An expert in psychometric testing for employment and career development, explains the purpose of personality profiling and gives tips to help you give it your best.
 
 
This is the time of year when many new candidates enter the job market. Courses have been completed, results obtained, summer holidays are over, and the future beckons. For many graduates and young people, that means job applications, interviews, and pre-employment tests to navigate. Pre-employment tests such as personality profiling can make candidates fearful. However, if you know what to expect, you’ll fare far better when taking these tests. Here are some tips from the inside to help you do your best.

Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash

Be honest

 
We cannot emphasise this enough. There are no right or wrong answers to give when you’re taking a test like this; strictly speaking, they are personality questionnaires rather than tests. A recruiter may look for someone who is good at working alone – or conversely, someone who works best as part of a team. Honesty is always important when taking these profiling tests, as it shows the recruiter who you are and how your personality might fit into the business.
 
Think of it like this – honesty may not get you to the interview, but chances are you wouldn’t be suited to that role or business anyway if you aren’t a natural fit for the job.
 

Take your time

 
If the test is time limited, you’ll know ahead of getting started. Don’t rush, as it could influence the answers you give in a negative sense. Carefully read everything and remember to stick with honest answers. The first answer or reaction to come into your mind is likely the right one for you.
 

Research practice tests

 
The internet is your friend. It’s easy to find some good examples of personality profiling tests online before you take one for real. You can usually take a practice test too, which gives you far more insight into what they are like and what to expect.
 
Most candidates go into these tests with no idea what is in store. A little research and practice should put you way ahead of the competition. You can easily read some typical questions for various types of personality tests. Regardless of the type taken, each question should have two or more possible answers to choose from. Choose the one that is most accurate in your case. Some will be easier than others, but if you are unsure, choose the answer closest to the one you’d give if you could respond in your own way.
 

Stay calm

 
Any sort of test can make anyone nervous. It doesn’t matter how many exams or tests you’ve already taken – nerves are still likely to play a part. The good thing about personality profiling tests is that you’re not required to be knowledgeable or skilled to take them. You can do your research beforehand to familiarise yourself with what to expect, but that’s about it.
 
Take it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself. If you don’t get through this stage, it’s because you weren’t right for that position or company. It doesn’t mean you won’t be the ideal candidate for the next job you apply for that asks you to take similar tests.
 

 
You can see that preparation does help with this type of testing, even though your answers are unique to you. Knowing what lies ahead will give you the confidence that could make all the difference.
 
Good luck with your job search and try not to be afraid of employment tests, they don’t bite! Think of them as a tool to learn more about yourself which you can use to your advantage throughout your career.

 

About the Author

Denise Allen has been working in the marketing industry for over 15 years after graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University with a BA (Hons) in Marketing Management.  She currently works as Head of Marketing at Skillsarena who provide online employment tests for recruitment and development purposes.
 

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