Find the rare pearl with a psychotechnical recruitment test

Sometimes recruitment can feel like a lottery! How can you be sure you're choosing the right candidate? Psychotechnical tests are 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 nasty 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 and get ready for a more reliable assessment of your 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 behaviour.

Psychotechnical tests therefore only assess cognitive abilities such as :

• logical reasoning
• memory
• concentration
• verbal comprehension
• ability to solve problems,
• ability to process data, etc.

✅ This standardised method completes the recruitment process by providing you with an objective and 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 make it possible to :

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

As certain skills are difficult to assess during traditional 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 do not guarantee that the candidate really has the skills for the job! You may already have noticed this to your cost...

A psycho-technical test provides information to guarantee the person's real ability to work in the job. No more recruitment by feel. 💓

Secure the selection process

By relying on the results of psychotechnical tests to choose the future member of your work team, you are 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 view of the candidates. Recruitment is therefore 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 their abilities are perfectly aligned with the requirements of the job.

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

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

Optimise recruitment time and costs

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

What are the different types of psychometric test?

All candidates will tell you that they perfectly meet the requirements of the job. But between saying it and proving it, there's a test! Thanks to psychotechnical 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 thoughts and make decisions.
• memory, attention and concentration tests: these are essential for jobs that require a high level of learning or the management of large amounts of information.
• Data processing speed test: useful for jobs that require fast, efficient decisions.

Checking specific skills

Psychotechnical tests will enable you to ensure that the candidate is suited to their future role thanks to the :

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

Determining adaptability

Psychotechnical tests do, however, aim to examine some of the candidate's personality traits in order to identify their behavioural responses to certain situations. These questions make it possible to :

• Assess cognitive flexibility: how will the candidate adapt to new parameters or changes in strategy?
• Identify the candidate's ability to solve complex problems: some tools offer questions involving a work situation and look at the reactions and solutions the candidate will adopt.
• Measuring stress management: particularly in the form of various timed exercises or multiple tasks.

The 5 most commonly used psychometric tests in recruitment

There are many psychometric tests to help recruiters choose the rare pearl for the job on offer. But every recruiter has their own favourite! Here are the 5 psychometric tools they use the most.

1. The Raven test

In the Raven test, people are presented with a series of progressive forms for which they have to identify the logical sequence. With this test, the future employer can assess

• reasoning
• the identification of recurring patterns
• and abstract problem solving.

Example:

💡 The Raven test is used to measure 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 jobs that require rapid assimilation of information.

3. The D48 test

For this test, the candidate has to complete lines of dominoes logically. 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 and numerical and verbal reasoning.

💡 It is 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 included in recruitment in the law, finance and management sectors. Sectors where decisions must be taken rationally without emotional influence.

3 best practices for integrating psychometric testing into your recruitment processes

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

Choose the right test for the job

Each type of test has a specific purpose. An assessment of spatial reasoning is not at all suitable for an accountant, for example. It is therefore necessary to identify the specific expectations 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 have made a great addition to the team.

Preparing and informing 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 so that they can prepare themselves.

Don't base the whole verdict on the results

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

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The psychometric recruitment test in a nutshell

A formidable tool for objectifying and sorting applications, the psychometric test provides an assessment of cognitive abilities that are not always apparent at interview. Used properly, it helps to ensure that recruitment is secure and to better anticipate a candidate's suitability for a position.

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