Shlomik, Pymetrics Test specialist at JobTestPrep.
Have a question? Contact me at: ask_shlomik@jobtestprep.com
What is the Pymetrics Test?
Pymetrics test is a collection of 12 online pre-employment assessment games, measuring 91 cognitive, social, and behavioral traits in candidates.
Unlike “normal” psychometric tests, using a standard question-and-answer format, Pymetrics is using innocent-looking games. Yet innocent is probably the last thing you can say about these smart and elaborate games. While playing, a unique AI algorithm closely monitors your behavior, taking notes of every step you make.
Beating the Pymetrics algorithm is what this guide is all about.
The 12 Pymetrics Games
Here is a complete list of the 12 games Pymetrics uses to assess you:
Now, let's see what your employer actually looks at when you take the Pymetrics games.
The Pymetrics Games Assessment Guide [Video]
What Does the Pymetrics Assessment Measure?
Pymetrics is looking at your behavior to measure your personality. It uses neuroscience games, based on well-known psychological experiments, to determine where you stand on a very wide range of traits – attention, risk tolerance, decision making, and many more.
Analyzing 91 traits, the Pymetrics algorithm assembles your personality profile. It is supposedly a bias-free system to assess candidates. Your behavior is what is being looked at, regardless of your background, gender, race, or what school you went to.
The measured personality, cognitive and behavioral traits, all fall in these 9 categories, as described in the Pymetrics assessment official page:
- Attention
- Decision Making
- Effort
- Emotion
- Fairness
- Focus
- Generosity
- Learning
- Risk Tolerance
But what happens once your profile is done? How will your employer know if you are the right fit for the job?
How Does Pymetrics Test Work and How is it Scored?
Pymetrics Assessment is NOT being scored numerically like you’ve been accustomed to. Every employer that uses Pymetrics will first let their top-performing employees in each position play the same 12 games. Using their performance, a benchmark is being set for each position. A kind of fingerprint of the dream employee. This fingerprint is now set as the “right” score.
The logic behind this strategy is clear. A good salesperson has a totally different personality than a software engineer. In sales, you need to be outgoing, with good emotional intelligence, whereas in software maybe it’s best to be focused, with high attention to detail and low-risk tolerance.
Every candidate’s personality profile is being compared to the benchmark profile of the specific position they apply for. The employer will get a full report for each candidate, with a recommendation as to the candidate’s compatibility with the position.
Are Pymetrics Games Hard?
The Pymetrics games are easy to operate, as they are simple games with simple instructions. The hard part is understanding how to behave in each game. You will face numerous decisions, every one of them will have an effect on your personality profile. Deciding what action to take is a difficult task, that requires you to understand what stands behind each game.
And even if you do know what the psychological logic behind each game is, how can you be sure what your employer is looking for exactly? How are candidates being rejected? On what basis?
This is not only hard but extremely frustrating. The first step is to know the games and what each game measures.
Pymetrics Games – the Complete 12 Games List
Balloon Game
In the Pymetrics Balloon game, your job is to pump balloons. Every pump will earn you money. At any point, you choose you can collect your earned money and move on to the next balloon. If you pump too much, the balloon will explode, and you will lose all money earned for this balloon.
The trick here is that the balloons come in different colors, and every color behaves differently. During the game, you are expected to analyze the behavior of each color, and quickly recognize its explosion pattern.
Major traits being measured:
- Risk Tolerance
- Impulsivity
- Pattern Recognition
- Decision Making
Tip: The explosion point for each color is not set in stone, and it varies from balloon to balloon. Having said that, each color has its own probability of an explosion.
While playing the game, pay close attention to the colors and make an educated guess as to when each is about to explode. Every explosion is a chance to learn more about the patterns and how to make a better decision in the next balloon.
Pymetrics Balloon Game Practice
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Tower Game
The Pymetrics Tower Game is a form of the well-known Hanoi Towers game. You will have three towers with different colored disks stacked on them, and an example of how the towers should look like.
Your task is to reorganize the disks according to the example, in the least amount of moves possible.
Major traits being measured:
- Planning
Tip: There are two factors recorded in the game – the number of moves you make, and the initial time it takes you to make the first move. Waiting a bit longer before making the first move shows that you can plan ahead and build a strategy, which is a great trait to emphasize.
Pymetrics tower game practice
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Money Exchange Game #1
In the Pymetrics Money Exchange game #1 (there is a second one, more on that in the next section) you are told that you are randomly assigned to work with another "participant".
The game starts with you earning 10$.
Then, you will have the option to transfer any amount you want to your fellow “participant”. The amount you transfer will triple once transferred.
After you do that, your partner can decide what amount to give back to you. In the end, you have to rate how fair was your partner in this transaction.
Major traits being measured:
- Trust
- Risk Tolerance
Tip: Trust correlates to cooperation – if you tend to trust people around you, then you are more likely to get involved in tasks that require cooperation. Emphasizing trust could tell your employer that you are a good team player.
Pymetrics Money Exchange #1 game practice
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Money Exchange Game #2
The second Pymetrics Money Exchange game might look and feel similar to the first one, but it is actually quite different.
Again, you are told that you are paired with a random participant, and this time both you and your partner earn 5$. Then, only one of you will receive an extra 5$.
Now, you get the opportunity to give your partner some of your extra earned money and rate the fairness of that transaction.
Thinking of the first money exchange game, you might assume this game ends here, but that’s not the case.
You play a second round, and again both of you earn 5$, and only you get the extra 5$. This time, you will have to decide how much of that, if any, you transfer to your partner OR take from them.
Then, you rate the fairness of that transaction.
Major traits being measured:
- Altruism
Tip: Unlike the first money exchange game, here you have full control over the amount of money you and your partner end up with. Keeping that in mind, you have to be consistent and stand behind your choice when you rank the fairness of the transaction.
Pymetrics Money Exchange #2 game practice
Want to practice the Money Exchange #2 Game?
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Keypress Game
The Pymetrics Keypress game is really simple. Almost TOO simple. All you have to do here is press a key on your keyboard as many times as you can in a given time. That’s it.
So, what’s the trick here?
This innocent-looking game is actually all about your ability to understand instructions.
You have to start pressing the key ONLY when you are asked to and stop exactly when you are asked to.
Major traits being measured:
- Processing Instructions
- Motor Functioning
- Impulsivity
Tip: Be alert of the “GO!” message, as it will surprise you. Pressing the key too early might send a signal that you are impulsive.
Pymetrics Keypresses practice
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Hard or Easy Task Game
In this game you are faced with two choices – perform an easy task that you will most likely be able to complete or a hard one that will be harder to complete. For the easy task, you will get less money than you would for the hard task.
The trick here is that for each round you will have a different probability of earning that money. For example, this means that you can put a lot of effort into the hard task and end up with no money at all.
Major traits being measured:
- Effort
- Strategic Decision Making
- Motivation
Tip: In case that the winning probability is low AND the reward for the hard task is low, it makes sense to choose the easy task. This decision shows that you are able to think strategically and that you know where to put your effort.
Pymetrics Hard or Easy Game Practice
Want to practice the Hard or Easy Game?
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Digits Memory Game
In the Pymetrics Digits game, you are asked to memorize as many digits as you can. The digits will flash quickly on your screen, and once finished you will have to recall and type them in the correct order.
In each round, the number of digits will increase by one, which will make it harder and harder to memorize as you progress.
Try out this simulation:
Major traits being measured:
- Memory
Tip: While the digits appear quickly on your screen, try to read them out loud. Your memory performs better when you are active and not passive.
Pymetrics Digits Game Practice
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Stop Game
This game has one simple rule – press the Spacebar only when a red circle appears on your screen. What makes it hard is that you will see both red and green circles and that they will flash quickly on your screen.
Get a feel of how hard it is with this simulation (with triangles instead of circles):
Major traits being measured:
- Attention
Tip: Pay close attention when you see a sequence of red circles. Once the green circle appears, it will be much harder to inhibit your response. So, when you recognize a sequence, you need to be extra alert for that green circle.
Pymetrics Stop Game practice
Want to practice the Stop Game?
If you want the Pymetrics Games practice bundle, get it now.
Arrows Game
In this Pymetrics Arrows game, you will see different sets of flashing arrows. For each set you will have to respond differently, following two rules:
- If the arrows are blue or black, you have to indicate the direction of the middle arrow.
- If the arrows are red, you have to indicate the direction of the side arrows.
Major traits being measured:
- Learning
- Attention
- Adaptivity
Tip: This game consists of 135 rounds and lasts 3 minutes. This is a very long game, and you have to be ready to keep your focus for a long period of time.
Pymetrics arrows game practice
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Lengths Game
In each round, you will be presented with a drawing of a face with either a short mouth or a long mouth. For each round, you have to determine which is it and react accordingly.
This is a very hard game, as the lengths of the short and long mouths are very similar to one another. It is almost impossible to distinguish unless you look at both at once.
Try it out with this simulation where the length of the cat's mustache is what is being measured:
Major traits being measured:
- Learning
- Attention to details
- Motivation
Tip: In some cases, you will earn money for the correct answer. Don’t be fooled, this does not happen EVERY time you get it right. So, learning from your earnings is only a probability and not a rule.
Pymetrics Lengths Game Practice
Want to practice the Lengths Game?
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Cards Game
In this game, you will have to draw cards out of four decks. For each draw, you will either earn money or lose money. Your goal is to reach the end of the game with as much money as possible.
Before drawing a card, you do not know whether you are about to win or lose. What seems random at first, will start to get clear when you progress in the game and recognize the patterns.
Major traits being measured:
- Risk tolerance
- Learning
- Pattern Recognition
Tip: You are expected to pay attention to the patterns and act accordingly. Make sure you have a strategy for deciding which deck to draw from and avoid clicking on a random deck.
Pymetrics Cards Game Practice
Want to practice the Cards Game?
If you want the Pymetrics Games practice bundle, get it now.
Faces Game
This is quite a different game from the rest, as it does not concern your cognitive abilities, but your emotional abilities.
You will be shown pictures of faces with different expressions. Some of the pictures are accompanied by a short text describing a situation. Your job is to determine what the person in the picture is feeling.
Major traits being measured:
- Emotional intelligence
Tip: In some cases, the expression seems to describe a certain emotion while the text implies a totally different emotion.
When this happens pay extra attention and choose wisely.
Pymetrics Faces Game Practice
Want to practice the Faces Game?
If you want the Pymetrics Games practice bundle, get it now.
How Important are the Pymetrics Games?
The Pymetrics games are VERY important. People tend to underestimate them – it’s only a game, what’s the worst that could happen? Little do they know that companies reject a huge part of candidates solely on the basis of these games. This means that if you are not well prepared, you will not get the chance to impress on an interview.
Can You Redo Pymetrics?
You can only play the Pymetrics games once every 330 days – practically once a year. And more importantly, your scores are eligible for ALL companies you apply for. This shows how seriously you have to take these games. You only have one chance to get it right.
How Do You Do a Pymetrics Test?
The Pymetrics games are played online. You will get an email from your employer with a link to a sign-up page. After creating a user, you have to go to the Pymetrics login page, log in to the platform and start playing the games. After completing the games, your employer will get a detailed report including a recommendation.
What Companies Use Pymetrics?
The biggest companies using Pymetrics are JP Morgan, Unilever, Mastercard, BCG, Accenture, and Blackstone.
The biggest use of Pymetrics is in the financial and consulting industries, where the competition is fierce. But we do see that more and more companies choose this as a solution to screen a large number of candidates efficiently.
Major Companies Using Pymetrics
JP Morgan Chase - The biggest bank in the US, and 4th largest bank in the world. It is considered one of the top three banks to work for, and therefore one of the hardest firms to get into. It is based in New York, but employs around 250,000 employees worldwide, with a major base in London. It is also one of the only companies that use Pymetrics for all positions.
For more information please visit our dedicated Pymetrics JP Morgan page.
BCG - One of the big three consulting firms in the world. It is based in the US, but has more than 90 offices worldwide, with 22,000 employees. However, Pymetrics is used mostly in the US locations. For more information please visit our dedicated Pymetrics BCG page.
Bain & Co - Another member of the big three consulting firms. It is famous for its great work culture and has been ranked the #1 place to work for a few years in a row. It is based in the US, and employs around 10,000 employees worldwide.
AstraZeneca - A major pharmaceutical company, that among other things was in the public eye for developing a COVID-19 vaccine. It is a British-Swedish company based in England that employs around 75,000 employees worldwide. The use of Pymetrics is mainly for the graduate program and includes additional tests. For more information please visit our dedicated Pymetrics AstraZeneca page.
UPS - The United Parcel Service is the largest courier company in the world. It is based in the US, but employs almost 500,000 employees worldwide, with package handlers being the most popular position. As such, Pymetrics is primarily used to screen candidates for that position in the US. For more information please visit our dedicated UPS Pymetrics page.
Unilever - A British multinational consumer goods company, owns more than 400 brands and sells products in over 190 countries. The range of products is starched from foods and vitamins to beauty products and self-care. Pymetrics is used mainly to screen candidates for Asia locations.
JLL - A global commercial real estate company, considered to be one of the big three in that field. It is based in the UK but holds offices in over 80 countries. Pymetrics is used mainly for UK-based positions. For more information please visit our dedicated JLL Pymetrics page.
Blackstone - One of the more lucrative alternative investment firms out there. Many candidates prefer to go to a boutique firm like this one rather than get lost inside one of the big investment banks. In the alternative investment field, this is one of the better options.
Fidelity Investments - Another investment firm that is not one of the big banks. However, the Boston-based firm is still quite large with around 40,000 employees worldwide.
Accenture - This Irish consulting firm is one of the biggest and most important professional services companies in the world. It handles some of the biggest clients out there, and to do so it employs about 500,000 employees worldwide.
PwC - The second largest professional services company in the world, and a member of the lucrative "Big Four" accounting firms. It is extremely hard to be one of the 250,000 employees in this firm, and Pymetrics is used mainly to screen candidates for the Singapore locations.
Mastercard - One of the largest and most well-known financial services companies in the world. It is based in New York and employs around 20,000 employees worldwide.
Kraft Heinz - The 5th largest food and beverage company in the world. It is based in the US and employs almost 40,000 employees worldwide.
Rio Tinto - This Anglo-Australian company is the 2nd largest metals and mining corporation in the world. It is based in London and employs around 45,000 employees worldwide.
McDonald's - This very well-known American fast-food company has almost 40,000 restaurants in more than 119 countries. It is the world's 2nd largest employer with more than 1.9 million employees. Pymetrics is used to screen candidates for selected positions in certain locations.
Hyatt - An American hospitality company operating 1,175 hotels worldwide. It employs around 130,000 employees to operate a large number of hotels and resorts.
Diageo - The second largest beverage alcohol in the world. It is based in London but operates in more than 180 countries. It is also the largest producer of Scotch whisky in the world and employs around 30,000 employees worldwide.
Is Pymetrics Accurate?
The Pymetrics games are based on verified psychological experiments. They have been tested again and again, and the more they are played, the more accurate the algorithm gets. Be aware, the report you get after playing the games is NOT the same as the one your employer gets. Your employer has quite an accurate concept of your personality.
How Long is Pymetrics?
Around 25 minutes.
The Pymetrics test includes 12 games, each one takes around 2-3 minutes to complete. You can choose to take breaks between games, but if you choose not to – it takes about 25 minutes to complete.
How Do I Prepare for a Pymetrics Test?
- Understand each and every game, what stands behind it and what it measures.
- Research your employer and try to understand what qualities they are looking for in their employees, for your specific position.
- Make sure all your keyboard keys are working properly, especially the Spacebar.
Pymetrics Games Practice
- The first and ONLY available full accurate practice for Pymetrics Games.
- Train yourself with interactive games that EXACTLY simulate the real Pymetrics games.
- Including extensive guides that will help you understand exactly how to approach all Pymetrics games.
