What Is A Pymetrics Test?
Pymetrics tests were created by the company pymetrics, which was bought by the hiring technology firm Harver in 2022. The assessment is a set of 12 or more short games that measure cognitive and emotional attributes. Harver describes pymetrics as an AI based assessment and uses the results to match candidates to roles. Harver describes the games as engaging rather than test-like. Each game looks at a few different traits, such as attention, risk tolerance or learning.
The games have simple instructions and are often easy to follow. The difficult part is understanding which behaviours are required for the individual game. In all of the games, there will be different decision-making opportunities.
The Structure Of Pymetrics Tests
The games are played one after another.
Harver groups what the games measure into nine areas: attention, decision making, effort, emotion, fairness, focus, generosity, learning and risk tolerance.
Harver says candidates take about 25 minutes on average to complete the games. Harver does not publish a description of each game. The games below are the ones candidates commonly report, so the set and the rules you meet may differ.
Easy or Hard Game
The Easy or Hard game assesses effort, decision-making, and motivation. You are given an option between performing an easy or a difficult task. If you choose the easy task and complete it you receive a small reward. If you choose the harder option, the reward is larger.
If you get either task wrong, you will not receive any money. This means choosing the harder task may result in significantly more effort, with no reward.
Keypresses
The keypress game assesses how you follow instructions as well as your impulsivity. In this game, you will need to press one key on your keyboard as many times as possible within a time limit. The start will flash up on the screen instructing you to start pressing the chosen button, when the stop is shown you must stop. This may be difficult as there is a chance of pressing the button after the stop is shown, however, there is a small countdown on the screen for guidance.
Money Exchange 1
The first money exchange game assesses risk-taking and trust. You are given a sum of money and paired with a partner. You then have the option to transfer some of your money to your partner. Afterwards, they transfer you an amount of money. After both transactions, you decide how fair your partner has been.
Money Exchange 2
It is similar to the first, with slightly different rules. In the same way as the first one, you are assigned a partner. One of you starts with more money than the other, and you decide how much, if any, to share.
Cards Game
The cards game assesses risk tolerance, learning, and pattern recognition. You start by drawing cards out of four decks and depending on the card you draw you either win or lose money. The game aims to win as much money as possible. Throughout these games, patterns appear and you must spot them, helping your decisions to become more logical instead of random.
Arrows Game
The arrows game assesses learning, attention, and adaptivity. In this game, you will see a set of flashing arrows. Each time they flash the colour can change and depending on the color you have to respond in a specific way. If the arrows are blue or black, you name the direction of the central arrow. If the arrows are red you name the directions of the arrows on the side. Focus is a key part of this game.
Facial Expressions
The facial expressions game assesses emotional intelligence. In this game, you will have a picture of a face alongside a short description of a situation. By reading the situation and looking at the face, you must decide how the person is feeling. This is a different format from the rest of the games and requires a lot of additional attention. The facial expressions may not line up with the situation as obviously as you’d expect, so it is important to read the situation carefully.
Balloons Game
The balloon game assesses risk-taking, impulsivity, pattern recognition, and decision-making. You have to pump balloons up for money. Each time you add one pump to the balloon you earn more money, but if the balloon bursts, you lose the money for that balloon. The balloons come in a variety of colours which is often the base of the patterns. It is essential to identify the patterns as quickly as possible and make educated guesses from the patterns you notice.
Towers Game
The towers game assesses planning ability. It is a similar version of the Hanoi tower game, where you can move one block at a time to rearrange the towers. You are shown what the towers should look like at the end and must match it in as few moves as you can. Two factors are recorded in this game, the number of moves you make as well as how long before making your first move. Take your time to build a strategy.
Digits Game
The digits game assesses memory. Digits appear on the screen for a short amount of time for you to remember. After you have been shown them all you must recall them in the order they were shown. In each round, the amount of numbers increases by 1. Even though the digits will only be on the screen for a short amount of time, you have a higher chance of remembering them if you say them out loud.
Stop 1
The stop 1 game assesses attention. Red and green circles will flash quickly on the screen and when you see a red circle you must press the space button. This game requires a lot of attention and speed as the circles will change quickly.
Lengths Game
The length game assesses learning, attention to detail, and motivation. In this game, you will see one of two pictures. You will either see a face with a short mouth or a long mouth. Other than this difference, the pictures will be identical. This is a difficult game as the length of the mouth is very similar, making it difficult to identify unless looking at the two pictures side by side. You must react accordingly depending on which picture is presented, pressing a different letter on your keyboard for each one.
Tips To Pass The Pymetrics Tests
1: Look for recurring patterns
A lot of the games are built around patterns. If you can identify the patterns early you have a higher chance of doing well. Focus on colours, shapes and sequences. Once you have identified recurring patterns this will help you understand when different items may appear and when you have to respond accordingly.
2: Stay calm
Many of the games are quick-paced and require fast responses. This can often increase stress which would impact your results. Take deep breaths before and during each game.
3: Stay focused
Each game only lasts a few minutes, often with multiple things happening. Remove any distractions from around you and focus on the screen. It is also important you have a strong internet connection for the game as this could impact your assessment.
4: Practice
Use practice games to get used to the format before the real thing. Each game assesses a variety of skills that may not be something you’re familiar with. Trying examples of the games can help you feel ready on the day.
5: Understand the games
Each game focuses on different traits and understanding what they are looking for offers you the best chance to succeed. It is also important to understand the role you are applying for and how each game fits into those requirements.
