Around 65% of UK employers use psychometric testing as part of their recruitment and selection process; however, the number of law firms using them is significantly below this. Regardless of whether you love or loathe them they are a fact of life but knowing what to expect will help you approach these tests more positively.

But you can tip the scales in your favour by learning how your responses will be interpreted by either taking your own test online as part of your pre-interview preparation or simply understanding how these tests work and what they seek to achieve. So what can you expect and why do employers use psychometric tests?

Psychometric testing is used by employers to identify the strengths and weaknesses of candidates, with each test designed to focus on your ability to perform certain tasks that are specific to the position you are applying for. So in the legal sector, there are tests that check your verbal reasoning while others will examine your numerical or your 'diagrammatic' reasoning - designed to assess your logical reasoning ability.

Typically, psychometric tests consist of multiple choice questions that are administered under exam conditions with around 20 or 30 minutes allocated for candidates to complete them.

During the verbal reasoning test, for example, you could be presented with a series of short passages of text - each followed by a number of statements. You will be charged with the task of deciding if the statement can logically be deduced from the information in the text. The aim here is for an employer to see how well you can disseminate an accurate and precise meaning from the information you are given.

With psychometric tests there is only a right or wrong answer. However, personality tests have neither right nor wrong answers.

Unlike psychometric tests, the personality test is not interested in your skills or experience but instead seeks to determine if your personality is conducive with those of the organisation - will you fit in with the company's culture, are you able to cope well under pressure and work under your own initiative, do you have the ability to prioritorise your workload to meet the demands of the business?

If you are unsure about what to expect, go online to familiarise yourself with these type of tests. And although practicing these tests is no guarantee that you pass with flying colours when it comes to taking it for real during the interview process itself, they will at the very least give you more confidence to anticipate the type of questions you may be asked which will invariably improve your overall performance on the day.