UK Recruitment Glossary
Psychometric Test
In recruiter context
Three main types in UK hiring. Numerical/verbal/logical reasoning tests (often via SHL, Saville, or Cubiks) sit at the top of graduate funnels and filter the bottom 30-50%. Personality questionnaires (Hogan, OPQ, 16PF) come later — there's no 'right' answer, but consistency across questions matters. Situational judgement tests give you scenarios and ask what you'd do — there are right answers, calibrated against high-performers. Practice on free banks before doing the real thing — most candidates score 15-20% higher on their second attempt than their first, which is the entire point of practising.
Related terms
Onboarding
The process of setting up a new hire — paperwork, equipment, training, introductions.
Headhunter
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Employment Gap
Any period without paid employment shown on a UK CV — redundancy, parental leave, illness, caring, s…
Reskilling
Learning new skills to move into a different career or industry — the deeper version of upskilling.