Employers are increasingly using psychometric and personality testing to assess candidate suitability. Although offers of employment are seldom made solely on the basis of such tests, they are becoming an integral part of the recruitment process. Psychometric and personality tests can also be used by candidates to provide an indication of the type of position may suit their personality traits and values. 

As well as indicating suitability to a particular role, psychometric testing can indicate a number of key issues such as, candidate's attitude to risk, whether they are introvert or extrovert, whether they work better independently or as part of a team, analytical ability and the type of work environment they prefer.

In many cases, Food Careers provide their clients with a psychometric report for all shortlisted candidates, along with CV and interview report. Understanding a candidates personality traits prior to the interview is a great advantage to the interviewer, as it can highlight areas for the interviewer to focus their questioning. Food Careers ensure all candidate's receive feedback on their psychometric test results and the interpretation of these results.   

When taking a psychometric test it is important that candidates keep calm and answer the questions honestly, this ensures the results are valid. There are no right or wrong answers and there is no good or bad psychometric profile, although certain candidates will be better suited to a particular role or company culture.

There is no definitive way to prepare for a psychometric test, the tests are designed to enable you to perform at your best and there are no trick questions. As with most tests it is important that the instructions are read carefully before you begin. Check the number of questions against the amount of time required to answer the questions. When taking the test, think carefully before answering but do not analyse each question or compare it to the previous or next question. Remember you will generally be working to an agreed timescale to complete the test.  

With modern well-constructed tests it is difficult to manipulate the answers to suit the type of job you are applying for, or attempt to give the answers you think the employer is looking for. Most tests look at impression management, which is the pattern of answers and how the candidate personality profile interacts. This allows the trained eye to see if the test has been manipulated. Many other types of test distortion can also be identified using statistical techniques.

Most compilers of psychometric tests feel that the test results provide excellent supporting information and believe that well-constructed tests can sometimes be more objective than interviews, which are also open to manipulation, or may have limitations due to conscious or subconscious prejudice of the interviewer. Food Careers believe that for candidate selection, a combination of a competency based interview with a well-constructed psychometric test will provide more rounded information than an interview used in isolation.