IQ and Aptitude tests are being used more and more in roles that require an ability to make quick decisions in pressurised situations, such as roles within the medical profession.

A psychometric test is predominantly used to measure a person’s ability or potential for achieving in a specific role. An employer will normally create an assessment that mirrors the type of tasks a prospective candidate would be required to perform if he or she were to carry out the role in a real life situation. For example, jobs that require an ability to work with money or numbers would normally be required to sit some form of numerical reasoning test, whereas those people who need to calculate distances (firefighters) may be required to undertake a spatial awareness test.

If you do not perform well during the test then it is a good indicator that you are unlikely to perform well in your chosen role. This is the exact reason why so many employers put so much emphasis on psychometric testing. Naturally you will want to score highly on the test so read on to find out how to pass with high scores.

In total there are nine different types of reasoning tests that you will come across. You may not have to sit all nine during your assessment; however, it is good practice to have an understanding of each of them. The first and most common form is ‘general learning’, which is an example of how well we learn a new role at work.