Module

1Introduction:
Psychology
at
Work, Meaning, definition, evolution and scope of
Psychology at Work, Dimensions, subject matter
and functions of Psychology at work, Role of
Psychologists at work.
Module 2- Getting the right people through
Psychometric Testing- Right person for the right
job, Recruiting
and
Selecting
Talent ,Psychological Testing- Concept
Functions of psychology
http://www.gradschools.com/masters/psychology/organi
zational-psychology/workplace-psychology
dimensions of psychology at workplace
http://www.apaexcellence.org/resources/goodcompany/
blog/2015/03/thoughts-about-some-psychologi.php
role of psychologist
Many psychologists work directly with those experiencing
difficulties, such as mental health disorders including anxiety
and depression. They help people to overcome relationship
problems, eating disorders, learning problems, substance
abuse, parenting issues, or to manage the effects of a chronic
illness.
Practicing psychologists have the professional training and
clinical skills to help people learn to cope more effectively with
life issues and mental health problems. After years of graduate
school and supervised training, they become licensed by their
states to provide a number of services, including evaluations
and psychotherapy. Psychologists help by using a variety of
techniques based on the best available research and consider

someone's unique values, characteristics, goals and

circumstances.
Psychologists with doctoral degrees (either a PhD, PsyD or
EdD) receive one of the highest levels of education of all health
care professionals, spending an average of seven years in
education and training after they receive their undergraduate
degrees. The American Psychological Association estimates
that there are about 105,000 licensed psychologists in the
United States.
What they do
Practicing psychologists help a wide variety of people and can
treat many kinds of problems. Some people may talk to a
psychologist because they have
felt depressed, angry or anxious for a long time. Or, they want
help for a chronic condition that is interfering with their lives or
physical health. Others may have short-term problems they
want help navigating, such as feelingoverwhelmed by a new
job or grieving the death of a family member. Psychologists can
help people learn to cope with stressful situations, overcome
addictions, manage their chronic illnesses and break past the
barriers that keep them from reaching their goals.
Practicing psychologists are also trained to administer and
interpret a number of tests and assessments that can help
diagnose a condition or tell more about the way a person
thinks, feels and behaves. These tests may evaluate
intellectual skills, cognitive strengths and weaknesses,
vocational aptitude and preference, personality characteristics
and neuropsychological functioning.
How they help
Practicing psychologists can help with a range of health
problems and use an assortment of evidence-based treatments
to help people improve their lives. Most commonly, they use
therapy (often referred to as psychotherapy or talk therapy).

There are many different styles of therapy, but the psychologist

will choose the type that best addresses the persons problem
and best fits the patients characteristics and preferences.
Some common types of therapy are cognitive, behavioral,
cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, humanistic, psychodynamic
or a combination of a few therapy styles. Therapy can be for an
individual, couples, family or other group. Some psychologists
are trained to use hypnosis, which research has found to be
effective for a wide range of conditions including pain, anxiety
and mood disorders.
For some conditions, therapy and medication are a treatment
combination that works best. For people who benefit from
medication, psychologists work with primary care physicians,
pediatricians and psychiatrists on their overall treatment. Three
states, New Mexico, Louisiana and Illinois, have laws allowing
licensed psychologists with additional, specialized training to
prescribe from a list of medications that improve emotional and
mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety.

What does a Psychologist do?

A psychologist will typically do the following:
Conduct scientific studies to study behaviour and
brain function (neuropsychologist)
Collect information through observations,
interviews, surveys, tests, and other methods
Find patterns that will help them understand and
predict behaviour
Use their knowledge to increase understanding
among individuals and groups
Develop programs that improve schools and
workplaces by addressing psychological issues

 Work with individuals, couples, and families to help

them make desired changes to behaviours
Identify and diagnose mental, behavioural, or
emotional disorders
Develop and carry out treatment plans
Collaborate with physicians or social workers to
help treat patients
Psychologists seek to understand and explain thoughts,
emotions, feelings, and behaviour. Depending on the
topic of study, psychologists use techniques such as
observation, assessment, and experimentation to
develop theories about the beliefs and feelings that
influence a persons actions.
Psychologists often gather information and evaluate
behaviour through controlled laboratory experiments,
psychoanalysis, or psychotherapy. They also may
administer personality, performance, aptitude, or
intelligence tests. They look for patterns of behaviour
or cause-and-effect relationships between events, and
use this information when testing theories in their
research or treating patients.
What is the workplace of a Psychologist like?
Some psychologists work alone, which may include
independent research or individually counselling
patients. Others work as part of a healthcare team,
collaborating with physicians, social workers, and
others to treat illness and promote overall wellness.
Many clinical and counseling psychologists in private
practice have their own offices and can set their own
schedules. Other typical workplaces include clinics,
hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and community and

mental health centres. Most research psychologists

work in colleges and universities, government agencies,
or private research organizations.
Most school psychologists work in public schools,
ranging in level from nursery school through college.
They also work in private schools, universities, hospitals
and clinics, community treatment centres, and
independent practice.
Psychologists in private practice can often set their own
hours, and many work part time as independent
consultants. However, they often offer evening or
weekend hours to accommodate clients. Those
employed in hospitals, nursing homes, or other
healthcare facilities may also have evening or weekend
shifts. Most psychologists working in clinics,
government, industry, or schools work full-time
schedules during regular business hours.
What is the difference between a social worker and a
psychologist?
A social worker acts as a client advocate, educator,
coordinator of care, and an adviser. He or she will work
as a liaison with the family, and will look at helping with
finances, admissions, discharges, housing, follow-up
appointments to outside services, and is sometimes the
link to the courts and any legal procedures.
A psychologist works with individuals, couples, and
families by identifying and diagnosing mental
behavioural and emotional disorders. He or she will
then develop a treatment plan, and if necessary,

collaborate with doctors or social workers to help the

patient carry through with the desired changes. In a
nutshell, a social worker addresses problems within our
society. A psychologist addresses problems due to our
society.
Also relevant for Social Worker
What is the difference between a psychologist and a clinical
psychologist?
A psychologist refers to someone who has completed a
four year university-based psychology degree. To be a
registered psychologist you need to have completed
university plus two years of supervised clinical
experience.
A clinical psychologist is someone who has completed
four years of university, a two year master's degree,
and then another two years of supervised clinical
training. Clinical psychologists also have continuing
education on an annual basis. There are also clinical
psychologists who have completed a PhD, or a
doctorate of clinical psychology, and these highly
qualified clinicians can use the title of 'doctor'.
Also relevant for Clinical Psychologist
What is some good advice for psychology students?
It would be wise to get your undergraduate major in
psychology, since many graduate programs in
psychology will require it. Even in your first year of
university, it wouldnt be too early to identify some
graduate programs you might be interested in

attending. Find out exactly what they require for

admission so you don't waste time later, by going back
and taking courses you didn't know you needed.
When you do apply for graduate school, it would be
extremely advantageous if you had research
experience under your belt. Get to know a professor in
your undergrad years that conducts psychological
research, and offer to work as his/her assistant. This
professor could eventually become your mentor if you
prove yourself to be humble, reliable, and dependable.
What is it like being a psychologist?
There are positive and negative aspects to any career,
and a career in psychology is no different.
Some negative aspects:
- it can be emotionally draining
- the job can sometimes be frustrating (many clients
don't come back after the first visit)
- it takes time to get established in a community for
private practice
- it can be professionally isolating if in private practice
Some positive aspects:
- psychology is a diverse field offering many
opportunities
- it is mainly a nine to five work schedule
- getting to see the results of your work is rewarding
- it is dependable work once established within a
community

What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a

psychologist?
Both psychiatrists and psychologists conduct
psychotherapy and research, but there are significant
differences between the two professions.
The first difference is in education: a psychiatrist has a
degree in medicine, and is a medical doctor, whereas
the psychologist has a degree (a masters or a
doctorate) in psychology. The second difference is that
a psychiatrist can prescribe medication, whereas a
psychologist cannot.
If you are trying to choose between the two careers,
you will need to determine if you would prefer to
assess, diagnose, treat and prevent mental illness and
be able to prescribe medications to your patients
(psychiatrist), or if you would prefer to conduct
psychotherapy, administer psychological tests, and
conduct research (a psychologist).
Matching candidates and jobs based on psychometric tests
More and more, organisations are using psychometric tests to
aid the employee selection process, to help them get the right
person. The use of psychometric testing gives large and small
organisations a competitive edge. Organisations want to know
more about job seekers these days, wanting to discover their
core competencies through the selection process. Being aware
of these desirable core competencies is a good place for you to
start, so that you can then better prepare for and practice
psychometric tests such as aptitude tests and personality tests.
Certain interesting trends in organisation design highlight that
the compatibility between employers and an organisation has

become, and is becoming, more and more important.

Employers want you to share similar characteristics as their
organisation and they use psychometric tests to assess how
you fit with the organisation, the ability to which the employer
and employee will be able to meet each others needs.
Organisations assess aspects such as general intelligence and
personality traits through psychometric testing to provide an
indication of person and organisation fit. It is advisable for you
to develop job knowledge, and to practice psychometric tests to
positively present your self as the right person for the
job.Practicing psychometric tests, among other things,
increases your self-awareness, your understanding of your
personality and values and can decreases your performance
anxiety during psychometric testing.
Because psychometric testing is often conducted by external
organisations, hiring organisations are developing very specific
descriptions of their desired employees, through defining the
key competencies that are important to them. Desirable
competencies assessed by psychometric tests include an
ability to adapt quickly and deal with change, as well as
networking, political skills and individual strategic capability.
The notion of emotional intelligence, which is how well a person
understands their emotions and is aware of emotional states of
others, has become increasingly important. Highly-developed
interpersonal communication skills, related to teamwork, are
also a key deciding factor.
Another interesting trend that affects the selection process is
that more people are comfortable using a computer and the
internet. This trend encouraged psychometric test developers
to administer psychometric tests online rather than asking
candidates to come into an office to complete paper-based
tests. This change imposed a significant challenge for testtakers, as it significantly reduced the effectiveness of traditional
practice books. Test-takers who are practising questions out of
books lose the capability to use practice psychometric tests
under real conditions (i.e. time constraints and having test
questions displayed on a computer screen). This is especially

important when solving aptitude tests abstract reasoning

tests, verbal reasoning tests and numerical reasoning tests.
HOW TO USE PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING IN HIRING - HBR
Roughly 18% of companies currently use personality
tests in the hiring process, according to a survey
conducted by the Society for Human Resource
Management. This number is growing at a rate of 1015% a year according to many industrial and
organizational psychologists, as well as the Association
for Test Publishers.
When used correctly, cognitive and personality tests
can increase the chances that new employees will
succeed. Since the cost of a bad hire is widely
estimated to be at least one years pay, there are huge
incentives for organizations to get hiring right.
Unfortunately, too many organizations use the wrong
psychometric assessments in the wrong way. Heres
what organizations need to know in order to minimize
potential risks and maximize the predictive accuracy of
these tests.
Know the law. Organizations, hiring managers, and
HR need to keep legal compliance in mind when they
addpsychometric tests to their pre-employment
screening system. Because of anti-discrimination laws,
assessment tools (especially cognitive ability tests)
need to be job-relevant and well validated. In the
United States, because of the Americans with
Disabilities Act, tests generally need to respect privacy
and not endeavor to diagnose candidates in any way.

One recent example of an organization that has

changed its assessment battery due in part to concerns
about racial discrimination and poor prediction of job
performance is the National Football League. Unless
jobs involve law enforcement, weaponry or other
special safety considerations, organizations should not
ask candidates to take any assessment that was
designed for the purpose of diagnosing susceptibility to
depression, risk for other kinds of mental illness, or any
kind of personality disorder.
Know the business needs. Psychometric tests will
not help you if you dont have well-established
measures of job performance. Too often, organizations
focus more on the predictors, or independent
variables, than on what is being predicted, or
dependent variables. If an organization doesnt have
quantitative measures of employee performance on the
job, then there is no basis for statistical correlations of
how well psychometric tests (or any other kind of
candidate evaluation for that matter) predict
performance.
Once you know the business needs, make sure you find
a test that will actually evaluate those characteristics.
For instance, while there are laws that prohibit
companies from discriminating or invading candidates
privacy, there are no laws that prohibit companies from
using strange or invalid assessment tools. If a company
wanted to use astrology to pick a Scorpio instead of a
Libra as the new CFO, there wouldnt be any legal risks
to doing so (as long as there wasnt any correlation
between astrological sign and candidates membership

in protected classes of people). But most people

recognize that horoscope would be the wrong
categorization tool for filling your open job. What they
dont realize is that other, often-used tests might also
fail to predict the desired results.
For instance, while the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
(MBTI) is quite popular with many organizations, it
should not be used for employee selection. The MBTI
was not developed for that purpose and is not intended
for personnel evaluation even the tests publisher
warns against using it in that way.
Reduce the risk of cheating. In order to safeguard
against the possibility that candidates will ask others to
take tests, especially cognitive ability tests, on their
behalf, organizations should proctor the assessment
test, either by having the candidate take the
assessments in their offices or by monitoring
candidates via video conference if they are remote.
Keep in mind that some candidates may be tempted to
game the results. Compare the candidates
references and interview ratings with their results to
determine if the two are consistent. If a candidate for a
sales job seems shy and understated in interviews and
is described as quiet and introspective by her
references, but tests as a people person who constantly
needs to be in the limelight, this discrepancy may raise
the question of whether the applicant is attempting to
engage in impression management in order to come
across as a more ideal candidate.

Some psychometric tests have built-in measures that

indicate whether a candidates pattern of responses
may reflect an attempt to come across a certain way or
whether the candidates answers are incongruent with
one another. Using multiple psychometric tests can
help organizations get a more consistent picture. But
dont overdo it. Even a well-developed, legally
defensible, and predictive assessment battery will not
add value if candidates feel it is too time-consuming or
intrusive.
Share test results with candidates. While in most
psychological research, informed consent gives
candidates the right to see their results, few
organizations provide access to the reports based on
the psychometric tests that applicants take. Often,
organizations even ask candidates to sign a document
waiving their right to see their results. But there are
both ethical and pragmatic benefits to sharing results,
regardless of whether a candidate receives or accepts
an offer of employment.
Any candidate can benefit from the feedback of a wellvalidated, job-relevant psychometric test report. The
candidates who receive and accept offers will
appreciate that the reports can provide a helpful basis
for discussions about their onboarding, and the
candidates who either do not receive or do not accept
an offer will still appreciate the organizations
professional courtesy of sharing the feedback with
them.

(If you would like to take a personality assessment for

free online, which will provide results that are similar to
some of the well-validated personality tests on the
market that organizations use and where the
confidential results will come directly to you try
the IPIP 120.)
Test the tests. A well-developed performance
appraisal system should evaluate job performance
quantitatively (not just qualitatively). This gives the
company criteria for correctness that it can use to
measure how well its pre-employment screening tests
actually predict success on the job. Its best to think of
this process of validation as a scientific research
endeavor, with the hypothesis being that a given
psychometric assessment will predict job performance,
and with that hypothesis being subject to ongoing
empirical validation with the potential for
disconfirmation. If an assessment doesnt predict
performance over time, stop using it.
High performing organizations constantly evaluate and
improve their candidate evaluation systems by paying
attention to predictor variables, outcome variables, and
the correlations between the two. Psychometric tests
should be subject to the same rigorous testing and
validation as the candidates they are being utilized to
assess. When hiring managers and HR utilize the right
methodology to select and retain the right
psychometric tests, they can significantly raise the
probability of selecting and retaining the right talent,
too.

Psychometric Testing
Measuring "Hidden" Traits
Everyone's different, but you still need standard measures.
Measuring attributes like height, weight, and strength is
reasonably simple. These are all physical and observable traits
that you can assess objectively. But what about factors that
aren't so easy to measure?
Traits such as personality, intelligence, attitude, and beliefs are
important characteristics to measure and assess. Whether
you're hiring people, helping team members understand
themselves and their relationships with others, or trying to
figure out what you want to do with your life, it's useful to
assess these types of "hidden," less obvious attributes.
One way to gather this information is through psychometric
tests. The article looks at what psychometric tests are, what
they measure, and how they can help you in both recruiting
staff and developing you career.
What Are Psychometric Tests?
Psychometric tests include personality profiles, reasoning tests,
motivation questionnaires, and ability assessments. These
tests try to provide objective data for otherwise subjective
measurements.
For example, if you want to determine someone's attitude, you
can ask the person directly, observe the person in action, or
even gather observations about the person from other people.
However, all of these methods can be affected by personal bias
and perspective. By using a psychometric test, you make a
more objective and impartial judgment.

Since objectivity is key to using these assessments, a good

psychometric test provides fair and accurate results each time
it's given. To ensure this, the test must meet these three key
criteria:
1.

Standardization The test must be based on

results from a sample population that's truly
representative of the people who'll be taking the test.
You can't realistically test every working person in a
country. But you can test a representative sample of
that group, and then apply the results to the specific
people whom you test.
Also, a standardized test is administered the same
way every time to help reduce any test bias. By using
a standardized test, you can compare the results with
anyone whose characteristics are similar to those of
the sample group.

2.

Reliability The test must produce consistent

results, and not be significantly influenced by outside
factors. For instance, if you're feeling stressed when
you take the test, the test results shouldn't be overly
different from times when you were excited or
relaxed.
3. Validity This is perhaps the most important
quality of a test. A valid test has to measure what it's
intended to measure. If a test is supposed to measure
a person's interests, then it must clearly demonstrate
that it does actually measure interests, and not
something else that's just related to interests.
Note:
Psychometrics is the study of educational and
psychological measurements. The adjective
"psychometric" is used to describe psychological tests
(typically those used in educational and occupational
settings) that are standardized as well as proven to be

reliable and valid measures of areas like personality,

ability, aptitude, and interest.
Beyond these criteria, effective psychometric tests
must be relevant to the modern workplace. Before
using one of these tests, make sure the test has been
validated and updated recently.
What Do Psychometric Tests Measure?
Psychometric tests can measure interests, personality, and
aptitude.

Interest tests measure how people differ in their

motivation, values, and opinions in relation to their
interests.

Personality tests measure how people differ in

their style or manner of doing things, and in the way
they interact with their environment and other
people.

Aptitude tests measure how people differ in their

ability to perform or carry out different tasks.
Advantages of Psychometric Tests
Psychometric tests can help to make personnel and careerrelated assessments more objective.

Using Psychometric Tests

Psychometric tests can be used for a variety of
purposes. Some of the most common uses are as
follows:

Selection of personnel Here, tests can help

recruiters and hiring managers determine candidates
who best fit a position. Personality, aptitude, and
knowledge tests are all very common in this type of
testing situation. For a detailed discussion of these
types of tests and how to use them for hiring, see our
article on Using Recruitment Tests
.

Individual development and training

Psychometric tests can help you determine how best
to improve current skills and performance. For
example, if your department is going to introduce a
new type of technology, it might be helpful to assess
people on their interests and motivations related to
new technology. The Business Attitude
Inventoryand the California Measure of Mental
Motivation are psychometric tests available for
training and development purposes. You could also
use aptitude and skills tests to determine a person's
ability to perform certain tasks.

Team building and development This area can

provide many uses for psychometric tests. The better
people understand themselves and others, the better
they can build and maintain positive workplace
relationships. Tests like FIRO-B , DiSC , and
theHogan Development Survey are designed
specifically to uncover potential sources of
relationship tension. General personality
assessments, including the Myers-Briggs Typology
Indicator (MBTI) and the California Psychological
Inventory (CPI), are also very helpful for team
building and strengthening. Values in Action can
help you gain insights into group behaviors and
dynamics that relate to people's values.

Career development and progression

Psychometric tests can help you uncover values and
interests that are fundamental to overall career

satisfaction. For those starting out in their careers

and those who are looking for the right career path,
interest surveys like Holland's Codes
and Schein's Career Anchors are also useful
psychometric tests to consider.
Note:
Remember to keep psychometric testing in perspective.
These tests are only one of many different types of
assessments that you can use in recruitment and
career development.
Key Points
Assessing and appraising people is a highly complex
and subjective process, and psychometric tests are a
good way of objectively assessing people's "hidden"
traits.
From recruitment to long-term career development,
these tests provide a great deal of reliable information
to make important personnel decisions. If you use the
tests, ensure that they are appropriate for you needs,
and that they've been rigorously evaluated.

Getting the right person for the right job is the goal of most
recruiters. But it's not easy.
Hiring the candidate who seems to have all the "right" answers
may not be best, especially if you don't ask the right questions
in the first place (read Hiring People: Questions to
Ask ). Choosing the candidate with the best reference isn't a
guarantee either what if the person giving the reference will
say anything just to be nice? And hiring someone because you
"feel good" about them is probably as reliable as buying a used
car after kicking the tires.

To recruit effectively, it's best to take the guesswork out of the

process. The more reliable information you can gather about a
person, the better. You want as complete a picture as possible
of the candidate's skills, experience, competencies, personality,
and aptitudes.
Given the costs, the pain and the lost opportunity that comes
from a poor hiring decision, would you like to remove as much
guesswork as possible when you hire? One method that
companies use to do this is pre-employment testing. These
tests are designed to give you reliable and valid information
about a candidate information that a rsum, interview, and
reference may not provide.
Recruitment tests are not a substitute for other traditional
assessment tools, but they can add to and improve hiring
practices. When you combine information from these tests with
properly thought-through structured interviews, you add
considerable predictive power to your selection process.
Why Use Tests in Recruitment?
The most common reasons for introducing pre-employment
testing into the candidate selection process include:

Current selection or placement procedures result in

poor hiring decisions.

Staff errors have had serious financial, health, or

safety consequences.

Staff turnover or absenteeism is high.

Current candidate assessment procedures don't
meet legal and professional standards.

In essence, managers use these tests to address rigorously the

most significant situations where recruitment has failed in the
past, or the highest risk areas where it could fail in the future.

However, as with all business activities, use of tests takes time

and has a cost, so they should only be used where the benefits
gained more than compensate for these costs.
Types of Test
The key to using the right test and making best use of
everyone's time and resources is to know what problems
you're trying to address with the test. Here are some common
types of test, and the typical reasons for using them.
Ability and Aptitude Tests
These are used to predict success across a wide variety of
occupations, typically in people who have not yet received
much training in the skills needed for that occupation. In
essence, what you're trying to do is identify "natural talent" for
the work, which you can then develop.
Mental ability tests generally measure a person's ability to learn
and perform particular job responsibilities; they focus on things
such as verbal, quantitative, and spatial abilities.
Physical ability tests usually cover things such as strength,
endurance, and flexibility.
When you use ability and aptitude testing, it's important to
consider potential discrimination factors such as language,
race, culture, and age.
Specific examples of ability and aptitude tests are as follows:

General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB): Used to

assess verbal, numerical, and spatial aptitude as well
as provide a basic reference for general intelligence.

Differential Aptitude Test (DAT): Used for

assessing aptitudes in eight specific areas (as
opposed to the general areas of the GATB): Verbal

Reasoning, Numerical Ability, Abstract Reasoning,

Mechanical Reasoning, Space Relations, Spelling,
Language Usage, and Perceptual Speed and
Accuracy.

Personnel Test for Industry (PTI): Used to test

basic verbal and numerical competence, and typically
used for placement in industries such as
transportation, manufacturing and mechanics.
The International Test Commission (ITC) released
the International Guidelines for Test Use in 2000.
This was in response to the increased use of tests in
countries and cultures outside of the test population
used to standardize the instrument. You should refer to
these guides to ensure uniformity in test application
across different linguistic and cultural contexts.
Achievement Tests
These tests are used when you're looking for skilled people,
and you want to ensure that the people you hire are sufficiently
skilled to do a good job. These are often called proficiency
tests, and they're typically used to measure knowledge and
skills that are relevant to a specific position. There are two
basic types:

Knowledge tests usually have specific questions

that determine how much the person knows about
particular job tasks and responsibilities. Here are
some examples:

Clerical Abilities Battery: Used for assessing

commonly needed administrative skills including
clerical speed and accuracy.

Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal:

Used for determining how well a person applies
analytical thinking, by assessing the ability to infer,

recognize assumptions, deduce, interpret and

evaluate arguments.

Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test: Used

to assess how well a person understands how
things work by evaluating mechanical
comprehension in three main areas: mechanical
information, spatial visualization, and mechanical
reasoning.

Work sample or performance tests require the

candidate to actually demonstrate or perform one or
more job tasks that are related to a specific job. The
tests are often designed for a specific organization,
and they sometimes involve workplace simulations as
well. A classic performance test is the Inbox/In-tray
Assessment .

Psychometric tests in job interviews: what are they looking for?

They're about discovering who you are
"When people talk about psychometric tests, they sometimes
mean questionnaires," says Mark Parkinson, a business
psychologist who puts together both for organisations. "A test is
something with a right or wrong answer, which might be used
to measure numeracy or literacy, for example, while a
questionnaire would be used to find out about someone's
personality." Employers may use one or both of these in the
recruitment process.
The questionnaire is supposed to discover what kind of person
you are in ways that you wouldn't necessarily admit to in an
interview, with questions designed to expose how you behave
and what motivates you. A good test will be set up to pick up on
any inconsistencies and make it difficult for you to put on an act
there is a built-in "lie scale". An aptitude test is supposed to
show how good you are at tasks required in the job and may
measure how quickly you get to the right answer. The employer

may have a minimum score you have to achieve, or be looking

for the candidate with the best score, says Parkinson.
They need to be part of a process
"If you're recruiting for senior people these days, you will
usually do something called an assessment centre this will
involve an interview, a work sampling and a psychometric test,"
says Cary Cooper, professor of organisational psychology and
health at Lancaster University. "An interview on its own is a
very poor predicter of ultimate success."
So too are the other elements, when taken alone. For example,
looking at the quality of someone's work, without knowing how
they cope with decision-making, makes it hard to know if they
will be able to work in an environment where speed is of the
essence.
Parkinson says the results should always be validated at an
interview. If someone comes across as sociable, they should be
asked to give an example.
They only work if the employer knows what they want
Parkinson says they are only any good if the recruiter knows
what they are trying to measure and why. "Where they often fail
is when people try to use them to assess things that you can't
measure, such as creativity or leadership," he says. The
recruiter needs to decide what kind of traits they think make a
good leader and look for those.
You can't pass or fail a personality test
"You can't actually 'ace' a psychometric test the recruiter is
using it to see what your strengths and weaknesses are, and
how they match up with the job requirements," says Cooper. He
points out that while for some roles, scoring highly for
sociability would be in your favour, if you were applying for a
job auditing sensitive accounts or running a remote lighthouse,
it might count against you.

However, while the other elements of the recruitment process

should be taken into account, it could be that the employer is
looking for particular results in the test, and rejects candidates
who don't fit the bill. You won't have failed the test as such, but
you won't get the job.
They have a dark side
Some questonnaires now try and establish the "dark side" of
your personality and how traits might be displayed if things go
wrong and you find yourself under pressure. Arguably, Co-op
Bank's recruiters should have used this one.
Difference psycho and skill test
Psychometric tests and skills tests are often used in job
selection. Both can be vital tools to help you find the
best people for the job. But what exactly are they, and
what are the differences between these two types of
tests?
Psychometric tests are instruments that tell us about
individual differences: such as personal characteristics
or cognitive ability (intelligence), compared to other
people. Skills tests tell us about whether a person can
perform a certain set of tasks, and how well. While
they might sound quite similar, they are actually
different. The main differences between psychometric
and skills tests are their design, their applicability and
what conclusions can be drawn.

Test design
Good psychometric tests are based on sound theory,
data gathered on large groups of people and complex
statistical analyses. Because they are based on this

research there is a level of assurance that the test is

measuring what it is designed to measure, and further,
an individuals results can be compared to the data
gathered on other people known as normative data.
An example would be a cognitive test that examined
fluid intelligence, or the ability to solve novel
problems. Research and theories about fluid
intelligence have shown that a good test to measure
these skills is Matrices solving a puzzle by finding the
next piece that completes the pattern. The Matrices
test has been developed based on this research, tested
on large groups of people and refined. When it is given
to a job candidate performance can be compared to the
normative data was their performance average,
above average or below?
Skills tests are based on more concrete and discrete
abilities. For instance, Microsoft Office skills
tests assess knowledge of and ability to use the
features of the MS Office applications, Word, Excel,
Outlook and so on. Rather than being based on
theories they are based on the features of the
individual programs. An individuals results will show
which skills they do and do not have. Packages assess
basic, intermediate and advanced skills.
Applicability
Cognitive ability tests and personality tests are useful
indicators of performance in virtually any job. Together
they can account for up to approximately 60% of the
variance in performance by employees (Bertua et al.,
2005; Schmidt & Huntert, 2004; Salgado et al.,2003).
Cognitive ability tests have the widest applicability,
followed by certain aspects of personality (e.g.,
Conscientiousness).

Skills tests tell us whether an individual can use a

certain program that is likely to be necessary for a job.
They dont tell us anything else about their broader
abilities or suitability for a job. For instance, an
accountant would likely require solid skills in MS Excel
and other programs such as MYOB, and a secretary
would require skills in MS Word and general typing
skills. An office assistant may require only basic MS
Word skills, whereas a personal assistant may require
intermediate or advanced skills.
What conclusions can be drawn
Psychometric tests have wide applicability. The
research underlying the psychometric tests can help us
to draw conclusions about what this is likely to mean in
the workplace. Performance on a cognitive ability test
can reveal whether a person is suitable for a complex
job or a job requiring a high level of attention to detail,
for instance and performance on a personality measure
can reveal whether a person is suitable for a job
requiring high levels of sociability or teamwork and how
they are likely to react in an emergency.
Skills tests have a relatively narrow applicability. They
can show whether the candidate has a basic, moderate
or high level of skill on a certain test that is needed for
the job. These skills are necessary but are only one
small aspect of the job.
Finding the right tests can be confusing. RightPeople
understands this. We have the expertise to help you
find the best tests for your business. Contact us and let
us help you tailor a package of tests that will best suit
your needs.
The DiSC Model

Understanding People's Personal Styles

Is there one person at work who you just don't get? Or
someone who approaches things so differently from you that
you struggle to relate to him or her?
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. We all have team
members who we find hard to communicate with, or work
alongside. And yet, for the sake of our teams and
organizations, we need to make these relationships work. The
good news is there are ways of doing this. A good starting point
is to understand more about your own personality, and that of
the other person.
Personality has been studied for centuries, and this research
has led to various ways of categorizing behavioral styles. When
you understand some of these, you will get to know what
makes others "tick," and learn how to get the most from your
team members in a way that benefits them as well as the
organization.
The DiSC Model
The DiSC model, based on the work of psychologist William
Moulton Marston in the 1920s, is a popular, straightforward,
standardized, and relatively easy way to assess behavioral
styles and preferences.
The tool classifies people's behavior into four types
(Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness) by
looking at their preferences on two scales:

Task versus People.

Fast-Paced versus Moderate-Paced.

These preference scales form the axes of the DiSC model. The
behavioral types are shown in the four quadrants of figure 1,
below.

Figure 1: The DiSC Model

Reproduced with the permission

of www.everythingdisc.co.uk.
The DiSC assessment uses standardized data from a large
population of people who've already taken the test. An
individual's score gives an indication of his preferences relative
to others'. By using the tool, you might learn, for example, that
you are very people-oriented compared with others. This may
lead you to use a more task-oriented approach in situations
where you want to build a better rapport with task-oriented
members of you team.
Behavioral models like this can help you deal with the many
different people you interact with in your professional and
personal life. By understanding that everyone has different
preferences, you can improve your interpersonal relationships
and manage team members in a way that plays to their
strengths.

You can use this model to help team building and recruitment,
improve performance, resolve conflict, and much more. Here
are some of the benefits:
1.

More Time and Energy for Productive Activity

When teams aren't working well, huge amounts of
time and energy are taken up with resolving conflict,
dealing with performance issues, and remedying
poorly communicated expectations. You'll have a lot
more time to spend on productive activity if your
people learn to work alongside one another better.
2. Better Fit Between Team Members and Roles
People become dissatisfied when they aren't well
matched to their jobs. When you understand a
person's natural preferences, it is easier to fit her
with a job she'll like and will be good at. This helps
improve performance and engagement.
3. Improved Understanding of Customers and
Other Stakeholders There's potential for conflict
and miscommunication when your team comes into
direct contact with customers or other external
stakeholders. Knowing their own preferences will help
your team members understand how to serve their
different customers more effectively.
Explaining the Quadrants
The diagram above shows the two axes that mark out four
quadrants, each with its own type of behavior. People who fall
into the same quadrant tend to solve problems, communicate
and make decisions in similar ways. Here is a brief summary of
the characteristic behaviors of each type:

Type

Their
Behavio
rs

What
They
Want
From
Others

What They
Want From
Their Roles

Egocentri
c
Talk more
than
listen
Opinionat
ed
Strongwilled
"High D"
(Domina
nce)
"High i"
(Influenc
e)

Forceful
Determin
ed

Talk more
than
listen
Can be
emotiona
l
Convinci
ng

Directness
Respect
To be
allowed to
lead
To be
allowed to
be
independe
nt

Friendlines
s

Power and
authority
Prestige
Challenge

Honesty

Visible
reward
and
recognition

Humor

Approval

To be
allowed to
tell people
how they

Popularity

Type

Their
Behavio
rs

What
They
Want
From
Others

What They
Want From
Their Roles

Political
Very
animated
Persuasiv
e

Ask
versus
tell
Steady
Consultat
ive
Patient
"High S"
(Steadin
ess)
"High C"
(Conscie
ntiousness)

Dislike
change
Reserved

Adhere
to rules
Structure

feel

Relaxed
manner
Agreeablen
ess

Standardiza
tion

Appreciatio
n

Security

Change to
be
introduced
slowly

Minimal
socializatio
n

Calm
environmen
ts
Status quo

Clear
expectation
s

Type

Their
Behavio
rs

What
They
Want
From
Others

What They
Want From
Their Roles

d
Accurate
detail

Autonomy

Exacting

Dependabil
ity

Recognition
of expertise

Diplomati
c

High
standards

Professionali
sm

Careful
Cautious

Using the DiSC Model

So how can you tell which quadrant you fall into? And how do
you find out where your team members fit?
There are many orgaizations that offer online behavioral
assessments, and they usually charge a small fee to conduct
the assessment and to provide a report.
Trywww.discprofile.com, or Google "DiSC
Profiles" to find them.
These assessments can give you a guide to:

Your DiSC behavior style and preferences.

The behavior you're likely to show in your current
role.

Any tensions between your underlying and

exhibited styles.

Your communication style.

What motivates you.

Your decision-making style.

How you prefer to be managed.

Tip:
Take care when you use the results of these tests. Any
system that classes people into only four different
personality types is, out of necessity, simplified.
Individuals are much more complex and sophisticated
than this!
Use DiSC profiles as a guide, but don't rely too heavily
on them.
Key Points
The DiSC model helps you analyze your own preferred
behavioral style, and those of your team members.
By understanding your own profile, you can manage
your work so it suits your preferences. And you can
help people understand their differences so they can
work more effectively together, by sharing DiSC profiles
within your team.
This means DiSC profiling is a useful tool to help you
improve team working, recruitment and retention,
customer service, and resolve interpersonal issues.