How to prepare for psychometric assessments

Psychometric assessments are a common and increasingly important part of the hiring process. But don't let the name intimidate you! They are not tests of skill; they are structured tools designed to help the company understand your natural working style and problem-solving approach. They are a sign that the company is invested in making the right hire for both of you. The two most common assessments that you can expect are the Personality and Reasoning assessments.

Remember: These assessments are not about passing or failing - they are about fit.

Block out time & get yourself in good mental shape

Before completing any assessment, take a moment to check how you’re feeling. Fatigue, headaches, lack of sleep, stress, or certain medications can influence how you respond and process information. If any of these apply, it’s important to inform the practitioner, as they may affect your results and interpretation.

Try to complete the assessment for a time when your mind is at its sharpest - the morning is usually best. Avoid doing all assessments in one long session. Reasoning or cognitive assessments are mentally demanding and should be completed first, while your concentration level is highest.

Personality assessments require less intensive mental effort, so they can be left for later in the day. Still, make sure you’re reasonably rested. Take proper breaks between each assessment to clear your mind and maintain consistent energy.

Plan your time and set milestones

A helpful thing to remember is that you don’t need to complete every question to achieve a strong score. In many reasoning assessments, all questions carry equal weight, so struggling with one difficult question can waste valuable time you could have used to collect easier points elsewhere.
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Instead of working in a straight line from start to finish, plan your time. Keep an eye on the clock and set small milestones as you go. If a question seems too complex or is taking too long, move on and answer the ones you find manageable. If time allows at the end, come back to the more challenging items.
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Your main goal is to balance accuracy with speed, rather than pushing yourself to finish everything. Working methodically and staying calm will improve both your confidence and your overall score.
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Personality assessments help employers understand how you behave, think, and interact in a work environment. Employers use these insights to determine whether your natural tendencies will align well with the role, the team, and the company’s culture.

Most personality questionnaires are designed to indicate whether you were consistent in your answers and to what extent you tried to portray yourself in an overly positive manner.

You don't want to lie and risk being a bad fit. You need to be happy and satisfied in this role, and answering the questions in an honest way will move you towards that goal. Some people tend to act slightly differently in the work setting than they do at home. In employment personality assessments, it is vital to portray your “professional persona.” So when answering the questions, think of yourself in the work context and how you usually think, feel, and behave in the work environment.

What you can expect:

Tips for completing:

Reasoning assessments (also called cognitive or aptitude tests) measure how well you think, analyse information, solve problems, and make decisions. These assessments are used by employers to understand your mental agility and how you’re likely to handle the cognitive demands of the role.

These tests are typically timed, require quick thinking, and often include multiple-choice questions. Unlike personality questionnaires, reasoning tests do have right and wrong answers, and preparation plays a big role in performance.

The most commonly used reasoning test is the Differential Aptitude Test, which tests various elements, including your verbal, numerical, abstract and mechanical reasoning.

What you can expect:

As daunting as psychometric assessments may sound, the key to success is preparation. Research the company, identify their culture, values, and the calibre of employees they're searching for. This will help you in the personality assessment.