Psychometric testing for recruitment and selection in the NSW Public Service

In 2025, ANZSOG was commissioned by the Office of the Public Service Commissioner (NSW) to undertake a review of the evidence for the predictive validity of psychometric tests for selection and recruitment. The report informed guidance from the Commissioner to the New South Wales public service.

The report considers the latest evidence regarding the 4 kinds of psychometric tests used in the NSW public service: cognitive ability tests, personality tests, emotional intelligence tests, and situation judgement tests.

5 key cross-cutting themes emerge from the report’s findings:

1. Psychometric tests are most useful as part of a larger, multi-stage selection process.

2. Psychometric testing shapes the candidate pool and so the potential effects of inherent biases and differential results across groups requires careful monitoring.

3. The use case for non-cognitive psychometric tests is strongest for leadership and managerial roles.

4. The development of artificial intelligence is changing the way that selection operates in practice.

5. Recent literature supports the usefulness of psychometric testing for recruitment and selection – and largely support current NSW policy.

While written for the NSW Government, the evidence is relevant to selection and recruitment practices across jurisdictions, and will be of interest to all public sector recruiters and hiring managers.