Psychological Assessments And Employment Or Other Projects

Undergoing a psychological assessment to determine the cause of specific behavior is very common, and it's what most people think of when they are told that someone has to undergo or has undergone one of these tests. However, psychological assessments are also used as part of the evaluation of someone before they are hired for specific jobs or undertake specific projects. The assessments are used to determine if the person's personality and emotional state would be a good match for the job or project. Not getting a good match does not necessarily mean the person needs counseling, although that can be a good way to follow up if the result is something that prevents the person from moving forward professionally.

Isolated Assignments and Exploration

Isolated assignments like a year on a research project at an Antarctic base require a certain mindset. These postings can be interesting in terms of research but boring in terms of external events. You're with the same small group of people for months on end, often in an environment that, to put it lightly, is not conducive to taking long walks outside away from whoever might be annoying you. Anyone in these situations needs to have a certain level of psychological readiness.

If you aren't level-headed and able to entertain yourself, these assignments could be difficult for you mentally. These projects do require an assessment to ensure that you have the right mindset and the right ability to handle conflict peacefully. If you don't, that's not necessarily bad, but it does mean you wouldn't be well-suited to being in these environments. An inability to deal with the close quarters, monotonous spells as you wait for research to progress, and the lack of places to go to could put the project in jeopardy.

The Military and Other High-Stress Occupations

The U.S. Army evaluates soldiers' well-being and has assessments to determine if the potential recruit would be a good addition to the Armed Forces. Police departments have psychological interviews for applicants, as do government agencies like the FBI. Any job that places people under high stress in situations where they have to think clearly will want you to have an assessment when you apply.

If you've been asked to take one of these assessments and did not "pass," that doesn't mean there's something wrong. It does mean that if you still want to join these fields, you'll need to work on aspects of how you respond in certain situations, and counseling can be a good initial avenue to travel down.  

For more information about psychological testing, contact a local company.