• standard method of accurately measuring one's ability
• Employers will select the appropriate type of which meets their profile requirements
• Psychometric Tests comprise of Ability Tests and Personality Tests

• Standard and scientific
• Measurement of: general intelligence, attainment, aptitude, personality, attitudes, interests, values, "motivators", etc.
• Must be: objective, standardised, reliable, valid, predictable and unbiased
• Assess you against job requirements in terms of: knowledge, abilities, and personality
• Test results can be interpreted by comparing against a known standard
• Decisions can be made, e.g. selection using: top down, minimum cut-off or profiling
• There are a number of factors that can influence your performance such as age, gender, background, culture, experience, etc.

• Ability Test measures maximum performance and potential.
• There are over fifty human abilities
• They fall into four main categories:
  Cognition (verbal or numerical reasoning)
  Psychomotor (eye hand co-ordination)
  Sensory (hearing, touch, taste, smell, sight)
  Physical (stamina and strength)
• These tests will be testing some or all of the following
  General Intelligence Test (IQ)
  Attainment Tests (knowledge acquired)
  Aptitude Tests (potential - ability to use knowledge, e.g simulator check)
• The main tests measure cognitive reasoning
  Abstract, verbal, numerical, perceptual, spatial and mechanical

• Includes: shapes, sizes, colour and features
• Checks: general intellectual reasoning
• Approach: common features, pattern, sequence (horizontal, vertical, diagonal, etc)
  

• Includes: spelling, grammar, completing sentences, word groups, etc.
• Checks: ability to understand and use words
• Approach: preparation before hand
• Example: Which if anything is incorrect?
  The elephant was very enormous
  Its unlikely that we can catch the train
  She took the books off of me
  They should have took the boxes with them
• General advice
  The correct response is often shorter and more detailed
  The information in the other answers may help to identify the correct answer
  The incorrect answers are often inconsistent or implausible
  The use of absolutes (all or every) often appear in false statements

• Includes: Mental arithmetic, number sequence, numerical critical reasoning, etc.
• Checks: Ability to use numbers
• Approach: Preparation and approximation
  Examples:
  (i) 24.7 x 4 = ? a 84.3 b 89.8 c 92.3 d 98.8
  (ii) What is next number? 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ?
  (iii) 25% of 500 = ? a 120 b 250 c 125 d 220
  (iv) 24.6/5.3 = a 3.7 b 4.2 c 4.8 d 5.1
• Practise and become familiar with:
  Factors and multiples, e.g. powers and roots
  Fractions, ratios, proportions and percentages
  Different types of graphs, e.g. bar chart, pie chart and line graphs
  Simple statistics, e.g. how to work with frequencies or calculate averages

• Includes: Perceptual analogies and diagrammatic interpretation
• Checks: Applying and understanding diagrams
• Approach: Preparation before hand

• Includes: Spatial components, spatial rotation and spatial assembly
• Checks: Ability to manipulate shapes in two dimensions or visualise solid objects
• Approach: Preparation before hand

• Includes: Test do not require any specialist knowledge; usually show a drawing and you work out what is/will happen
• Checks: Mechanical/physical reasoning
• Approach: Preparation before hand on mechanisms, structures, energy and forces
  

• Measures how you perform in day-to-day situations. They include characteristics such as introvert, extrovert, etc.
• There is no pass or fail or right or wrong answer; the aim of these tests is to assess your personality
• Be honest with your answers and do not be tempted to give the answers you think that they want!
• Think of a typical day
• Trust your first impressions
• Read the question carefully
• Answer all the questions
• Know yourself
• Know the job

Characteristics being assessed:

• Extroversion - introversion
• Judging - perceiving
• Sensing - intuition
• Thinking - feeling

These measure our 'type of approach':

• Conformity, thinking, relating, feeling and action (Trait approach, known as 'the big 5')
• Values, motivation, integrity, and interests (These are 'qualities' rather than 'personality')

• Practise! Practise! Practise!
• Reduces stress on the day
• Practise makes perfect
• Get tests from the library, internet, etc.
• Practise tests under 'Test' conditions
• See if you can find out what tests are used by that airline

• Listen carefully to the brief
• Ask question before each test
• Read the instruction carefully
• Usually, the more questions you answer the higher your score
• Check if there is 'penalty marking
• Make sure answers are put in correct place
• Make yourself comfortable
• Make sure you can see and hear
• Read instructions carefully
• Do not spend too long on each question, either come back or make an educated guess
• Keep calm
• Do not show emotions or lose your temper
• Keep going
• Double check your answers
• Read the question twice
• Estimate your answers
• Do not be afraid of numbers
• Work quickly - but do not rush - and accurately
• Questions progressively get harder
• Watch out for 'distracters'
• Think about the order of questions, for example do the easiest first
• Use all your time allowance - you get no extra marks for finishing first!
• Record answers correctly (tick or circle)
• Keep your eye on the time