Preparing for psychometric tests in law applications

Laura Herman

By Laura Herman, law student graduate

I am a trainee solicitor at a Silver Circle law firm in London and during my third year of my LLB I completed a number of psychometric tests.

Psychometric tests aren’t exactly the most exciting part of applying to law firms. But they’re really important. You could spend hours perfecting your application, only to have it rejected because you didn’t hit the benchmark on a test you barely thought about. In this post, I’ll walk you through the types of psychometric tests I’ve come across, how to prepare for them, and the resources that helped me feel more confident

The importance of psychometric tests

Psychometric tests can be very daunting and can potentially make or break your applications, especially to law firms. You may have spent weeks researching and crafting a great application however not reaching a firm’s required benchmark on a psychometric test can often mean your application is not even looked at by recruitment teams which is why it is vital that you properly prepare for and understand the tests which are required for the firm or company you are applying to.

Types of tests I encountered

The psychometric tests I have done were all for legal applications, with situational judgement tests (SJT) and Watson Glaser tests being the most common which I have experienced.

Situational judgement tests (SJT)

SJTs are quite broad, and their content can be different for each company, however, usually involve scenario-based question based on what you would do in a workplace situation. These tests are usually bespoke to firms so it is important to understand what the company values are and what their priorities are. It is also important to be commercially aware and understand how businesses operate.

Watson Glaser Tests

Watson Glaser tests assess your critical thinking and reasoning skills. They are usually broken up into 5 different sections which are all answered a bit differently. I found it very helpful watching videos online where they would break down and explain each section of the test and give advice on how to properly answer the questions. Additionally, for both SJT and Watson Glaser tests, practice tests are very useful and definitely need to be a key part of your preparation.

We have a number of different resources available to help with psychometric test preparation, including platforms like Graduates First where you are able to complete many different types of practice psychometric tests.