Use of Psychometric tests for desired results -

Most of us pretty well know that psychometric tests are part of modern recruitment best practice and also can be used for retention of talent in an organization. This helps us in understanding the personality/ behavioral traits of an individual. These days 75% of the employers have made this psychometric test mandatory as part of the selection process in order to follow the standard recruitment practice and also to improve the employer brand.

Now the question arises whether the psychometric tests alone are deciding factors for selection? Whether these tests have a right and wrong answer? Whether organizations are losing right talent due to lack of understanding of the benefits of the test. Saritha Dhulipudi, Sr. Consultant at HR Footprints says that psychometric tools can only be a guiding factor and not alone the deciding factor.

Recent Experience

In a recent key position hiring, it was observed that an organization has administered psychometric test as the first criteria for shortlisting and have administered a test for around 50 people and none of them have matched the exact expectation and the position is still vacant for last 1 year. This is usually an incorrect way of using the psychometric tool. The psychometric test results have to be interpreted carefully to get the desired results.

Also in one of the client organizations, psychometric test was conducted for around 60 managerial level employees to understand the behavioral style of the employees and provide them necessary feedback for further areas of improvement. Even after instructions, it was evident from most of the reports that majority of them are very conscious while administering the test assuming that the report will give them a score which will affect their job or role in the organization. The reason of this is the test was not administered in isolation and the mixed instruction also has an impact in this particular scenario.