UNDERSTAND - PSYCHOMETRICS

Most personality questionnaires are not psychometric tests. Ours are.

BPS-accredited psychometric assessment is a different standard from the off-the-shelf profiling tools that HR software bundles as standard. Magda Parker holds BPS Testing Centre accreditation — delivering validated, independently normed assessments at Level A and Level B.

A

Level A — Ability & Aptitude

Level A tests measure cognitive abilities — verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, abstract reasoning, spatial ability, and error checking. They are used in selection, development, and return-to-work contexts where demonstrated capability is the question.

Ability tests have right and wrong answers. They predict job performance more reliably than interviews in almost every study that has examined the question.

  • Verbal reasoning

  • Numerical reasoning

  • Abstract and inductive reasoning

  • Error checking and clerical aptitude

  • Situational judgement

B

Level B — Personality & Behaviour

Level B assessments measure personality traits, work styles, motivational drivers, and behavioural preferences. They have no right or wrong answers — they describe tendencies. They are used in selection, leadership development, team profiling, and coaching.

Level B is the more demanding BPS accreditation. Relatively few practitioners hold it. It governs access to the most powerful assessment instruments.

  • Personality questionnaires (Big Five, OPQ32 equivalents)

    Leadership and management styles

    Team roles and dynamics

    Motivational and values profiling

    Emotional intelligence and resilience


When psychometric assessment is the right tool.

Assessment works best when there is a specific question to answer about a person, a team, or a selection decision. It is not a one-size-fits-all diagnostic. It is a precise instrument.

Senior recruitment and selection

Structured psychometric assessment in selection reduces bias and predicts performance more reliably than unstructured interviews. Particularly valuable for leadership, client-facing, and specialist roles where a poor hire is costly.

Leadership development and succession planning

Understanding a leader's natural style, strengths, and potential derailers grounded in validated data, not self-report assumptions — informs more targeted development interventions.


Team dynamics and conflict root cause

When a team is underperforming or in conflict, personality and work-style profiling frequently explains the tension. Not to assign blame, but to build mutual understanding of different working patterns.

Neurodiversity and reasonable adjustment assessment

Psychometric assessment informs reasonable adjustment planning for neurodivergent employees — identifying cognitive strengths and the conditions under which performance is maximised.

Post-Workplace Needs Assessment follow-through

Where the WNA identifies an individual-level factor capability, personality, or motivation — psychometric profiling gives the precision the WNA cannot. These two services work in sequence.

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02

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05

The assessment process.

Every assessment is administered, scored, and fed back by Magda Parker personally. The output is actionable, not just a report that sits in a drawer.

Step 01

Assessment brief

We identify the specific question the assessment needs to answer, the most appropriate instrument, and who will receive the results and how.

Step 02

Online completion via Numetric

Participants complete the assessment online through the Numetric platform. Typical completion time 20–45 minutes depending on the instrument. Accessible on desktop or mobile.

Step 03

Scored report generation

Results are automatically scored against validated norm groups. A narrative report is generated — interpreting scores in context, not just reporting numbers.

Step 04

Feedback and debrief

For individual assessments: a 60-minute debrief with the participant. For team profiles: a group session. For selection: a written recommendation to the commissioning manager.

Questions about psychometrics.

What makes BPS-accredited assessment different from off-the-shelf tools

WHAT THIS OFTEN LEADS TO


Assessment without action is a report that sits in a drawer. Clients who engage with psychometrics frequently continue with targeted interventions based on the findings.

You cannot develop what you have not measured.