The Difference Between Psychometric Tests And Skill Tests

In the dynamic work environment and ever-changing needs of the industry, it is imperative for organizations to improve and enhance recruitment strategies such as Pre-employment screening of candidates. The traditional means to screen applicants such as Group Discussions, Panel rounds with industry experts, and basic subjective tests have taken a backseat. Organizations are adopting better and cost-effective recruitment assessments to hire candidates. Some of them are Psychometric, Aptitude, and Skill Tests.

These assessments help you in gauging the candidate’s essentials factors such as personality traits, emotional quotient, cognitive capability, communication skills, critical thinking, etc.

Psychometric tests can be better understood by Psychometric theory. The theory revolves around personality and behavior. Personality is what we are while the behavior is what we do. Apart from that, these assessments measure potential candidate’s intelligence, intended behavior, skills, and competencies to perform the job effectively.

It can be equated as:

Now the factors that impact human behavior are explained below:

This is a part of the human personality that basically comprises positive personality traits that are noticed quickly and can enhance job performance. The bright side of the human personality is based on Big 5 personality traits:

• Open to considering new changes and tend to be intellectually curious.
• They are positive and tend to behave in a thoughtful and organized way.
• They are enthusiastic and outgoing and inclined to seek the company of others.
• These people prioritize and constructively address other needs.
• They stay grounded and do not panic.

This is a part of the human personality that exhibits stable traits of a person when triggered and leads to the display of undesirable, destructive, and counterproductive behavior. 

Some of the dark personality traits are listed below:

• These people tend to be dishonest and manipulative.
• The dark side people tend to possess an inflated sense of selfishness, have fragile self-esteem that makes the person vulnerable to criticism.
• They are insensitive and are unable to understand other’s pain, suffering, and perspective.
• They tend to become annoyed at the slightest provocation, feeling, and engage in anger-related emotions.

This is a psychometric test that assesses the person’s intelligence skills and assesses the person’s ability to understand, comprehend, and take decisions pertaining to any activity.

These abilities are divided into two categories:

• Fluid Intelligence: The capability to distinguish things and retain new information to handle issues in different circumstances.
• Crystallized Intelligence: The ability to use data obtained over time and utilizing the acquired expertise to perform tasks.

These factors are additional factors other than dark and bright sides that act as catalysts and affect the intended human behavior. This factor is further segregated into 3 components:

• Upbringing: How the person is raised by his parents also impacts the person’s behavior and actions in performing tasks. It can be both positive and negative.
• Motivation: This is a human personality trait that persuades the person to behave in the hardest situations if he/she is motivated enough.
• Values: It refers to the moral and ethical values passed on to the person by their loved ones. The significance of values determines the candidate’s behavior to perform in any given circumstance.

Skill assessments help recruiters in understanding the candidate’s education, knowledge, and experience gained over a period. It enables hiring experts in examining the candidate’s job-related proficiencies.

Some of the common types of Skill-tests are listed below:

It offers a number of Psychometric tools to assess a candidate’s potential and fitment for the required job role. You can use these tools to retain the best talent in the organization.

A personality tool that is innovative and has been designed to evaluate the person’s strengths and growth opportunities. It helps in gauging critical work-relevant personality traits.

What Are Its Applications?

• Recruitment: The psychometric evaluation tool helps in hiring blue-collar workers such as cashiers or cab drivers.
• Training and Development: This type of assessment is used when employees want to learn new and creative things in their respective domains.
• HiPo Identification: MPI also specializes in assessing leaders and managers. The purpose of this application is to identify high potential leaders for future business growth.
• Succession Planning: This evaluation specializes in employee retention assessment where efforts are being put by the organizations to track and retain high potential employees.

This is an evidence-based and innovative assessment that measures the relevant personality traits, required for critical work. Besides that, it helps in predicting behavioral competencies that lead to organizational outcomes.

What Are Its Applications?

• Recruitment: The psychometric evaluation tool helps in hiring white-collar employees such as aviation pilots or insurance sales executives.
• Training and Development: This type of assessment is used to understand the current aptitude level of employees and to effectively train and develop them.
• HiPo Identification: MPI also specializes in assessing leaders and managers. The purpose of this application is to identify high potential leaders for future business growth.
• Succession Planning: This evaluation specializes in employee retention assessment where efforts are being put by the organizations to track and retain the potential employees.

This is a psychometric tool that assesses negative personality traits in potential and existing employees. Workplaces should start using this tool as there has been a growing hike in work pressure and subsiding patience among employees. 

What Are Its Applications?

• Screening while Hiring: This evaluation basically filters out the unwanted candidates and hire cashier, cab drivers and blue-collar workers
• Safeguard your customers: This tool also conducts school safety assessments to assure a safe place for employees and customers
• Safeguard your culture: To ensure no danger to the work culture, this tool conducts workplace culture assessments

It’s a comprehensive motivational test that gives an insight into what drives a person to perform at work efficiently. 

What Are Its Applications?

• Retention: This test is conducted to see if employees are motivated enough at work and are fully committed to the organization.
• Engagement: Organizations can conduct engagement tests to uncover the factors that drive a healthy engagement at the workplace.
• Exit Interview: This type of evaluation is done to find out the elements that are required at the workplace to motivate employees

For more details on Psychometric and Skill assessments, you can refer to the link.

Hiring the best and skilled talent has become the top priority for organizations. They are leaving no stone unturned to improvise their Pre-employment recruitment strategies. With the explosion of job opportunities in the market, candidates have better alternatives to switch their job instantly. Hence, talent acquisition firms are making all possible efforts to recruit the deserving candidate by conducting behavioral assessments such as Psychometric and Skill tests. Both these tests enable recruiters to identify the candidate’s mental abilities and the required skills to undertake the job responsibilities successfully.

There is a vast evolution in the Recruitment and Selection methods. Companies are going the extra mile to train the existing resources and preparing them to handle leadership roles. They are investing substantial resources into Leadership development and Succession planning for overall organizational growth. So, Pre-employment tests are a great way to add a just and fair approach to your recruiting process.

You may also want to read: An Ultimate Guide to Psychometric Tests