An insightful article around one of the most dreaded aspects of graduate and placement job applications - the psychometric tests. The key to success is practice, and you can get ahead of the game by starting early, before applications open in July for the next round of applications.  These tests come in many different forms, Numerical, Verbal, Logical Reasoning and the softer side of Personality and Situational Judgement. You don’t need to study Maths to pass the numerical tests, but what you do need is tactics and focussed preparation, for all of the tests. There several different main providers of these tests, including Kenexa, SHL and CAPP and it’s key to find out which tests the company you’re applying to, use. With this information, you can practise the style of questions. Key myths that I frequently have to bust are that students often don’t realise is that it’s about how many questions you get right of how many you complete, as well as the fact that when it comes to personality and situational judgement tests, it’s worth being honest, because you won’t be able to consistently ‘guess' the correct characteristics that an employer is looking for, and if you do end up with a job offer and are not suited to the role or culture, you won’t fit in or enjoy what you do. So how can you prepare? Check out the websites for the main providers listed above, you can also purchase practise tests at www.assessmentday.co.uk Here at Henley Business School, I deliver sessions to students on how to prepare for the tests, as well as getting employers in who do the tests as part of the recruitment process, to tell students about how to prepare for them, and give the inside scoop.