University of Surrey s1

University of Surrey Careers Service

PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING POLICY

Introduction

The Careers Service offers psychometric testing services to clients to provide them with an opportunity for practice or experience, to gain an insight into their strengths and weaknesses or to help them with possible implications for career choice as part of our career counselling service.

We provide both on-line tests and paper-based tests

Paper-based tests

The tests or questionnaires we use are:

1. Numerical Reasoning Tests, GAP Series 3 (level A) 2. Verbal Reasoning Tests, GAP Series 3 (level A) 3. Diagrammatic Reasoning Tests, GAP Series 3 (level A) 4. Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Policy for paper-based tests

1. All tests or questionnaires will only be administered by fully trained staff. Test results will only be evaluated and interpreted by qualified staff. Current staff qualified to administer, evaluate and interpret tests are Russ Clark (MBTI and level A), Jeanette Holt (MBTI and level A), Alexandra Hemingway (MBTI), Ann Henderson (MBTI and level A) and Cathryn Greaves (level A).

2. All tests will be administered in strict accordance with the publisher’s guidelines and test administrators will endeavour to remain up to date in current practice by attending courses/reading journals as appropriate.

3. All aptitude test feedback will be given by fully qualified staff in a confidential and one-to-one setting. Feedback following completion of a MBTI questionnaire may sometimes be carried out in a group session though the results for individual participants will be treated confidentially.

4. We will only use tests that are technically sound and relevant to the client’s situation, and we will respect copyright law by not photocopying answer sheets or other materials.

5. Confidentiality will be maintained at all times, and clients will be fully informed about the purpose of the test, its confidentiality and security. 6. All GAP Series test materials will be kept in locked rooms/cupboards. Test materials include answer sheets, question booklets, practice leaflets, administration cards, scoring templates, profile charts and manuals. No third party will have access to these.

7. Completed aptitude test answer sheets will be kept securely for six months and fall under the remit of the Data Protection Act. They will not be made available to any third party without the client’s permission.

8. All clients will be treated fairly, impartially and courteously and test facilities will be made available regardless of ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, marital status, social class, age or sexual preference.

9. Special arrangements will be made for people with disabilities and we will refer to the publisher’s guidelines for these. We will also ensure access to premises for disabled clients in wheelchairs.

10. The tests are available for free use by students currently or previously enrolled at the University of Surrey

On-line tests

The tests are available through the Careers Service web site http://portal.surrey.ac.uk/careers. They include

1. Verbal – looking at your ability to understand written material and work out what logically follows from what you have read 2. Numerical – looking at your ability to solve problems using numerical information 3. Abstract – looking at your ability to find patterns and links between groups of shapes, and seeing where new shapes fit in. This ability is liked to generating new ideas, creative thinking and problem-solving.

Policy for on-line tests

1. The tests are available for free use by students enrolled at the University of Surrey and by those previously enrolled at the University by arrangement with the Careers Service. Information about the tests is provided on the Careers Service website. A report summarising the test results is sent directly to individual participants.

2. All of the assessments on the site have been developed by experienced business psychologists and conform to the British Psychological Society’s guidelines for best practice. 3. The assessments are regularly updated and background information that respondents supply (age, sex, ethnicity) is used to ensure that the assessments are fair to all those that take them.

4. The Careers Service has staff with specific training in interpreting the types of assessment available through this website. If you would like to discuss the results of your assessments with a member of staff, please contact 01483 689001 or email [email protected]

Revised: May 2008