For graduates of universities throughout the United Kingdom, there may be a passing awareness of psychometric tests that are used to determine the ideal connection between students and career paths. However, university graduates need to understand intimately the different types of psychometric testing used by recruiting agencies and companies throughout the United Kingdom. Psychometric testing uses psychological methods to determine the connection between a graduate's personal attributes and the needs of specific professional positions. Major national and international companies, along with recruiting agencies, use psychometric testing in order to make the job placement process more efficient. As workplace psychology has become more important over the last two decades, psychometric testing has become a key tool for employers to find the right graduates.



While graduates may see the psychometric testing process as a bit mysterious, the rise of the Internet has made preparing for such tests possible. Recruiting agencies and graduate recruiting web sites offer sample psychometric and personality tests in order to prepare graduates for the results of actual psychometric tests. Often, these agency provided tests show both a general psychometric area in which a graduate tests into and a specific description of the type of jobs for graduates with a specific type of psychological characteristics. However, graduates need to be aware that not all psychometric tests are created equal on the Web. Typically, going straight to the approving board of psychometric tests in the United Kingdom will help clarify the legitimacy of specific tests.

There are two types of psychometric testing provides by agencies and companies throughout the United Kingdom. The most prominent type of psychometric testing used on graduates are preference tests. These types of tests ask graduates a series of questions determining workplace preferences on issues like organization, meeting structure, and views on authority. From these tests, analysts and recruiters can determine the type of workplace environment in which a graduate can work best.

The second psychometric testing type is more specific though used less by industries because it overlaps with the application and interview process too much. Personality and skills tests are sometimes given to graduates who are applying for an open position. These tests can help recruiters, interviewers, and hiring managers determine the type of personality an applying graduate possesses. With certain personalities more appropriate for positions than others, these tests can help managers find the ideal candidate. However, preference tests are more widely used because they offer a more general assessment of graduate potential in the workplace.