Psychometric Assessments
Leveraging psychometric assessments can help you avoid costly hiring errors across a diverse range of organisations by utilising objective, standardised insights. Mapien’s experienced psychologists guide clients through the selection process, delivering clear advice and impactful reports using their expertise to achieve optimal hiring outcomes.
Understanding Psychometric Testing: What It Measures and Why It Matters
Selection of the best fit candidate for your role is critical.
Psychometric assessments can be used in all types of organisations to help avoid the cost of a bad hire, from the small to medium or emerging business to the largest of private organisations and government departments. Without objective insights from standardised and valid psychometric tests and assessments, we open the door up to hasty and subjective decisions, unconscious bias, and ultimately – the very costly bad hire.
Dr Ian Haslam on Psychometric Testing and Assessments
What does the Mapien Radar test?
The Mapien Radar psychometric tests pair the most sought and impactful assessments, such as general mental ability and behavioural and/or personality preferences and others, to uniquely predict a candidate’s likely job fit, and overall ability and potential. We provide these insights via our Radar Core, and Radar Bespoke offerings, with each offering differing degrees of efficiency, or detailed bespoke analysis, depending on what you need most.
Personality preferences, when measured with a valid and scientifically backed tool, can reliably predict how a person is likely to think, feel, and behave at work, providing powerful insight into likely job fit.
General mental ability, or cognitive ability, has been shown through over 100 years of research to be one of the strongest overall predictors of ability and workplace performance. The strength of this measure lays in how widely applicable it is, predicting performance across the vast majority of role types, role levels, and industries.
Both assessments can be brought together in our Radar Core line to provide a Job Fit score against the behavioural and ability needs of jobs across close to 1,000 job families*, and allow for the assessment of job fit for almost any role you can imagine. *job families derived from the Occupational Information Network, or O*NET.
In our Radar Bespoke line, we pair the above assessment staples with options for including a measure of emotional intelligence, and for situational safety awareness. Combined with measures of cognitive ability and personality, and paired with bespoke interpretation of the outcomes in a holistic way against specific job descriptions, this offers the most targeted and in-depth understanding of your candidates. The confidence in decision making that this affords even the busiest and most rushed hiring manager or business owner, when you simply cannot afford to risk a bad hire, is priceless.
Psychometric Assessment Services
A poor hiring decision can significantly affect your team’s productivity and morale, potentially costing more than twice the annual salary of the mis-hire in recruitment, training, and lost productivity. Mapien’s Psychometric Assessment Services cut through the complexity of hiring. Our psychologists act as precise guides, interpreting data to help you secure the right candidate efficiently.
With clear, actionable advice and concise psychological insights, we ensure that you’re equipped to make informed decisions without the jargon. Trust Mapien to help you minimise the risks associated with recruitment, making the process straightforward and effective.
Small to medium enterprises (SMEs)
As a small to medium sized business operator, we know you need to trust that the members of your small team are highly capable and share your values.
Recruiters
As an external recruiter you deal with high demands, and high volumes of candidates. You want to be able to provide as much accurate information on a candidate as possible to ensure you maintain the trust of your clients, both before and after placement.
Large enterprises and government
As a Human Resources team member, you work under a great deal of pressure. You want to be able to effectively and accurately assess candidates as efficiently as possible in order to make quick high-quality decisions.
Test takers
Completing psychometric assessments as a part of your application can be daunting, especially if you have not taken any for a while (or ever!). Check out our helpful hints and tips to help candidates take tests with confidence.
How psychometric assessments and testing work
Psychometric assessments measure cognitive abilities, personality traits, behavioural styles, and a number of other psychological constructs through scientifically designed tests. These assessments are based on psychological theory and use standardised tasks or questions. Respondents’ answers are then compared against norm groups to ensure the results are objective and reliable. This process helps identify individuals’ strengths, weaknesses, and suitability for specific roles or development paths.
Mapien Radar Approaches
Mapien Radar Core
The Mapien Radar Core is our most responsive psychometric assessment, allowing you the freedom to customise your assessment approach in a cost effective way, while gaining a deeper understanding of your candidate’s strengths and areas for consideration.
Mapien Radar Bespoke
Mapien Radar’s Bespoke assessment and report options help make hiring the right people easy. Radar Bespoke provides valuable insights to ensure you find the right candidate for your role
TEAM Traits
Mapien Radar’s TEAM Traits explores team-oriented behaviour via an evidence-based personality assessment, to understand your recipe for high performing teams! TEAM Traits is designed to support us in our decision making from selection, through to development.
Types of Psychometric Testing
- Cognitive Ability Tests: Measure logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and the ability to process information.
- Personality Assessments: Evaluate behavioural styles, preferences, and personality traits.
- Emotional Intelligence Tests: Assess an individual’s ability to understand and manage emotions in themselves and others.
- Skills Assessments: Focus on specific competencies or technical abilities relevant to the job.
- Interest Inventories: Identify career fields and roles that align with an individual’s interests and motivations.
These tests provide insights into how an individual may perform in a role, interact with a team, and fit within an organisation’s culture
How to prepare for psychometric testing
Preparing for psychometric testing is an important step in ensuring you present your skills and personality accurately. These tests are designed to assess your cognitive abilities, personality traits, and suitability for a role.
While you can’t “study” for these assessments in the traditional sense, familiarising yourself with the format, practising similar questions, and ensuring you’re in the right mindset can significantly impact your performance.
For tips on preparation and what to expect during psychometric testing, please refer to our test taking guides.
Build Your Team's Potential with Mapien Radar
Discover the power of precision with the Mapien Radar – Core. Our results wheel offers a clear overview of an individual’s unique approach, capabilities, and likely behaviour in the workplace, while our Job Fit scores provide a concise evaluation of their suitability for the role you’re aiming to fill.
Ready to optimise your team’s performance and find the perfect match for your organisation? Contact us now to learn how our insights can transform your recruitment strategy.
Key Team Members
Explore More Insights: Related Reads on Psychometric Assessments
FAQs
What are Psychometric Assessments?
Psychometric assessments are standardised methods scientifically designed to measure individuals’ abilities and behavioural preferences. They leverage peer-reviewed research to ensure validity and reliability.
How are Psychometric Assessments Used in the Workplace?
They’re primarily used in two areas: recruitment and selection for gauging aptitude and fit, and personal development for identifying strengths and growth opportunities. However there are growing numbers of psychometrically developed and robust assessments for other purposes, for example Mapien’s Psychosocial Assessment Tool (MPAT).
Why is Relevance and Integration Important in Psychometric Testing?
Tests must be relevant, measuring criteria critical to the role, and should not be used in isolation. They’re most effective when integrated with other assessment methods for a holistic view of a candidate or employee.