As chartered psychologists we have specialist skills in psychometric testing and use our insight and judgment to form a balanced view of each individual. Since we are independent of any test publishing house, we are free to use whichever tests we and our clients feel are most appropriate under any particular circumstance.

Before you test
We can help you decide the most appropriate tests for your needs. Using the wrong test might prevent you selecting the best candidate and could also end in legal complications. For the same reason we do not use computer generated reports which we believe can give misleading and unfair personality profiles. We only use reputable tests approved by the British Psychological Society (the governing body for psychology in the UK) which are ethical and fully documented.

What types of test are available?
There are generally two different types of test. The first group are objective tests of mental ability where there are right and wrong answers. The second group are strictly speaking not tests at all since there are no right or wrong answers - just opinions or attitudes expressed in an inventory or questionnaire. These 'tests' assess such things as personality, interests and motivation.

1. Tests of intelligence and specific abilities  
These tests give an objective indication of candidates' ability to meet the intellectual demands imposed by a future appointment. Examples of just a few of the tests in this category are: General Intelligence; Advanced Managerial Skills; Numerical and Verbal Reasoning; Information Technology; Selling Skills and Technical Skills. These tests are relatively cheap to administer and are very effective for screening candidates in recruitment or in assessing the ability levels of existing employees.

2. Personality and Interest Inventories   
These instruments are more difficult to interpret but in the right hands can give useful insights into how well a person will fit into a team, what motivates them, their management style and their preferred team role. There are many available instruments in this category and their uses extend to selection, assessment centres, career development, outplacement and executive coaching.

Using tests with in-depth interviewing
Tests by themselves can provide useful information about an individual. However, by supplementing test data with an in-depth interview we can gain the fullest possible insight and understanding of candidates' abilities, potential, personality and motivation. This work is entrusted to our most experienced practitioners who are not only chartered psychologists but also have extensive business experience in their own right. They are able to understand clients business needs and interpret test and interview data from a business perspective.

Executive Profiling using In Depth Psychometric Assessments

The tests we use and the approach we take are individually tailored to our clients needs. Since we are chartered psychologists with considerable senior management experience we use our insight and judgment to form a balanced view of each individual We do not use a 'production line' methods or use computerised test answers.

Being independent of any test publishing house we are free to use whichever tests we and our clients believe are most appropriate under any particular circumstance.

There are two general uses for in-depth psychometric assessments:

1. Assessing a job applicant prior to making an offer of employment.

First, we clarify our client's requirements in terms of a job specification and key competencies. Then we design an appropriate assessment programme, test and interview the candidate and prepare a comprehensive report containing:

A recommendation as to how well the applicant fits the desired profile.

Any training and development requirements.

The candidate's potential for promotion.

How best to motivate the candidate.

 

2. Evaluating an existing employee prior to making a decision concerning their future.

Here, our approach will depend on the strategy agreed beforehand with the client. An in depth psychometric assessment has many uses in this context including:

Assessing an employee's potential for promotion.

Determining why work performance has fallen below the required standard.

Helping an employee cope with stress.

Finding a solution to a work problem such as difficulty in managing other people.

Helping an employee find more appropriate employment.

Finally, clients are sent a comprehensive written report which we follow up with them in order to clarify any issues that might arise.