Find the rare pearl with a psychometric recruitment test

Sometimes recruitment can feel like a lottery! How can you be sure of choosing the right candidate? Psychotechnical testing is an invaluable tool for assessing the aptitudes of each profile.

Time-saving, better matching, fewer casting errors... the benefits are numerous. Find out how psychometric recruitment tests can help you make a quality hire without any unpleasant surprises.

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What is a psychometric test in recruitment?

Recruiting shouldn't be a gamble for companies. Hop on the psychometric test bandwagon: a more reliable assessment of candidates' cognitive abilities!

Definition and principle

Like many recruitment tests, the psychotechnical test is a psychometric test designed to assess certain abilities. However, this type of test is not designed to assess a candidate's personality, skill level or emotional intelligence. ☝️

That said, certain skills can indirectly provide clues to future professional behavior.

Psychotechnical tests therefore only assess cognitive abilities such as :

• logical reasoning
• memory
• concentration
• verbal comprehension,
• problem-solving ability,
• ability to process data, etc.

✅ This standardized method completes the recruitment process by providing you with an objective, measurable vision. It enables you to better identify and predict the candidate's intellectual potential and ability to adapt to the position to be filled.

Why are these tests being used more and more?

More and more recruiters are using psychometric tests in the selection process for a number of reasons. They enable :

1. choose candidates objectively,
2. reduce errors,
3. and optimize recruitment time.

As certain skills are difficult to assess during conventional interviews, these tests offer a more accurate assessment of a profile's suitability for a given position.

What are the benefits of these tests for your recruitment?

A well-filled CV and a convincing interview don't guarantee that a candidate really has the aptitudes for the job! You may already have noticed this to your cost...

A psycho-technical test is the key to guaranteeing a person's real ability to work in the field in question. No more hiring by feel. 💓

Secure the selection process

By relying on the results of psychotechnical tests to choose the future member of your work team, you're relying on measurable criteria, not on an impression following the face-to-face interview.

Subjectivity, while not to be completely dismissed, could steer you towards an unsuitable profile. By cross-referencing the results with the CV and post-interview impressions, you can retain a more complete vision of the candidates. This makes recruitment less risky. ✔️

Better predict whether a candidate will succeed

Thanks to psycho-technical tests, a recruiter can anticipate a candidate's adaptability to a position and check that his or her abilities are perfectly aligned with the job's requirements.

This avoids recruiting an employee who will struggle in particular work situations. Some positions require typical cognitive skills in line with specific tasks, such as problem-solving, the ability to think and make quick decisions.

👉 By measuring the candidate's full potential right from the start with a test, we ensure that the profile matches our search, and we put all the chances on our side!

Optimize recruitment time and costs

Filtering available candidates at an early stage means fewer unnecessary interviews. It also means selecting more relevant candidates for the final recruitment phase. Finally, with psycho-technical testing, you reduce the number of recruitment errors that can lead to wasted time and money between integration, training and replacement.

What are the different types of psychometric tests?

All candidates will tell you that they perfectly meet the job requirements. But between saying it and proving it, there's a test! Thanks to psychometric tests, you can determine the exact aptitudes of each profile according to your expectations. 📋

Measuring "raw" intelligence

With psychotechnical tests, you can administer a :

• logic test and reasoning test: assess the ability to solve specific problems, structure a thought process, make decisions.
• memory, attention and concentration tests: these skills are essential for jobs requiring a high learning capacity or the management of multiple pieces of information.
• data processing speed test: useful for jobs requiring fast, efficient decision-making.

Checking specific skills

Psychotechnical tests will enable you to guarantee the candidate's suitability for his or her future position, thanks to :

• numerical aptitude test: quantitative logic, data interpretation, numerical reasoning.
• verbal aptitude test: understanding and structuring written and oral information, ability to argue and analyze, verbal reasoning.
• tests of skills adapted to technical situations: for example, a spatial visualization test for an engineer, or an understanding of procedures for regulated professions.

Determining adaptability

Psychotechnical tests do, however, address some of the candidate's personality traits in order to identify behavioral responses to certain situations. These questions enable us to :

• Evaluate cognitive flexibility: how will the candidate adapt to new parameters or changes in strategy?
• Identify complex problem-solving skills: some tools offer questions involving a work situation, and study the candidate's reactions and solutions.
• Measuring stress management: in the form of various timed exercises or multiple tasks.

The 5 most frequently used psychometric tests in recruitment

There are many psychometric tests available to help recruiters choose the right person for the job. But every recruiter has his or her own favorite! Here are the 5 psychometric tools they use the most.

1. The Raven test

In the Raven test, the test-taker is presented with a series of progressive forms for which he or she must identify the logical sequence. With this test, the future employer can evaluate

• reasoning,
• identification of recurring patterns,
• and abstract problem-solving.

Example:

💡 The Raven test measures fluid intelligence, particularly for areas requiring rapid analysis and decision-making.

2. The Cattell test

Unlike the Raven test, the Cattell test assesses several aspects of intelligence:

• logical reasoning,
• verbal ability, 🗣️
• and numerical skills.

The results give a good picture of learning ability, adaptability to new contexts and the ability to solve complex problems.

💡 This test is perfect, for example, for strategic-thinking positions requiring rapid assimilation of information.

3. The D48 test

For this test, the candidate must logically complete lines of dominoes. The D48 assesses the person's analytical thinking and speed of reasoning.

Example:

💡 Taking this test is often recommended for jobs that require good structuring of thought.

4. The Terman-Merrill test

The Terman-Merrill test, a revised version of the Stanford-Binet, is one of the oldest and most comprehensive intelligence tests. It tests levels of logic, numerical and verbal reasoning.

💡 It's a particularly popular test for preparing professionals for positions of responsibility or requiring a high degree of cognitive autonomy.

5. Watson-Glaser test

A benchmark test for critical thinking and logical conclusions. It is based on 5 key areas:

1. hypothesis recognition,
2. deduction
3. induction,
4. interpretation of data,
5. evaluation of arguments.

💡 This test is often incorporated into recruitment in the law, finance and management sectors. Sectors where decisions need to be made rationally without emotional influence.

3 best practices for integrating psychometric testing into your recruitment processes

The wrong choice or misuse of psychometric tests can distort your recruitment process. By applying a few good tips, you can turn them into a real asset.

Choose the right test for the right job

Each type of test has a specific purpose. An assessment of spatial reasoning, for example, is not at all suitable for an accountant. It is therefore necessary to identify the specific expectations of the job in order to determine the appropriate test.

If you choose the wrong test, you run the risk of getting the wrong results, and eliminating candidates who would otherwise have had a place in the team.

Prepare and inform candidates

A candidate caught off-guard may fail even though he or she was perfectly suited to the job. Don't hesitate to explain :

• what the test is for,
• how it works
• and how it will be taken into account.

You can also give them some sample questions to help them prepare.

Don't base the whole verdict on the results

These assessments serve as a basis, just like interviews and CVs. Cross-reference all results with impressions, past experience and practical skill levels. An excellent score alone is not a pass for hiring.

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The psychometric recruitment test in a nutshell

An excellent tool for objectivizing and sorting job applications, the psychometric test provides an assessment of cognitive abilities that are not always apparent in an interview. Properly used, it helps to secure recruitment and better anticipate a candidate's suitability for a position.

While it should not be used as an absolute filter for hiring, a well-conducted psychometric test can help avoid casting errors. Scores and algorithms should only complement the recruiter's analysis, or risk losing the richness of real exchanges to technology.