Most Common Psychometric Tests in Latin America for Effective Selection

Psychometric tests are a common tool in companies' Human Resources departments and a fundamental part of any selection process. Depending on the type of test used, the recruiter can obtain an objective approximation of candidates' traits, characteristics, and aptitudes, as well as inquire into their values and interests at work.

The types of psychometric tests usually implemented in selection processes are intelligence tests, which help the recruiter measure the candidate's ability to learn and to apply that knowledge quickly and efficiently thanks to a correct understanding of it; aptitude and skills tests, which help determine whether the candidate's characteristics fit those of the company; and, finally, projective tests, which give the recruiter an approximation of the candidate's personality traits and other mental characteristics.

Among the tests most used in personnel selection processes in Latin America, we can find:

Zavic Test (To evaluate values and interests)

The Zavic test is one of the most widely used psychometric tests in Latin America. This test gives HR professionals the possibility to inquire into candidates' values and interests in a work environment, so the recruiter can evaluate whether the candidate tends to be an honest worker. This test has been around for several decades, and there are several other tests, some more modern, to evaluate these factors, such as Evalart's Honesty, Ethics, and Values test.

Cleaver Test (DISC)

The Cleaver test provides the HR professional with a complete description of the candidate's personality, based on four scales: drive, social influence, steadiness, and compliance. This test emphasizes how the individual tends to perform in a normal environment and how they react to the different circumstances that usually arise at work, such as relating to other people and working under pressure. This test is one of the many versions based on the DISC theory.

Moss Test

The Moss test is usually used in personnel selection processes for positions in which leadership and decision-making are essential, since it emphasizes a person's ability to hold a position that involves supervising others and resolving conflicts, as well as their ability to get along with other people and establish interpersonal relationships with them. This test is also quite old, dating back more than 40 years.

The 16-factor questionnaire or 16 PF

The 16-factor questionnaire, also known as 16PF, is a personality test whose main objective is to describe a person's personality traits through factor analysis. The theory behind this test states that an individual's personality can be summarized in 16 personality factors, which are:

• Dominance

• Warmth

• Stability

• Liveliness

• Rule-consciousness

• Reasoning

• Boldness

• Vigilance

• Sensitivity

• Abstractedness

• Apprehension

• Privateness

• Openness to change

• Self-reliance

• Tension

• Perfectionism

Although the 16 PF is the best-known test, there are several similar tests based on Cattell's 16-factor theory.

Raven Test (Intelligence)

The Raven test, also known as Raven's progressive matrices or RPM, is a non-verbal ability psychometric test focused on the assessment of abstract reasoning and fluid intelligence. The questions in this test consist of determining the elements in the different patterns presented. The difficulty of the questions is progressive; that is, the questions get harder as the test progresses. It is one of the most widely used tests to determine candidates' capacity for observation, concentration, and logic.

Terman-Merrill (Intelligence)

The Terman-Merrill test is one of the psychometric tests most used by HR professionals to assess their candidates' intelligence quotient. This test consists of 10 subtests focused on measuring verbal and non-verbal intelligence through 6 areas:

• General intelligence

• Quantitative reasoning

• Fluid reasoning

• Working memory

• Visuospatial processes

• Knowledge

Something important to note is that many of the psychometric tests used in Latin America, although of American or European origin, are very old and are rarely used in their places of origin. This underscores the importance of reviewing the tests being used to make sure they are still applicable in our current contexts (whether because the test itself is old or because a version that is not the current one is being used). Several tests originate from a culturally different era, when the internet, social media, and globalization did not exist; so their questions or scales may not be in line with current times.

If you are looking for a modern and effective Psychometric Testing Platform, Evalart is an excellent alternative that offers a wide variety of Psychometric Tests, as well as a wide variety of other types of tests.