos, letters, etc, and give feedback on abilities like organising, decision making and written communication) are becoming increasingly popular in testing used by employers.

In many instances psychometric testing is conducted in Test Batteries.   As the title here suggests, this type of test is a combination of aptitudes, interests and personality and is considered a very secure and objective tool in identifying and informing career choice. 

Why use psychometric testing

Wherever an individual/student wants to make serious decisions about career choices - about choosing careers, changing careers, choosing higher education or training - psychometric tests are an objective measure of not just aptitude, but to a certain extent, of the likelihood of career satisfaction and success.   They help you to know yourself – not just what you’re good at but also to make you aware of those important areas that could use a little work, areas where you are not as strong as you could/should be. 
In general, psychometric testing can help students by:

1. Providing an objective measure of often hidden abilities and form a robust foundation for making career decisions.
2. Highlighting strengths and weaknesses
3. Helping to identify interests
4. Identifying skills
5. Providing an insight into personality
6. Providing insights into aspects of work

 The majority of students in and 5th and 6th form (11th and 12th grade) secondary institutions and a large number of those in tertiary institutions often do not know what they want to do; they do not know if what they think they want to do is something that would suit them and even more importantly they have no idea of where to go for advice and counselling.  While this method of testing is helpful, students must remember that its just one of several tools available and that it must always be used in conjunction with competent professional guidance counselling especially when used for career guidance.   No one thing or instrument can provide the magical and complete answers.  There is no quick magical fix-it when determining what career you want to pursue.  The tests can assist you and provide insights that may have eluded you, but always be aware that psychometric testing 

• WILL NOT make decisions for you
  • MUST be supported by adequate professional guidance and counselling
• WILL NOT rule in or rule out careers
• WILL NOT take into consideration the economic realities of your situation
• WILL NOT remove the hard thinking required when making career decisions

The use of psychometric testing within the field of Career and Educational Guidance is therefore understandably on the increase.  This is partly because, when used correctly, psychometric testing is wholly consistent with the aim of providing a high quality, non-discriminatory, independent, and objective Career and Educational Guidance Service.  The use of psychometric tests (where appropriate) can bring benefits to both the client and the Guidance providers, but these benefits will only be derived if tests are used properly.

Ideally, this type of testing, is administered in conjunction with consultation from professional guidance counsellors and should be readily and easily available for the majority of 5th and 6th form students.  The best approach would be to expose students to psychometric testing when they are about to choose the subjects they will take in CXC/GCE examinations- ie at the 3rd/4th form level-and then again for a second time in 5th or 6th form, depending on when they opt to leave the secondary school system.