Melissa Campbell, Senior Leader for Guidance, Sinéad Duffy, Professional Learning Leader & Joanne Parry, Professional Learning Leader at Oide, Department of Education, Ireland & Alison Burke, Analyst, OECD Directorate for Education and Skills
Have you ever completed a questionnaire about yourself and then been told you are a good match for a very specific job? If you have, you’ll know that some results seem uncannily accurate, some present new possibilities previously ignored or unknown, others will likely appear completely bizarre. If you have completed such an exercise, you were undertaking what’s known as a psychometric test. The examinations are popular in schools across the OECD, but do they work? And how can schools make the most of them as a career guidance tool?
Why use psychometric tests?
The 2018 OECD PISA study showed that globally many students are uncertain, confused and unoriginal about their job plans. Students’ aspirations are heavily influenced by gender, social, and migrant backgrounds. A quarter of 15-year-olds, particularly those with lower academic performance, can not specify the type of job they would have in adulthood. Those who can often have limited aspirations, with many targeting the same 10 jobs, such as a doctor or teacher. Although 20% aim for careers that typically require a university education, they aren’t planning for such education. Socially advantaged, high-achieving students are over twice as likely to plan for tertiary education compared to their disadvantaged counterparts.
PISA reveals that many students, particularly the most disadvantaged, are at risk of drifting through education and into the labour market. Recent OECD analysis of longitudinal datasets in many countries shows that teenagers’ career outcomes are significantly impacted by their work expectations and aspirations. Uncertain or confused students struggle to optimise their time in school. Moreover, personal and social characteristics often constrain the types of jobs that students feel are within their reach. It is a priority for career guidance systems to help students reflect on their personal interests and abilities and explore a wide range of future employment options. Psychometric tests aid in this process. In these tests, students answer questions and statements that help them explore their preferences, interests, passions, and dislikes. Utilising psychological research, such as the RIASEC methodology that groups people into personality types (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, or Conventional), these assessments aim to match individuals with jobs that value their personality types.
What has Ireland done that’s different?
In Ireland, the Department of Education regularly publish advice on the use of assessment tests which includes a list of possible psychometric tests for use in Guidance. There is also a dedicated team to support professional learning in Guidance, which includes professional learning around the use of psychometric tests. They have identified the tests as playing a valuable role in prompting students to consider their future careers. These tests foster self-reflection, allowing students to correlate their interests with career paths that might otherwise not have crossed their minds. They provide useful starting points for discussing students’ identities and potential careers. Online tests are particularly popular due to their speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness compared to paper-based tests.
The team advises schools to approach testing with care and avoid overreliance on the results. Psychometric tests should complement other information, not define it. They may not be fitting for students from minority backgrounds or non-native English speakers due to possible unintended biases or complex language that may be hard to interpret for some students. The test results must be analysed and evaluated in the context of the whole student, considering previous achievements, talents, creativity, and cultural background. Additionally, training for counsellors is essential to ensure that they are proficient in selecting, administering, interpreting test results, and providing helpful feedback.
So which test should we use?
Different psychometric tests encompass different methodologies and lengths; some focus on interest inventories, and others focus on cognitive evaluations. Choosing the most suitable test from such a wide variety can be challenging for educators. To simplify this, the Irish Department of Education and the National Educational Psychology Service provide a list of approved tests, aiding schools in choosing those aligning with best practices. It’s crucial to avoid over-testing to ensure students value the process and result. The tests should be viewed by the student as aids in their career guidance, not definitive solutions.
Which tests are being used in Ireland?
The CAT4 is a cognitive abilities test that is particularly helpful during transitions such as students moving from secondary school to university or the job market. It aids students with subject decisions and career exploration.
The Career Fit Series is another popular choice, digitally profiling aptitudes and career interests, especially for students who may score lower on the CAT4 and have a lower projected Leaving Certificate score.
Digital apps such as Exit Entry support career learning and connect students with higher education and learning opportunities.
Careers Portal serves as a comprehensive digital resource centre, offering extensive support for individuals of all ages in making career choices and decisions. Its REACH+ Programme enables students to explore their preferences for various tasks, and the results from their interest profiler are used to identify suitable careers, courses in further or higher education, and apprenticeships.
The bottom line
Online psychometric tests have played an important role in enhancing students’ career preparedness in Irish schools. They offer efficient, data-driven insights that aid in informed decision-making, potentially boosting career certainty and future employment prospects. It is worth underlining that guidance counsellors must have the expertise and flexibility to best select the appropriate type of testing based on student needs, testing objectives and available resources.
