Psychometric test hacks: Different tools used by top companies and how to play the game right as a job seeker

It’s application season again.

That means resume editing, sending out applications late into the night… and yes, psychometric tests. Many candidates often pass the CV screening round and get invited to take a few online tests which are often gamified.

If you’ve not been hearing back from companies after completing all their games, or if you’re not sure what to expect, read on before you click into that next assessment.

1. Know your battle: Find out the assessment software used by the company on Glassdoor

Before sitting for the test, you can use sites like Glassdoor to find out the assessment software and types of games used by the company in the recruiting process.

On Glassdoor, you can even filter by country and the role you are applying for to get the most accurate sensing of what to expect. Be sure to spend some time looking through other candidates’ experiences — you will often be able to get a clear picture of the type of skills and tests you’ll be sitting for.

This can include numerical and verbal reasoning tests, pattern recognition tests, and personality assessments. Sometimes, you may even get a glimpse into the mode of assessment or sample questions.

For example, other candidates may describe the type of games they played or the series of challenges they completed.

To start you off, here are some assessments we know used by top companies in their recruitment for their internship programmes:

• PwC and Accenture: Pymetrics software, which uses a series of 12 games to assess your personality and behaviour
• Unilever: A shorter series of 3 mini-games which test your logical reasoning skills
• Nestlé: Pulsifi software, which features a combination of numerical and verbal reasoning tests as well as assessments on your personality and work interests

It all depends on the company and position you are applying to, so be sure to do your homework!

2. Nothing beats the real thing: Look for practice questions online

While gamified assessments make the candidate experience a lot more bearable, candidates often find themselves feeling lost during and after the assessment.

What skills is a game of typing speed trying to test for?

The good news is that you will find a lot more clarity by looking for practice questions online, and researching into the recruiting software company.

Look for sample questions on social media sites

One way to find sample questions is to look on social media sites like YouTube, Reddit and Quora. Nothing gives you a more accurate sensing of what to expect than actually seeing the questions themselves.

For example, a quick search on YouTube will show you some examples of the games that candidates will play in the Pymetrics assessment.

Remember, it’s less about solving these practice or sample questions, and more about familiarising yourself with typical question formats.

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Understand what you’re being tested for by looking into the software company’s site

Of course, you can best understand the assessment software by searching it up yourself. Spend some time on the software site and understand how their assessment helps companies identify different traits in their candidates.

While you should not be trying to skew your personality traits and responses during the assessments, you will definitely benefit from knowing the skills that different games are testing for.

For example, the Pymetrics site provides a clear explanation of the 9 skills they are measuring in their candidates through their 12 games. When you are clear on the skills that you’re being tested for, you will face less confusion during the games.

3. Practice makes perfect: Build a habit of exercising your brain!

You may have a great GPA, or maybe even made Dean’s List… but these psychometric tests are a different ball game altogether! If you recall taking IQ tests online or in school, you’ll realise that they are often testing for your logic and reasoning ability. If you’re worried about your mental agility, the good news is that you can start practicing for it now.

Instead of scrolling through your Instagram feed mindlessly for hours, take 10 minutes daily to train your brain, and hone your pattern-recognising and logical reasoning skills. You can do this through some simple ways:

• Do number and word puzzles: Doing Sudoku or Crossword puzzles are great ways to learn to be more sensitive to patterns
• Mental math in daily life: Instead of using your calculator during day-to-day activities like grocery shopping, take the chance to practice your mental math and get your brain working!
• Brain Training Apps: There are plenty of applications that aid in brain training, and one of the most popular ones is Lumosity , which lets users train their math and logical reasoning abilities

This article was first published in TalentTribe.asia.