Relax - staying calm and being prepared are key to performing well in psychometric tests...

Employers use psychometric tests alongside job interviews and CV selection to see if a candidate is really right for a job. There are two types of test that you're likely to come across in your job search:

Aptitude tests measure skills to see if you have the right abilities to do the job.

Personality questionnaires look at motivation, attitudes and values. For example, these tests can give an indication of how well you're likely to work in a team.

There are a number of ways in which you can take the stress out of tests, giving you the best chance of using them to reflect your true abilities...

Find out what to expect

Always ask prospective employers whether you're going to do any tests at your job interview and what types of test they will be. This will give you time to prepare.

Tell them about you

If you have dyslexia or any other condition that's likely to affect the way you perform in a test, make sure your prospective employer knows about it so that the test can be adapted to suit your needs.

Be prepared

Taking personality tests isn't really a matter of passing or failing and you can't swot up for them. However, you can make sure you're familiar with the test process by taking a look at examples to see what sort of things you're likely to be asked.

You can do the same with aptitude tests and you can also prepare by doing crosswords and taking a look at your old English and maths GCSE revision books.

Practise to finish on time

You'll need to complete the tests within a time limit, so do some practice papers to make sure that you can finish.

There are a number of free practice tests available on the Web. See for instance Morrisby Organisation testsUniversity of Kent tests.

Use your exam skills

Remember what you did when you took your exams at school and college ? always read the questions properly and go back over your answers if you've got any time at the end.

If you have any queries before the test begins, ask the interviewer. If you don't know an answer, give an educated guess. Above all, keep calm!

Get feedback

It's good to find out how you've done on a test to see if there are any areas you could improve on. Always ask the employer for your test results, even if you don't get the job.

Don't stress

While you can do a certain amount of practice for aptitude tests, you can't second-guess personality tests, so relax and give honest answers. A personality test may reveal that you're not right for a job, but that may not be a bad thing: it also means the job isn't right for you.