Psychometric tests
Learn about the range of psychometric tests recruiters use and how to prepare for them.
Psychometric tests are assessments which employers use mainly to measure either a particular skill, aptitude or ability (often more than one) or your personality (how well you fit with their organisation and the type of candidate they are looking for).
Psychometric tests are typically used by large graduate employers early on in the recruitment process, so you are unlikely to encounter them if you are applying to work for a charity or small to medium enterprise (SME). The Institute of Student Employers reported in 2023 that most large recruiters (67%) use psychometric tests and most of these (54%) will use them as the first stage of assessment. This helps to screen large numbers of candidates for the next stage of the recruitment process.
Types of psychometric tests
There are different types of psychometric tests, with the most popular amongst graduate employers being numerical reasoning, situational judgment tests and logical reasoning (ISE, 2023).
Find out about the most popular types of psychometric test below:
Numerical reasoning tests candidates' mathematics skills, their ability to analyse and interpret data from graphs and charts, as well a detect patterns in numerical sequences. You could also be asked to perform mental arithmetic (for example, using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). Read Prospects' guide to numerical reasoning tests.
Test your numerical reasoning skills via our Graduates First platform (free access as a Cardiff University student).
Verbal reasoning evaluates candidates' comprehension ability i.e. how well they can understand written text and draw logical conclusions from it. Typically you will be presented with a passage of text (or sometimes several) and asked to rate statements about the text as either true, false or that you cannot say from the text.
Test your verbal reasoning skills via our Graduates First platform (free access as a Cardiff University student).
Situational judgment assesses candidates' behaviour in workplace scenarios. You will be presented with a work situation and asked how you would best respond - this typically involves ranking a range of responses in order of appropriateness. Although not a psychometric test, this Crisis Point: A Day in A+E challenge tests your judgment under pressure!
Remember it is important to answer these questions honestly. It is a good idea to research the employer and their values beforehand to understand how they might expect employers to behave in particular situations. However answering in a way that you think the employer expects, and not how you would choose to respond in that situation, could hide a fundamental clash in values or behaviour that might mean this particular organisation is not the right fit for you.
To further test your situational judgement, logical, abstract and spatial skills visit our Graduates First platform (free access as a Cardiff University student).
These types of psychometric tests, as the name suggests, feel like you are playing an online game. There will be a specific task or mission for you to work through, rather than questions asked to you one after the other. You don't need to be a gamer but you should still take the test seriously and follow our advice on preparation below. Read TargetJobs' guide to game-based assessments.
Try practising some game-based assessments via Graduates First (free access as a Cardiff University student)
Personality tests check that you are a good fit for the role and organisation. You will typically be asked to agree or disagree (usually on a scale) with a series of statements to better understand what your work preferences are and what work environment and tasks might best suit your personality. You could be presented with statements like 'I prefer to work on my own rather than with others' or 'I like working on one project before I start the next one'. There are no right or wrong answers - trust your instinct and answer questions honestly.
To get familiar with Personality tests, try out the Work Personality Questionnaire via Graduates First (free access as a Cardiff University student) and or the 16 Personality Types questionnaire.
Discipline-specific psychometric tests
Specific psychometric tests can also be required for certain courses or in certain professions, for example the UCAT or GAMSAT for medicine and dental courses (including graduate entry) or the Watson Glaser critical thinking test, commonly used in law.
How to prepare for psychometric tests
Some psychometric tests are easier to prepare for than others. For example, it is very hard to prepare for a personality test – there isn’t necessarily a right or wrong answer; rather employers are looking for the best fit for the role and their organisation. However you can improve your numerical reasoning skills – you can brush up on your GCSE-level Maths skills (the exams that 16 year olds take in the UK and the level often used in psychometric tests) on the BBC Bitesize website.
Prepare for psychometric tests by:
- Practising – become as familiar as you can with the psychometric tests you need to take, using the sites listed below. Remember psychometric tests are almost always timed, so practise taking timed tests under pressure of the same type you have been asked to complete
- Understanding the requirements of each specific test – read the employer instructions carefully and, especially for reasoning tests, answer questions based only on the information you have been given, not on any previous knowledge of the topic
- Reflecting on your personality, skills and strengths and answering honestly – getting into the habit of reflecting on your traits, skill and strengths will help with personality tests – see our advice on developing your self-awareness
- Getting the environment right – take psychometric tests in the appropriate conditions – quiet with no distractions and a stable internet connection
If you have a disability, it is a good idea to think about what adjustments you may need in order to do well in a psychometric test. Asking the employer for adjustments at this stage could make the difference between continuing in the recruitment process or not. Remember you can speak confidentially to a Careers Adviser about how to ask for adjustments at a careers appointment, which you can book via your Student Futures Account. You can also access our more detailed employability advice for students with a disability.
Practise site for Cardiff University students
Other practise sites
- Assessment Day – you don’t need to pay for any of the tests, just select the free version of the specific test you want to try
- Practice Aptitude Tests – range of free psychometric tests
- Psychometric Tests – a resource created by UK universities and research students with free tests
- Saville Assessment – free psychometric tests