Why psychometric testing is proving more valuable than ever

Historically used for senior level appointments, psychometric testing is increasingly becoming amore common and important tool for recruiters. HRM Resolutions founder and CEO Bernadette Eichner explains how it offers a way of breaking through any conscious or unconscious bias, which might be having an impact on job candidates.

Whether it’s the halo effect or anchoring bias, in-group bias or stereotyping, there is no doubt recruiters can be as subject to the flaws of being human as the rest of society, which is why psychometric testing has historically proven to be so important for senior level appointments.

But the development of more fit-for-purpose and cost-effective tools gives us the opportunity to re-think the way we utilise psychometric testing, employing it for much more than C-suite candidates, and developing it as an important tool in our kit to build strong and enduring partnerships with clients for a much wider range of roles.

So says Bernadette Eichner, Founder and CEO of HRM Resolutions, a RCSA Partner and licensee for the JobFit Assessment - a range of psychometric testing – for the Australia Pacific region, making it directly available to recruiters for the first time.

“We believe psychometric testing offers an important way of breaking through any conscious or unconscious bias which may be having an impact on who is being interviewed and shortlisted for roles by recruiters,” Bernadette explained.

“Whether the psychometric testing is being outsourced to a psychologist, undertaken by an accredited HR Manager or done by recruiters, there is much more scope for it now than ever before and is valuable in breaking through stereotyping and bias.

“A really experienced recruiter generally gets it pretty right, but unconscious bias will continue to be a problem because those doing the recruiting are human and as such, they make mistakes as we all do.”

Bernadette said tools such as psychometric testing were more in demand now with an influx of candidates joining the market in recent months because of COVID-19, many of whom share similar experience and qualifications for a role.

“Psychometric testing helps to check if someone is the right fit for a company psychologically and this is often the difference between a good candidate who can do the job and a great candidate who will thrive in a business,” she added.

“We have also found that by including psychometric testing in the early stages of recruiting for a role, provides us with evidence based tools, empirical evidence to support our recommendations. That means we are of greater value to clients, moving away from being merely a service provider flinging resumes and hoping they fit, to becoming a trusted adviser.

“It’s a cognitive leap to being a trusted advisor in recruitment because we first need to redefine what it means to be regarded as a professional.

“Intelligence, credible experience, a strong sense of self efficacy, good self esteem and understanding that our gut feeling isn’t the seminal measurement of a candidate’s suitability is the beginning of that transition. Including objective, empirically-based assessments to support our recommendations takes our professionalism to a new level.”

Bernadette said the use of tools such as psychometric testing were invaluable in helping to build trusted partnerships with clients, who were less tolerant of choices which do not fit their company ethos and function.

“Having additional testing tools paves the way for the establishment of long-term partnerships with clients who are more likely to return to a recruiter who is able to improve hiring outcomes,” she said.

“A client will not leave a recruiter who consistently gets it right and better still, is more likely to refer a recruiter to other businesses and that is where you hit gold.”