The statistics are in and the numbers don’t lie. Psychometric assessments really are the best indicator of how a candidate will perform on the job. Cognitive ability and conscientiousness are the strongest predictors of future job performance. Also, amongst the various different elements measured, problem-solving ability is most strongly linked to success on the job.

Psychometric testing allows recruiters to make smarter and faster hiring decisions and select the best person for the job. It helps to also make the recruitment process more tailored to the individual. For example, personality tests are often used to inform a behavioural interview. This approach ensures that both candidate and company make the right choice – ultimately leading to a more successful match and long-lasting working relationship.

In this article we walk through some of the most common assumptions hiring managers make when it comes to psychometric assessments. These often act as barriers when it comes to including these screening tools in the recruitment process and ultimately cost the business more time and money.

There are several barriers to using psychometric assessments in recruitment. Some of them are:

The Assumption: High Cost

Psychometric assessments can be expensive, especially if an organisation needs to assess a large number of candidates. This cost can be a significant barrier for smaller organizations or those with limited budgets.

The Reality

The cost to add psychometric assessments to your recruitment process can be minimal and in comparison to the results the cost really isn’t a factor. Consider that the average cost to replace an employee is between 15 per cent and 21 per cent. Does that sound expensive?

According to a BambooHR survey, 68 per cent of new hires leave within the first three months, and 90% of employees remain open to new opportunities even if they are not actively looking for a new job.

Psychometric assessments allow you to recruit quality candidates that WANT to work for your organisation and allow you to find the best candidate for the role, making them less likely to resign or fail within the first few months.

The Assumption: Validity and Reliability

There are many non-believers out there and for good reason. There is a plethora of assessments that do not possess the validity credentials required to find a quality candidate. These are often the shiniest new assessment platforms that promise the best candidate experience (CX) but do not have the scientific backing to actually determine who the right candidates are.

The Reality 

Testgrid is an agnostic supplier of psychometric assessments, which means we provide assessments from proven publishers and our assessments are data backed and based on science.

The Assumption: Bias

A key assumption is that psychometric assessments can introduce bias into the recruitment process. For example, if the assessment is not culturally sensitive, it may disadvantage candidates from certain backgrounds.

The Reality

Our assessments remove bias from the recruitment process by allowing organisations to measure candidates’ ability and workstyles based on such factors as the suitability to the role or alignment company values and culture.

Our assessment range include indigenous norm groups and we even have assessments for neurodiverse candidates. This ensures assessments are fair and accurate no matter the candidate’s background.

The Assumption: Technical Knowledge

Many recruiters view psychometric assessments as complex, and some recruiters feel they may not have the technical knowledge or training needed to administer them correctly.

The Reality

Our assessments are easy to use and the reports generated guide you through the candidate results and teach you how to interpret them. In addition, our Expert Services team will walk you through the report results and we can provide debriefs for individual candidates, where relevant. We also provide workshops to upskill recruitment teams on using our assessments.

The Assumption: Time Constraints

There is a myth that psychometric assessments can be time-consuming for candidates and recruiters alike, which can be a barrier to their use in recruitment.

The Reality

This is untrue, we have a range of assessments for various roles and some of our assessments can be completed in under 2 minutes.

Overall, while psychometric assessments can be useful tools in recruitment, it’s important to weigh their potential benefits against the barriers to their use and ensure that they are used in a fair and ethical manner.

If you would like to learn more about how you can improve your recruitment process from get in touch or call 03 9040 1700 to learn more.