How should employers use personality tests in hiring?

Use validated assessments to inform fit and behavior, apply insights correctly, and never rely on them alone. They aid fairer, faster hiring and predict job fit, but accuracy is limited, so combine them with interviews and work samples.

In today's fast-paced and interconnected world, understanding human behavior and personality has become increasingly important across various professional contexts.

Enter personality test – a powerful tool that offers valuable insights into the complex intricacies of an individual's character and traits.

Going ahead, we delve into the different types of personality tests and their significance in professional settings. We will explore the purpose and methodology behind these assessments, examining how they are used to assess an individual's strengths, weaknesses, and potential fit within an organization.

With a focus on accuracy and reliability, we will also analyze the effectiveness of personality tests as a means of evaluating and predicting behavior and whether it should be a metric to make decisions in areas such as recruitment, team building, and career development.

• What are personality tests?
• What are the benefits of personality tests?
• Are personality tests accurate?
• What are the different types of personality tests?

What are Personality Tests?

Personality tests aim to assess an individual's personality traits, such as extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, emotional stability, and agreeableness.

Personality tests help employers assess how an individual may approach tasks, interact with others, handle stress, and adapt to different work environments.

Ultimately, personality tests assist in predicting job performance, team dynamics, and cultural alignment, aiding in the selection of candidates who are likely to succeed and thrive in the organization.

Also read: What are career tests and what is the need to take one?

Benefits of Personality Tests

Personality tests are a great way to gain a better understanding of the candidate and can, in turn, help with rapport building between the employer and employee in the future.

Here are some of the benefits of personality tests:

Improved Candidate Selection

One of the main benefits of personality tests is that they can help employers to identify candidates who are most likely to be successful in a certain role.

By understanding an individual's personality traits and values, employers can determine whether or not they would be a good fit for the culture and values of the organization. This can help to reduce turnover rates and improve employee engagement and productivity.

Also read: How to answer ‘Why are you a good match for this role?’

Enhanced Team Dynamics

Personality tests can also help employers to build cohesive and productive teams by selecting candidates who complement the personalities and skills of their existing team members.

This can lead to a more harmonious and positive working environment, which can benefit both the employees and the organization as a whole.

Also read: What behaviors are considered criteria for a hostile work environment?

Reduced Hiring Time

LinkedIn stated that the average time to hire someone is 14.4 days and every company has its own way of finding employees.

Personality tests can help hiring managers or recruiters not only hire the best-suited candidates for a role but also make decisions regarding promotions or pay raises based on skill sets instead of gut feelings alone.

Also read: How to ask for a raise in writing?

Are Personality Tests Accurate?

Sherrie Haynie, Director of US Professional Services for The Myers-Briggs Company, says:

“Personality tests can play a helpful, objective role in the hiring process, provided that:

1) the proper assessment is used
2) insights are applied correctly
3) it is not the only way you are determining who to hire”

When implemented correctly, utilizing personality tests in the hiring process has the potential to decrease discrimination related to gender, ethnicity, and other variables.

For example, cognitive ability tests have been found to disproportionately affect specific demographic groups, whereas personality tests typically do not show bias against individuals from protected categories.

While personality tests may not be entirely accurate, they serve as valuable tools for enhancing hiring choices and guaranteeing that a suitable candidate is placed in the company.

The insights offered by personality tests aid in developing a deeper comprehension of oneself and others, ultimately leading to a more effective and productive work environment.

Also read: What points to avoid in a message to the hiring manager?

6 Types of Personality Tests

Source: Indeed

1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): This personality test categorizes individuals into one of 16 personality types based on four dimensions: extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. It focuses on understanding how people perceive the world, make decisions, and interact with others.

2. Big 5 Personality Traits: This personality test measures personality across five dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. It provides a comprehensive assessment of an individual's personality by analyzing the level of each trait, offering insights into behavior, preferences, and social tendencies.

3. DISC Assessment: This personality test classifies individuals based on four primary personality traits: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. It aims to assess behavioral styles and communication preferences, helping individuals understand their strengths, weaknesses, and interaction styles in different situations.

4. Enneagram: This personality test identifies nine different personality types, each characterized by a unique set of motivations, fears, and core desires. It delves into an individual's internal motivations, defense mechanisms, and ways of relating to themselves and others, promoting personal growth and understanding.

5. StrengthsFinder: This personality test focuses on identifying an individual's top strengths out of 34 potential themes. It helps individuals understand their employability skills, enabling them to leverage their strengths for professional success.

6. Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): This personality test assesses an individual's personality traits and provides insights into their behavior, strengths, and potential areas of development. It aims to predict workplace performance and success by examining traits like ambition, sociability, and sensitivity to criticism.

Also read: How to answer what are your strengths and weaknesses?

FAQs on Personality Tests

Q. Why are personality tests flawed?

A. Personality tests can sometimes be flawed because they rely on self-reporting, which is subjective and influenced by various factors such as mood, social desirability, and self-perception biases, leading to inaccurate or inconsistent results. Additionally, they often oversimplify complex human personalities and fail to capture the dynamic and multifaceted nature of individuals.

Q. Why do people give personality tests?

A. People give/take personality tests to gain insights into individuals' behavioral patterns, preferences, and traits, which can be useful in various contexts such as employment screening, career guidance, team building, and self-discovery. They provide a structured framework for assessing and understanding personality traits, aiding in decision-making processes, and promoting self-awareness.

Q. What type of personality test is most accurate?

A. The Big Five Personality Test is by far the most scientifically validated and reliable psychological model to measure personality.

Q. Which is the most commonly used personality test by companies?

A. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, also known as the MBTI, is often used by companies during the hiring process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

• What are personality tests?

  Personality tests assess traits like extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, emotional stability, and agreeableness. You use them to understand how you approach tasks, interact with others, handle stress, and adapt to different work environments.

• What are the benefits of personality tests?

  You gain a better understanding of candidates, support improved candidate selection, enhance team dynamics, and reduce hiring time. This helps align fit with culture and values, which can reduce turnover rates and improve employee engagement and productivity.

• Are personality tests accurate?

  They play a helpful, objective role when the proper assessment is used, insights are applied correctly, and you do not use them as the only hiring method. They are not entirely accurate but provide valuable insights for better hiring choices.

• What are the different types of personality tests?

  Common types include Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Big 5 Personality Traits, DISC Assessment, Enneagram, StrengthsFinder, and Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI). Each assesses traits and behaviors to offer insights into preferences, motivations, and workplace performance.

• How do employers use personality tests in hiring?

  You use personality tests to assess how you approach tasks, interact with others, handle stress, and adapt to different work environments. The insights help predict job performance, team dynamics, and cultural alignment.

• Should you use personality tests as the only hiring criterion?

  You should not use personality tests as the only hiring criterion. Use the proper assessment, apply insights correctly, and do not rely on them as the only way you determine who to hire.

• Can personality tests reduce hiring time?

  Personality tests can help reduce hiring time by helping you identify best-suited candidates and base decisions on skill sets instead of gut feelings. LinkedIn stated that the average time to hire someone is 14.4 days.

• Can personality tests help reduce bias in hiring?

  When implemented correctly, personality tests can decrease discrimination related to gender, ethnicity, and other variables. Personality tests typically do not show bias against individuals from protected categories.

• Which type of personality test is most accurate?

  The Big Five Personality Test is by far the most scientifically validated and reliable psychological model to measure personality.

• Why are personality tests flawed?

  Personality tests can be flawed because they rely on self-reporting influenced by mood, social desirability, and self-perception biases, causing inaccurate or inconsistent results. They often oversimplify complex, dynamic personalities.