Psychometric testing and assessment centres

Psychometric testing

Psychometric tests help recruiters identify a candidate's skills, knowledge and personality. They are often used during the preliminary screening stage. You will be sent a link and be invited to participate within a certain timeframe.

Typical tests for Business School students include verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, abstract reasoning, situational judgement and personality. You may have to do separate tests for different types or you might have one test that covers a number of different types of tests. A growing trend is game-based assessment.

Recruiters from some of New Zealand's leading companies share what to expect from psychometric testing in the video below. At the bottom of this page you will find useful resources, including a link to practice tests.

Assessment centres

An assessment centre brings a number of candidates together so an employer can see how they perform, not only individually, but with other people. Assessment centres may include group activities, case studies, presentations, interviews, an office tour, individual exercises and social events. You are usually given information about what to expect before you attend.

Recruiters from some of New Zealand's leading companies share what to expect from assessment centres in the video below. At the bottom of this page you will find links to useful assessment centre and case interview resources.

In our recent Business School student recruitment experience survey, students had the following advice for you:

• Start preparing for psychometric tests even before you apply.
• Practice psychometric tests from online websites before taking the one for the graduate role.
• Manage your time wisely. This is especially important when you apply for more than one and there are deadlines for sitting the online test. If not planned well, this can interfere with other commitments and be a stressful ordeal.
• Research the company before you apply and practise with online numerical/verbal/psychometric tests before you sit the real thing.
• Make sure you research the company's background and be well prepared on the assessment day.
• Relax during interviews and assessment days.
• Be yourself, be confident, be ambitious.
• I think it is important to not feel discouraged if you get rejected from a position and to keep looking. Work hard with your grades and try to do as many extra-curricular activities as possible to gain a competitive edge.

Register and attend our two workshops on psychometric tests and assessment centres. You can view workshops and registration details on our Book a workshop page.

Psychometric tests:

• MyCDES+: Practice psychometric tests
  
• Prospects (the UK's official graduate careers website): What to expect, how to prepare

• MyCDES+: Assessment Centre Tool
  
• Prospects: What happens, how to prepare

• McKinsey & Company: Get ready for your interview
• Bain: Interview preparation