DIY furniture assembly, make-overs and even dentistry; more and more people are opting to cut out the middle-man when it comes to making purchases for home or business. So what about psychometric assessments?
In our blog What are Psychometric Assessments? we examined just how effective these tools can be when used during hiring. For decades, the research on the strength of psychometric assessments for predicting employee performance and a host of other positive workplace outcomes has been clear – they work – and in many cases much more effectively than other selection methodologies.
Additionally, as outlined in our blog Interviews, Psychometric Tests and Diversity and Inclusion, these assessments often provide more legal defensibility and inclusivity because of their capacity to objectively assess candidates in a way that interviews cannot.
Yet psychometric tools only deliver on these promises in the right hands. In What are Psychometric Assessments? we introduced the importance of test user certification. While credible tests themselves must prove they meet standards of objectivity and fairness, it is just as important to ensure that standards of practice are met.
This blog outlines the rationale for training and the accreditation process for those interested in becoming professional test users, and it describes what to look for in a professional testing partner.
Behind every successful recruitment campaign using psychometrics, sits a skilled person or group of people responsible for test selection, administration, interpretation and feedback.
These people safeguard the process to ensure that valid and appropriate tests are selected. Without their skill, the test may not reliably measure what it claims to, may be discriminatory or may not predict the behaviour that organisation is interested in.
Conversely, trained test users will seek to deeply understand the role in question, so that appropriate assessments from credible suppliers can be chosen. At KinchLyons for example, we act as “personal shoppers” for our clients; we work with several test publishers to match the right tool with the goals of testing.
Certified users will know how to properly manage the entire testing process. They will promote confidentiality, inclusivity, standardisation, secure information storage and more. They will score assessments as they should. They will understand the results of tests – the limitations and the strengths – and they will be trained to feedback results fairly, objectively and professionally.
Though unethical practitioners do exist, most recognised test publishers will not sell tests to those without this training, which helps to protect candidates, organisations and the industry as a whole.
The requirement for training leaves two options for companies wishing to use psychometric assessments as part of their selection processes;
Using external service providers to carry out testing has many advantages. These partners are often psychologists with high levels of specialisation and experience in role analysis, test usage and test interpretation, and they know where to go to find the right tools for a given need. They are usually skilled at weaving meaningful narratives across a battery of different test types and can act as an independent voice, which may be particularly useful when hiring involves internal candidates.
For those wishing to use external service providers, the European gold-standard is a certification approved by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and/or the European Federation of Psychologists Associations (EFPA). The BPS provides nationally recognised qualifications at two distinct levels. The Assistant Test User (ATU) is level 1 training, which certifies users to professionally administer and score assessments, while Test User Ability (TUA) and Test User Personality (TUP) is level 2. This certificate, which was formally known as Level A and Level B, recognises the ability to select appropriate personality and ability assessments and to interpret results.
If using external suppliers, it is also recommended that you choose trained organisational psychologists, who can help analyse job roles and provide additional scientific meaning and understanding to results. Please visit our website at https://kinchlyons.com/ to learn more.
For some organisations, the preference is to keep the psychometric testing in-house. This can help to keep down costs, and can equip hiring decision-makers with a first-hand ability to understand what the assessments reveal. For other organisations, psychometric insights may form part of an ongoing coaching or development initiative, and so having internal coaches or leaders that can use these tools effectively is extremely valuable.
Recognising this need, KinchLyons launched a best-in-class BPS and EFPA approved certification in psychometric testing, which enables all our graduates to independently manage the entire process of psychometric testing from beginning to end.
It is an online, engaging e-learning experience which we truly believe is the best offering on the market today. It boasts the following credentials:
If you would like to know more about this offering, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact us at info@kinchlyons.com.
Or, if you’ve heard enough and are ready to get certified, you can book at https://kltrainingstore-podium.talentlms.com/ and receive instant access to your course.
Happy testing!
