Psychometric Use Increasing

Relying on academic qualifications is not enough, survey says.

Psychometric testing is a “very useful” aid in the recruitment process according to 92 per cent of recruiters who were surveyed by the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).

The Graduate Recruitment Survey 2007 also revealed that two-thirds of the over 2 hundred respondents surveyed said the results of psychometric tests had “some influence” on recruiting decisions, while almost a quarter saying that they had a “very strong influence”. Only 2 per cent said they had no influence at all.

The employers said that testing was being used because qualifications were not reliable in assessing true workplace skills, especially the skills they really needed such as communication and management.

The report says that “Organisations are looking to focus more on soft skills and to put more faith in the selection process”

Tests and other assessment methods offer much more objective and reliable information and help to differentiate between growing numbers of graduates, all of whom look very similar on paper.