Look, chances are, if you have applied for jobs, you have taken psychometric tests. But do you know how they work? And what does a psychometric assessment reveal about you to the employer or recruiter? Why are they part of the recruitment and selection process in the first place? And should you prepare for them?
How do you prepare for a psychometric assessment? Did you know that by taking certain psychometric assessments, you can learn a lot about yourself, which can immensely help in your job search? You didn’t know that? Well, let’s find out more!
To answer all of these important questions about psychometric tests and assessments, I invited Paula Berto. She is the Chief Science Officer and Operations Director of TalentPredix, a new and innovative psychometric assessment tool designed to give professionals a thorough understanding of their talents, career drivers, and personal values so they can thrive in their careers.
Paula is also a psychometric expert, which means she studied psychology and specialized in psychometric assessments. She then got accredited in many, many credible assessment tools. More recently, she used all of this knowledge to develop, along with her business partner James Brook, a new tool called TalentPredix, which surpasses anything I’ve ever seen in the personality assessment space. And that’s how Paula’s path and my path crossed.
I must admit that, as a job candidate, I used to hate psychometric testing. When I had to do them as part of my performance management or professional development, I never really got anything useful or relevant out of them. So, I didn’t get it. In fact, when I started coaching, I never used assessments, as many other coaches do. Some coaches start off with assessments with their clients, but I never did because I didn’t like them—until I found TalentPredix. I love what it does for my clients, and that’s why I’ve been invited by TalentPredix to be one of their global partners. In a few weeks, you will also hear from James Brook, the CEO and founder of TalentPredix, when I interview him for future podcast episodes that we have already recorded.
James explained to me that the way we work is changing faster than ever. I don’t need to tell you that. However, most workplace assessment tools haven’t really kept up with the pace. It is TalentPredix’s ability to uncover a candidate’s uniqueness that sets it apart and aligns with modern thinking around amplifying individuality and diversity in the workplace.
The way I’ve enjoyed using TalentPredix to help my clients is by helping them understand and optimize their unique talents, career motivations, and values. The combination of these three things becomes my clients’ “Best Self DNA.” The results from TalentPredix give us the capacity to reflect on how we add value to a company, what we enjoy doing the most, and why we may not enjoy doing other things—it’s because those things aren’t part of that Best Self DNA. It has really helped my clients transform how they think about themselves, find the right language to describe their strengths, and feel confident about their true talents.
I’ve found that TalentPredix can be used in different ways. So, if you’re wondering, “I’m not sure how I add value,” or, “What am I good at?”…
I can’t position myself in the job market. I’m struggling to find the right words. I don’t know what my strengths are. TalentPredix can help you a lot with that. If you are in charge of managing people and overseeing the employee lifecycle—from recruitment and team building to career development or preparing people for future roles—then TalentPredix is also a great tool.
It can give you and your team individual reports, and for managers, it can provide a team report. Applied organization-wide, the results from TalentPredix allow businesses to combine unique talents and create cognitively diverse, high-performing teams, which I think is fantastic. Bringing out the best in people enables them to thrive, accelerate performance, and encourage collaboration.
This is why I love using this assessment with my clients. And to make it even more interesting, completing the TalentPredix assessment is now my most affordable service. Yes, you heard me right. This is the best return on investment you will find for career services available online, and you can even DIY it. The report is incredibly comprehensive—you’ll be impressed by what you get out of it, and it will give you a lot to work on. You can always choose to workshop the results with me afterward, but honestly, you can just start with the TalentPredix assessment and see where it takes you.
To learn more about the TalentPredix assessment, go to my website: www.renatabernarde.com/talentpredix.
All right, now let’s get back to today’s session, which we recorded live. If you want to watch the video, there will be a link in the show notes. We recorded this session a few weeks ago on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn, where it was streamed live. After sharing a bit about her career and professional background, Paula and I discussed what psychometric testing really means, how these tests work, what they reveal, and the different types of psychometric tests. There are personality tests, aptitude tests, and cognitive tests.
We talked about why someone might take these tests and why they can be useful for both individuals and managers. We also discussed the types of questions asked in these tests, the kinds of psychometric tools used in recruitment, and at what stage of the recruitment process they are applied. How are these tests evaluated? Can they be discriminatory? Are there any biases associated with them? Are they reliable and accurate? I had so many questions for Paula! It was a very informal, free-flowing conversation—if you’ve been listening to my podcast, you know how it goes—and I hope you enjoy it.
I’ll see you on the other side with a few key takeaways from my conversation with Paula that I think can help you in your job search and career planning. Ready to listen? Let’s go!
So, look, everyone—today we’re here to talk with Paula Berto about psychometric testing, which is a very important topic for job hunts and people going through recruitment and selection. Paula is the Chief Science Officer at TalentPredix, which, as you know, is my favorite assessment tool. She’s also the Operations Director there. She’s a business psychologist, and before developing the amazing TalentPredix assessment tool, she had been accredited in practically every other assessment out there.
Am I right? That’s what it feels like—yeah, about 10 or 15. I dunno, I’ve lost count. Oh my goodness!
That’s amazing, and I think it gives you such great insight, doesn’t it, on what to look for when you’re designing your own assessment with James Brook, who we interviewed for Episode 145. Why don’t you give everyone some background about your career? Where did you start, and why did you decide to become an expert in psychometric testing? Where did that come from?
You know, not dissimilar to most people, when I was in high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I just wasn’t sure. There were so many different areas I was interested in—biology, psychology, geography—I just didn’t have a clue. So, I started a general BSc at uni because it kind of encompassed a lot of what I was interested in, but again, I wasn’t really sure. I went to the careers office and did some aptitude assessments to help guide me in what I should be studying. They said I could do anything, really, because my IQ was good enough and I had a lot of different interests, so that didn’t help much.
But that was the first seed of “Oh, psychometrics—that’s interesting.” I probably walked out of that feedback session, after doing a full day of assessments, thinking, “Well, the person who gave me my feedback, their job was quite interesting.” So that seed was planted, and I thought, “Well, what encompasses both things I’m interested in?” Biology and psychology stood out the most.
In South Africa, we have majors and minors, quite similar to the US system. I don’t know what it’s like in Australia.
Depends on the faculty. The university system is the same.
Yeah, great. So, I majored in psychology—general psych—and then reached a point where, again, I didn’t really know what direction to take. I decided to take a gap year after my fourth year of studies, did some temp work, came to the UK, and got some life experience. Then, by chance, my sister-in-law’s sister had done psychometric assessment and specialized in it, and I remembered that aptitude test I did earlier and how interesting it was.
For my fourth-year research study, I used some psychometrics, and I found that quite interesting, too. So, I decided to do the psychometric specialization. In South Africa, it’s a six-month course plus an internship, where you pretty much work full-time in a psychometric environment, learning all about it. Then you have to write a board exam and be registered with the Health Practitioners Council of South Africa. I enjoyed that whole process, and I got placed with a fantastic company that taught me a lot about it.
From there, I got more into the consulting side of things, but it was all kind of by chance, following little bits of interest. Like most people, as I said, I didn’t know what I wanted to do either.
Was there a sliding door moment when you could have done something completely different?
Do you sometimes look back and think, “Oh my God, I could have done that instead”? What was it?
It’s not really a sliding door moment—I think I realized at the time that this wasn’t for me. After my gap year, I came back and was going to do a degree, and I had registered and been accepted. I was sitting there on registration day, listening to them talk about the course and everything. I turned to my friend, who had applied with me and eventually finished the course, and I said, “I can’t do this.” And I left. So, I just knew in that moment that it wasn’t what I wanted to do. It was all about following what I felt passionate about and where I had the energy.
That’s something I learned moving forward into using psychometrics—you have to do what you’re passionate about, what you love, because it’s your life, it’s day to day. It’s so important that what you’re doing is meaningful to you.
Yes, it’s funny when you say “passion.” When I was interviewing James for Episode 145—so everyone, please watch that one when it comes out—he also mentioned passion, because we were talking about grit. This is the thing about passion. For me personally, I followed my passion for my first two degrees, and I didn’t finish them. Even though I was passionate about those topics, I didn’t have the grit or perseverance to develop the skill set needed for those professions. I don’t think I was necessarily talented in those fields, even though I still enjoy art history and civil engineering—those were my first two degrees, which I didn’t finish.
I think it was really due to my lack of understanding of careers and what I could do, and also coming from an intellectual family that didn’t have a lot of understanding of entrepreneurship or commercial know-how. Business wasn’t part of our vocabulary growing up—you could work in the corporate sector and be a business person, but that wasn’t how we grew up. So, it took me a while to figure out that I could do a Bachelor of Commerce, which I then finished and loved. It’s really interesting to reflect that, yes, I like art and I like history, but I don’t want to spend all day doing research. It’s just not my personality to sit and do that kind of work.
I think psychometric testing can really help with that, don’t you?
Yeah, 100%. It’s that intersection of what you’re really good at—your skills—versus what you enjoy, your interests. That intersection is usually the best career path. I used to do a lot of career guidance conversations using psychometric tools for career guidance, and you’d see the interests, personality, and ability all coming together to suggest the best career path. It’s definitely better to do this with a coach, rather than relying on the assessments in high schools that tell you, “You can become an astronaut or a carpenter.”
Those assessments don’t really help because they often focus too much on interests alone, which is outdated and not useful. But if you get the formula right, then yeah.
That’s great! And like we were talking about earlier, I’ve been using TalentPredix, which you developed with James, and as you know, I’ve been teaching it at university to students doing master’s degrees.
And I wanted to share with you one of the ways we’ve used it, which I think was really fun. We read a quote from Amelia Earhart—although I’m not sure if it was the best quote to use because she followed her passion and then disappeared while flying over the Pacific. So, maybe I should choose a different hero next time! But I’m really passionate about her story, and I’ll include that quote in the episode show notes.
The quote was about loving the process of preparing for her adventure. She loved the process. Then, we looked at the TalentPredix talent wheel, which has a variety of different talents. When you do the assessment, the report tells you what your top talents are. We tried to guess what Amelia Earhart’s top talents might have been. And then, we thought, “What if her top talents were different?” She might have ended up as a teacher, teaching others how to fly planes, instead of being adventurous and flying over the Pacific. We explored different scenarios of people who love to fly but choose different career paths or pursuits.
I think it was a fun exercise to help understand how people in the same field—say, doing a master’s degree in international relations—can end up pursuing completely different careers because of their unique talents and passions.
Yeah, I think in school, you don’t realize how many different careers are out there and the nuances between them. I didn’t even know psychometrics existed until I had already done four years of university because there are just so many options, and they’re constantly evolving, with new jobs appearing all the time.
But regarding your Amelia Earhart story, I think it’s great! That’s what I used to do in my consulting role—looking at people’s psychometric results, such as personality and ability assessments, and then determining if they were a good fit for a particular role. I think you gain so much more when you can sit down and have a coaching conversation with someone to explore how their psychometric profile aligns with their career path. It’s great to generalize and say, “You’re likely to enjoy this kind of job or career path,” but the nuances for each person matter, and that’s what we need to get into.
That’s exactly what we’re here for, but let me start with a very basic question about psychometric testing: What does it mean? What is psychometrics?
So, psychometrics, as the term suggests, is a psychological measurement. It’s the measurement of mental capacities or abilities, which can involve various things. When people think of psychometrics, the first thing that often comes to mind is an IQ assessment—that typical test you see in many forms. But that’s only one type of psychometric.
Psychometrics also include personality assessments, other capability assessments, and even structured or competency-based interviews. These are all psychometric tools because they measure capacity, ability, or personality. What makes something a psychometric is having the research and statistical backing to ensure that it’s reliable and valid. In other words, it’s accurately and precisely measuring what it claims to measure.
So, I wouldn’t call those assessments on Facebook or online—where you answer some questions and it tells you which Disney character you are—psychometrics.
Oh, got it. So, they might be measuring personality traits, right? Is that how you’d describe it?
Yes, some psychometrics do measure personality traits. There are personality type assessments that can measure either traits or types. If we dive into the details, it can get quite complex, but you’ve got assessments based on different models of personality. For example, there are type assessments and trait assessments. These are based on different personality models developed by people like Carl Jung or Francis Galton, who is considered the father of psychometrics. They all had ideas about what personality looks like, and they created models that then led to tests being developed based on those models.
Right. Are aptitude tests considered psychometric tests?
Yes, and cognitive tests as well. They are all psychometric tests. As I mentioned, even structured interviews—anything that measures a capability is a psychometric test, as long as it’s valid and reliable. Otherwise, I wouldn’t classify it as such.
So, these structured interviews we often see in well-organized companies with strong HR teams, where they have questions laid out on a table with a scale, would those also be considered psychometric assessments?
Yes, because you’re measuring the results and trying to standardize them. That falls under psychometrics.
Okay, now before we move on to talk about psychometric testing in the recruitment and selection process, which you often need to go through if you want to continue with an application and move on to the next phase, let’s say you’re feeling lost in your career and don’t really know what to do next. As a professional, you could just go and take a psychometric test, like you did at university or like I’ve done a couple of times. What’s the benefit of doing that, and which type of test would you recommend in that situation?
Good question. Just to touch on your earlier point about recruitment—about 75-80% of the top 100 UK companies use psychometrics in their hiring process, and it’s probably an even higher percentage in the US. So, a lot of large companies are already using psychometrics, and more and more companies are adopting them. So, to corroborate your point, yes, it’s a common practice.
Now, regarding which type of psychometric test to take when you’re feeling lost in your career, you don’t have to take a psychometric test beforehand. But it can be helpful if you want to gain a better understanding of yourself and what you might want to do in your career. It’s crucial to apply for roles that align with your talents, strengths, and potential. Otherwise, if you’re applying for roles that aren’t in line with those, it’s unlikely that you’ll be accepted into that role.
We’ll likely touch on this more, especially when companies use psychometrics as a “screen out” tool in the hiring process. It’s not just about getting the job but ensuring you’re going after the right type of role where your talents and strengths will thrive.
Yeah, you can go to a lot of career offices and universities, and they’re using some form of psychometrics. I can’t always say exactly what they’re using, but I just want to mention that there are thousands of different assessments out there. Some are good, some are not as good, and some are outdated. But it’s worth going through the steps, especially if you’re feeling stressed or anxious about going through psychometrics.
Yes, you could also speak to a career coach. I’m connected to quite a few, and I know there are some very good ones out there who can help guide you through the process if you don’t have access to a career office. Additionally, there are psychometrics like ours, where you can go to the website and purchase a one-off assessment and debrief. This can provide you with more self-awareness and insight before you start your career journey.
Yeah, and what would be the benefit for someone in a management or leadership position to do an assessment like TalentPredix? What could they learn from it?
We’ve talked a lot about recruitment and job hunting so far, but psychometrics can also be used for development. It’s twofold. As a manager or leader, if you’re looking for a new role, a career change, or wanting to step up in the organization—whatever the situation may be—you can see the benefit of psychometrics in helping you find the right role and fit within the recruitment process.
But from a development point of view, you can use the same data. At TalentPredix, we’ve designed it so that the data you use for recruitment can also be used in your development process. It allows you to look at your strengths and figure out how to leverage them. Then, you can identify your weaker areas—what we call “potential performance limiters”—and work on improving those.
We’re usually aware of the areas we need to work on, but, as James will mention in the next podcast, it’s also important to recognize our “overused” or “excess” talents and strengths. These are areas where the dial is turned up too high, and most people aren’t aware of these. For instance, if teamwork is one of your strengths, but it’s overused, you might become overly concerned about what your team thinks of you or struggle to move forward independently because you rely too much on the team.
These are the trip points you might not be aware of, and psychometrics can help bring them to light. Then, you can start putting plans in place to address these blind spots and develop those areas further.
Yes, exactly.
Now, I’m really loving TalentPredix. You know, before TalentPredix, the only other assessment I used regularly was the VIA Character Strengths. I’ll put a link to both of them in the show notes. But I never liked many of the other assessments I had tried, and I think that stems from my personal experience with them.
They never really gave me much insight. Remember when you said you did one at university, and the result was that you could do anything? That’s what I used to get, too. Or with some of those quadrant-style assessments, my dots would all be clustered so close together in the middle that it didn’t feel significant enough for me to think, “Yes, I’m really more in this zone than any other.” I would leave those coaching sessions feeling extremely frustrated with the results, not really getting much out of it.
But I love using TalentPredix with my clients. I’ll give you an example of why I think it’s so great. Imagine two clients working in the same organization or the same type of organization—one is extremely unhappy, and the other is perfectly fine. Once you see the TalentPredix report, you start to understand why. For instance, let’s say they both work in government. One client has precision as their top strength, leadership as a key trait, and their personal value is stability. That person is fine and just wants to stay where they are. The other client, who’s extremely unhappy, has entrepreneurialism as their top career driver, with precision being quite low. It suddenly makes sense why they hate their job—it’s not aligned with their core motivations.
It’s really fascinating to see that kind of diversity, and I’m also loving how you can use TalentPredix to fill in the gaps in talents you might not have, especially if you’re in a senior leadership position like many of my clients. Instead of trying to be good at everything, you can hire the right people to bring balance to your team. TalentPredix helps you see how to create that balance. What do you think of that approach?
No, I think that’s absolutely accurate. When I worked in consulting, I had a large client, and we did research and profiling on their top talent—what their leadership team looked like based on the assessments they were using. They were using Hogan, which is a well-known assessment that I’m also accredited in. What we found was that there were a lot of “clones” being hired. People were hiring others who were too similar to themselves, and there wasn’t much variety in the system.
Ideally, you want different opinions and perspectives on the team. You need people who can fill different roles, rather than everyone being the same. If everyone is a clone, there’s no challenge, or you might have a situation where people who are high in adaptability make changes for the sake of change. Without others to challenge those changes, there’s no progress because things like precision and organization are missing.
So, we can’t just hire clones of ourselves, and that’s why James and I talk a lot more about “culture add” rather than “culture fit.” The focus should be on bringing people onto your team who can add something new and valuable, not just fit into what’s already there.
Yes, exactly! That’s why, when I’m coaching clients, or even now, offering advice here for free, I tell people that if you don’t get the job but made it through various bottlenecks and stages in the recruitment process, especially toward the end, you shouldn’t feel bad. No one wastes time with people they don’t believe can do the job. You have to respect your competition, right? All the candidates who make it to the final stages are likely great, too. You go into the interview, and there are multiple factors at play.
As a hiring manager, there have been times when I didn’t choose a candidate I absolutely adored because another candidate had complementary skills or strengths that the team needed. As a smart boss, I recognized that I liked the first candidate because they were a lot like me, but I hired the other person because they brought a skill set that would balance and enhance the team. So, sometimes it’s not personal at all.
No, it’s not. I’ve done a lot of graduate recruitment and apprenticeship intakes, and those processes involve thousands of applicants. It’s incredibly competitive. When I’ve been involved in the final stages, like at assessment centers, I’ve always told candidates that even if they don’t get the role, they should list the experience on their CV. Reaching the final stage in a graduate intake is an accomplishment—beating out thousands of other applicants. So, we need to recognize that even getting to the first interview means you’ve already outperformed a large pool of candidates to get to that point.
Exactly! And in the end, you have to find the right person for the role. You can’t just hire someone because you like them, and this is why relying solely on interviews isn’t the best way to predict performance. The more assessments and steps you can incorporate into the process—although it might feel frustrating for candidates—the higher the chance you’ll predict who will perform well in the role. Using a combination of assessments, interviews, and even assessment centers really increases your chances of making the right hire.
We have a question here from someone on LinkedIn. I won’t name names in case they want to stay anonymous, but it’s a good question. They’re asking, “Are there any free psychometric tests available?” There probably are some free psychometric tests out there. But let me say this—TalentPredix is so affordable, especially for someone who is a white-collar worker on LinkedIn. It’s incredibly beneficial to invest in a high-quality assessment that gives you thorough, actionable results after just 20 minutes. It’s worth it to get something as comprehensive as the TalentPredix report.
I wish I had my own personal report with me right now, but I gave it to my husband to read! Which, by the way, is something everyone should do—share it with someone close to you for added perspective.
I think it’s a great idea, and I don’t know where he put it, but yes, the report spits out a fantastic 20-page document. It’s an amazing resource that provides so much insight you can use to build your pitch, especially if you’re job hunting. It helps you articulate your leadership style and explain the kind of professional you are. I would rather pay for something like this—I’ll put the links below so you can purchase it if you’re interested. Don’t you agree? I don’t think there’s anything else quite like it.
I completely agree. Our price point is very low for what you get. You’re getting insights into your talents, your career drivers, your values, and your overused strengths. Plus, you get additional development information. There’s a lot packed into the report for such a reasonable price. Typically, we pair the assessment with a coaching session, which gives you even more value. You get a comprehensive coaching experience, more context, and deeper understanding. But even if you only get the profile, there’s so much there—as long as you take the time to work with it.
I’m loving using TalentPredix, like I said before, both in one-on-one coaching and with my university students. I used it with 160 students as part of my teaching, and the analysis was fantastic. Honestly, I wanted you guys to be there with me when I started using it, but the session just went so well. I think the students got a lot out of it. At any stage of your career, it’s worth the small investment to at least get the report, if not the coaching session as well.
And, by the way, my husband is at the airport in Sydney, waiting for his flight, and he just texted me to say, “Yes, the report is with me!” So, I want it back! If you’re still listening, thanks for watching from the airport—I’m sure there’s not much else to do!
Now, Paula, I want to talk a bit about psychometric testing in recruitment. As a coach, I’ve noticed a difference that I’d like to highlight, and you mentioned it briefly. When you’re applying for a job, if the assessment is the very next step after submitting your application, it can feel more binary—like a pass/fail situation. But if the assessment is done toward the tail end of the process, it feels more like the employer just wants to gain insight into who you are, rather than using it as a strict filtering tool. Can you explain the reasons why recruiters might choose to place the psychometric test at the beginning versus the end of the process, or give some insight into the thinking behind this?
I think you’re right—it often comes down to preference and experience. In my experience, when psychometrics are used at the very beginning of the recruitment process, it’s usually because you’re dealing with a large volume of applicants. You need a way to narrow down the pool, especially in cases like large graduate intakes, where you might have tens of thousands of applicants. It becomes costly to run assessment centers for such large groups, so using an initial psychometric test helps reduce the number of candidates to a more manageable size—maybe down to a hundred or so—before moving forward with more resource-intensive stages like assessment centers.
For these situations, ability-based assessments, such as numerical reasoning tests, are often used as screeners. For instance, if you’re hiring for an accounting or analyst role, you might require candidates to take a numerical reasoning test early in the process. Those who score below average could be rejected at that stage, but it’s not necessarily final—applicants can always reapply later.
On the other hand, many people prefer to use psychometrics at the next stage, once they’ve narrowed down the pool a bit. So, after the initial screening and before the interviews, candidates may take a more personality-based assessment like TalentPredix. Then, during the interview, hiring managers can use the insights from the report to ask more tailored questions. This approach allows for deeper exploration of the candidate’s strengths and how they align with the role.
At assessment centers, which are usually the final stage, other psychometric tools come into play, like role plays, presentations, or leaderless group discussions. These give even more information about the candidate’s suitability for the role.
Rachel’s comment about testing upfront to probe further in the interview is a great point, and I see where she’s coming from. Especially for mid-career to senior-level professionals, using the assessment early on allows interviewers to dig deeper into specific traits or areas highlighted in the psychometric results. In these cases, the assessment isn’t necessarily used as a screening tool but as a way to enhance the conversation and see how the candidate’s talents match the role.
In terms of using TalentPredix in recruitment and selection, I think it’s particularly useful because of the type of insights it provides. It focuses on top talents, career drivers, and personal values, which can help both the candidate and the employer understand where the candidate is likely to excel and how they’ll fit into the company culture or team. For senior roles, it’s especially valuable because, by that point in their careers, people have a track record of experience. TalentPredix adds another layer of insight into what drives and motivates them, which helps the employer make a more informed decision on how well they align with the organization’s needs.
The insights from TalentPredix are less about technical skills and more about soft skills, motivations, and values, which are crucial when you’re trying to find the right cultural and role fit for senior positions.
Yes, I completely agree with you. I personally wouldn’t reject someone or remove them from the process based purely on personality or values-based results, especially because those can often be a value add to the company. It’s much more useful to take those insights and, like Rachel mentioned, use them to ask more probing questions during the interview.
For example, if someone scores highly on adaptability, you could ask, “Can you tell me about a time where you had to be highly adaptable?” Or if they score high on decisiveness, you could ask, “Tell me about a time when the situation didn’t allow you to make decisions quickly.” It gives you a deeper understanding of how they actually operate in real situations.
I wouldn’t use personality-based psychometrics for screening purposes. If psychometrics are being used for screening, I think it makes sense to combine them with ability assessments, as I mentioned before. Using just psychometrics without any conversation or interaction with the candidate can feel off, and I’ve experienced that in recruitment—writing a report that says someone is a good or bad fit without having spoken to them directly. It doesn’t sit well without that added context.
When you combine psychometrics with an interview, or even role plays or presentations, especially for managerial or C-suite roles where a number of assessments might be used, then you can start making more informed decisions after the process.
One thing we talked about before we started recording is how sometimes psychometric assessments validate what people already know about themselves, which can feel empowering—like they own that talent and finally have the “receipts” to prove it. But then there are those times when the results don’t align with expectations, and it can be frustrating.
For example, with some of my mid-career to senior clients, when leadership doesn’t come up as a top talent, they get surprised and ask, “Where’s my leadership score?” Or, like the example I mentioned earlier, when my personal score for critical thinking or curiosity came out lower than expected, I felt taken aback. But after some reflection, I realized, “Yeah, I’m not that curious by nature.” I won’t go out of my way to learn something new unless there’s a specific purpose for it within my career or personal goals. It’s more about being purpose-driven than inherently curious.
It takes time to accept that certain traits aren’t your top talents, and I think that’s a natural reaction. Is that something you notice with your clients as well, when they’re confronted with unexpected results?
Yes, it’s quite common, and we need to remember that most assessments are self-reported. Unlike presentations or role plays where someone else is scoring you, psychometric tests are based on your own perceptions of yourself, which means the results might reflect how you see yourself rather than how others experience you. That can create surprises when the results don’t match up with what you believe about yourself or what you’re used to thinking of as your strengths.
Exactly! Since you’re answering questions about yourself, I’d say 80-90% of the time, you’ll get results that align with your expectations, because the assessment is reflecting the way you see yourself. As long as the assessment is measuring what it claims to measure, the results will reflect that. And that’s often where people say, “Well, I already knew that about myself.” But it’s still useful to see it framed in a certain language or to get a development narrative around those results.
However, there are times when the results don’t align with what someone expects. There are a few reasons this might happen. One is that we don’t always truly know ourselves. For example, I used to score very high on empathy in every assessment I took—it was always one of my top scores. But as I got into my late twenties and early thirties, I started to realize that I wasn’t as empathetic as I had thought. I liked to think I was, but life experience and feedback from others made me understand myself better. My empathy score has come down to slightly above average, but it’s not as far above average as it used to be. That’s a reflection of gaining more self-awareness over time.
Another reason could be the distinction between natural talents and learned behaviors. When we talk about talents, strengths, or personality, we’re often referring to innate qualities—the things that come naturally to you when you’re at your best. But there are areas where we may not feel energized or excited, yet we’ve developed learned behaviors around them.
For instance, I tend to score very low on organization—it’s not something that fills me with joy. My workspace is usually chaotic. But over time, I’ve developed strong learned behaviors and skills in that area. I’ve become quite organized out of necessity, to the point where people have even asked me to mentor them on how to be more organized. It’s a skill I’ve learned, but it doesn’t come naturally. So, when people meet me, they might think I’m very organized, but it’s really just something I’ve adapted to do, not something I naturally gravitate toward.
Similarly, with something like critical thinking, you might ask yourself, “Do I truly enjoy and find energy in this area, or is it learned behavior?” Or, “Do I not know myself as well as I thought, and there are some nuances I’m missing?” It’s important to reflect on that.
Another thing to keep in mind is not to get too hung up on the numbers. When you look at psychometric reports, you’re typically being compared to a norm group—a group that represents a larger population. For example, if someone says, “I’m extroverted,” the next question might be, “Extroverted compared to whom?” Are you being compared to a global norm, to other students, to professionals in a specific industry? The norm group makes a big difference. So, if your score is on a scale of 1 to 10 and you get a 5, you might think that’s low, but it’s important to understand who you’re being compared against. The context of the comparison really matters.
Exactly, it’s important to remember that a score of “average” means you’re as much of a critical thinker as others in the norm group. But the cultural context of that comparison can be very significant, especially in a country like Australia, where there’s such a diverse population of migrants. People from different cultural backgrounds, who arrived at different stages in life, can have very different ways of approaching psychometric tests, and I share your concerns about how this can impact the results.
I’ve also seen situations where clients from European, Asian, or other international backgrounds weren’t considered for promotions or opportunities because their psychometric test results didn’t align with their day-to-day performance. It’s an incredibly frustrating situation for them, and I’ve had to help them navigate how to discuss this with their managers. People from different cultural backgrounds, like those with Germanic or Asian influences, might answer questions in a way that reflects their upbringing or societal norms, rather than their actual capabilities or desires. For example, someone from a more reserved culture might not rank themselves highly in leadership or ambition, even though they perform excellently in those areas at work.
As you said, we don’t want to stereotype, but cultural background plays a huge role in how people respond to assessments. Some communities might be more focused on ambition and drive, while others prioritize values and community-centered goals. This can affect the comparison group, and it may not reflect an individual’s real potential.
I saw this issue in South Africa, where many of the psychometric assessments were developed in the 1960s and 70s, using norm groups that were predominantly white, upper-class, and male. Comparing people from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds to such a narrow group leads to inaccurate results. Their scores might be well below the norm in some areas and above it in others, but the comparison doesn’t reflect their true abilities.
So, it’s crucial to make sure the assessments being used are backed by up-to-date research, with norm groups that reflect the diversity of the population being tested. Outdated tools don’t provide valid or reliable results, and relying on them can lead to unfair decisions.
It’s also important to emphasize that psychometric assessments are not set in stone. If an assessment says you have “average” or “low” drive, that doesn’t mean you’re destined to lack motivation or ambition. People shouldn’t use those results as an excuse or a limitation. Psychometrics should be seen as a snapshot of how you’re perceived compared to others at that moment, but these qualities can be developed and improved over time.
The real value is using the results as a starting point for personal development, not as a fixed definition of who you are.
Yes, exactly! You can build skills around certain traits, and this is why I wouldn’t reject someone based solely on a personality assessment in a recruitment process.
Now, Paula, how do you prepare for a psychometric test if you’re going through it as part of a recruitment process? Is there anything specific you should do, or how would you recommend approaching it?
For most personality-based assessments, there’s really nothing specific you can do to prepare because there are no right or wrong answers. It’s about being authentic and honest about who you are. Typically, it’s best to go with your gut instinct when answering the questions because that’s likely the truest reflection of yourself, rather than overthinking it. So, in that sense, there’s no real preparation needed for personality tests.
For ability-type assessments, like numerical or verbal reasoning, it’s a bit different. You do need a certain level of numeracy or English, depending on the test. There are practice tests available for some of these assessments. For example, some companies or assessment providers offer practice tests online, so if you know what type of assessment you’ll be doing, it’s a good idea to ask the hiring manager for details. You can inquire, “Can you tell me more about the kind of assessment I’ll be taking or who developed it?” With that information, you can do a little bit of research and, if available, complete practice tests.
But for most tests, there isn’t much preparation you can do, and that’s perfectly fine. You should feel okay about it—there’s no need to be overly nervous.
Yes, exactly. Just approach it with intention and don’t rush through it. I’ve seen clients who, because they’re busy, will quickly tick through the boxes during an evening session without really paying attention, and that can lead to poor results. The report goes to HR, and suddenly they’re dealing with unnecessary complications. So, it’s important to be mindful.
For cognitive assessments, it’s best to take them when you’re feeling fresh—ideally in the morning or whenever you feel most energized. Don’t wait until late in the day when you’re tired. For some people, that might mean mid-morning or early afternoon, but definitely avoid times when you’re mentally drained. For personality assessments, take a deep breath and make sure you’re in a good frame of mind. If you’re stressed or trying to present yourself as something you’re not, it won’t help you or the hiring manager. And remember, many of these tests aren’t timed, so if you feel overwhelmed, you can always step away for a moment, take a walk, grab a drink, and come back to it when you’re feeling calmer.
One last question: If I do TalentPredix again in two or three years, would my results change?
As I mentioned earlier, talents and personality traits tend to be quite stable over time, so you’re unlikely to see drastic changes. However, what you might notice is that some of your secondary talents—those just below your top five—could shift. For example, one of your secondary talents might become more prominent, depending on your experiences and how you’ve developed over those few years. But overall, you’ll likely find that your core talents remain quite consistent.
Yes, exactly. Some talents might shift slightly over time, but personality itself tends to be quite stable unless you’ve gone through something significant like trauma or a major life event. What you’re more likely to see change over time are career drivers. Early in your career, you might not be fully aware of what motivates you. But as life progresses, factors like marriage, children, or personal growth can shift your priorities—balance and stability might become more important, or entrepreneurial spirit might emerge as a stronger driver than you initially expected.
For example, as you settle into your career, you gain a better understanding of yourself and your goals, so those drivers are less likely to change once you’re more established. The test-retest reliability of personality assessments typically holds up for about 18 months or so, meaning if you retake the test after that period, it’s advisable because your results might vary slightly, and the previous test might no longer be as accurate.
That’s excellent advice, Paula. Thank you so much for joining me today for this conversation. I really appreciate it.
Thank you, Renata. I hope to see you in the UK soon! I’m so glad you’re loving TalentPredix and that it’s making such a difference for your clients. It sounds like it’s been transformative for your coaching, and we really appreciate your support. Thank you for doing such an amazing job integrating it into your work.
Thank you, Paula. It’s been a pleasure. I’m excited to continue using TalentPredix and seeing how it helps more and more clients. It’s fantastic to see you expanding globally, and I’m sure you’ll get a lot more feedback as more people start using it.
Alright, I hope this conversation helps raise awareness about the importance of psychometric testing in the recruitment and selection process. More importantly, I hope it shows how, as a job candidate, you can benefit greatly from investing in tools like TalentPredix. It helps you understand your talents, career drivers, and values, which can empower you to make the best career plans for yourself and develop effective tactical objectives, like refining your personal brand pitch, writing compelling cover letters, and enhancing your resume.
Here are my takeaways from today’s conversation with Paula:
Number one. If you’re asked to sit for a psychometric assessment as part of a job interview process, make sure you know what type of assessment it is. Now that you’ve learned about the different types, you’ll feel more comfortable knowing what to expect.
Number two. While you can’t fully prepare for a psychometric assessment, you can at least familiarize yourself with the process. I recommend doing some sample tests so you can get a feel for the types of questions and how you’ll respond. This will help reduce any anxiety you might have. I always like to de-stress the interview process by over-preparing, and that includes practicing for assessments. Especially for aptitude and cognitive tests, you can easily find free sample questions online. All you need is to go through a few of them to feel more comfortable, so when you’re at the assessment center, you’ll be more confident and less stressed.
Number three. Know yourself. Sometimes, you’re not succeeding in your job search or career because you’re not focusing on your talents and strengths. You may not even fully know what those are. If you’re struggling with that self-reflection, it’s worth considering a psychometric test. I have countless examples of professionals who’ve worked with me and were so grateful after doing the test. Some found validation of their talents and strengths, while others gained a new understanding of why their job search wasn’t going as planned. They had been focusing on the wrong roles or opportunities, not realizing their true strengths and innate talents. Once they shifted their focus, their career paths became much clearer.
So, if this resonates with you, consider taking a test like TalentPredix. You can find out more on my website at https://www.renatabernarde.com/talentpredix. I’ll also include the link in the episode show notes. I’m confident you’ll love the insights you’ll gain from the test, and I believe it’s something you truly deserve. Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you next time!
