Psychometric testing has invaded the legal clerkship process. Got a great set of relevant extracurriculars? Doesn’t matter if you don’t get past the screening!
This is just one of various changes over the last 3 – 4 years that shake up how the entire clerkship process is managed. Is it making it harder? Only time will tell.
This post offers an overview of psychometric testing and tips on what you can do now to prepare.
Contents
Law firms use online (psychometric) testing to screen clerkship applicants
The biggest change over the last few years is the introduction of online psychometric testing. Law firms (and the testing providers) argue that psychometric testing ensures law firms can identify candidates with specific skill sets that would benefit their workplace.
There is one clear advantages for law students: it removes bias in the clerkship selection process. Because the testing is objectives, law students won’t be disadvantaged if they didn’t go to the “right” school, were unlucky to get the final interview slot for the day with a very tired interviewer, or simply didn’t get along with the interviewer.
There are more advantages for law firms, however.
In years past, HR teams would undertake the initial cull of the applications (which regularly exceeds 1000 at the largest Australian firms), and then the resume and cover letter of the first round applicants would be sent to lawyers to review. For example, 15 or 20 senior associates who review 10 or 15 applications each (total 150 – 300) and be asked to cull around half (total 75 – 150). The now smaller number would go to the partners (5 each).
Now, all of this work can be delegated to psychometirc testing which reduces the enormous workload of the the HR team, lawyers and partners in screening resumes and cover letters.
The other advantage for law firms is, as mentioned before, the idea that a specific personality type (or mix of personality types) can be chosen to suit the firm.
What psychometric tests are used by law firms?
The following psychometric testing is used by law firms:
- Revelian / Cognify – this seems to be the most popular test by far.
- Koru.
- Korn Ferry.
- Pymetric.
- SHL.
- Watson-Glaser critical thinking test.
Tips for psychometric testing
You will see advice that psychometric testing for clerkships and graduate programs does not require preparation. This is bad advice!
Try some of the following:
- At the very least, take some time to read about the test you’re taking so that you know what you’re up against.
- Some test providers will also also have practice tests available online – give them a shot.
- Check out YouTube. There is a surprising amount of information available there.
- Overall, be sensible. You don’t need to bunker down in the law school library for weeks on end, but at the same time, you don’t want to start your test without knowing what its going to involve.
You might not be able to game the test, but your ability to do well will significantly increase with some practice and awareness of what is expected of you. In short, don’t turn up to game day without practice.
Other tips
- You can choose the time so whether you’re an early bird or night owl, choose the time of the day when you’re energy levels are best.
- Get a good night sleep the day before.
- Choose a time when there are no distractions.
For all Revelian testing your results are held by Revelian for 12 months and will be given to all firms that use the software. You only have one shot every 12 months so make it count!
Don’t forget networking as a way to avoid psychometric testing altogether. If you manage to meet with a partner and give a favourable impression, HR teams will generally take that partners advice to push you past testing.
Outdated advice is everywhere – you’re doing just fine!
You might have noticed a few comments in my posts from a few years ago saying you should “just apply to as many firms as you can and everything will be fine”.
While this advice ultimately still holds true in a general sense – you should try to apply to as many places as possible – the current clerkship applications are so time consuming that its just not this simple anymore. You can’t copy / paste your application so easily now!
Keep this in mind – and don’t beat yourself up – if anyone is telling you to copy / paste your application to 20+ firms (including on this blog). That’s probably an indication that they applied over 3 / 4 years ago. Seriously, it was easier back then.
Good luck with your clerkship applications, and if you have any extra information that could help other law students then leave a comment below!
A general thought on psychometric testing or other kinds of aptitude test.
I have never agreed with the notion that one does not need preparation for a test. This is whether it is a test for a selective school (years 7-12), the GAMSAT, the LSAT or any other kind of test, even NAPLAN. The particular entry system or evaluation system may well be gamed and where it is known that a well-known test will be used to screen out or measure certain qualities, like learning for a piano exam or training in the sporting field, there will always be practising exams and/or coaching for that particular exam.
It is not unusual that people will look to past exam papers to get a feel for the type of questions and kind of thinking. I read the other day (in July) that people getting coaching for selective school tests are learning techniques that is not taught in the current curriculum. The same applies for entrance tests or psychometric tests.
An general analogy is that an elite athlete has a coach. So why not have some kind of preparation or coaching for an entrance test.
Google search coaching for aptitude tests for all kinds of occupations and there is a market for it.
People will testify that if it was not for test preparation courses and/or coaching, they would not achieve the goal. To illustrate, a friend from school went to a well-known coach in chemistry in Strathfield, the late Mr John N Lofts. My friend said that if it was not for Mr Lofts, he would not get into pharmacy at USyd. Similarly, I was speaking to another old boy from the school I went to. He went to mathematics coach. Lo and behold many of the students at the maths coach were in his year at school because the maths teacher was not crash hot.
While I was studying for my law degree at a Gof8, many of the fellow students were straight from the HSC. From my small sample of friends, it appears that most of the students had some form of coaching in order to achieve the entrance mark in the HSC. OK it was a small sample, but the general trend is that where there is a barrier to entry into a particular university course or particular school or particular job through a test, there will be a particular market in coaching/preparation for the test.
Thank you,
Anthony of Sydney
Post Script: While organisations or schools or other entities may use psychometric testing, and if the test indicates your unsuitability for a course or job, it does not mean that these tests are “Gospel”.
I remember doing psychometric tests in years 10 and 12 and they indicated that I should leave year 10 and that I would never be good for university. Instead of the school advising me on how to improve, they school never listened and was not charitable even though it was supposedly catholic especially when one’s parents paid good after-tax dollars in fees. I could write more on that.
I interviewed on the UTS/Macquarie University station 2SER-fm the famous educator Jane Elliot of “Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes” fame, and asked her how one from a low SES can get out of a rut. She replied that one should not accept what the people above you define you. I certainly did not accept what the teachers and counsellor defined me as. I eventually went to university instead of becoming servile factory fodder. I could also write more on that.
In sum, don’t let your ability to do a test define you.
Thank you,
Anthony, LLB(UNSW) of Sydney