Personality tests for better hiring

  1. Overview

    Today's competitive marketplace poses great challenges in hiring the right candidate. The reliance on functional skills alone has resulted in many poor cultural fits, high rates of attrition, and low productivity. Assessments based on personality can help employers get beyond resumes to ensure a candidate fits both the role as well as the culture of the company. Here's how to make the most out of such assessments.

  2. The need for multi-dimensional match

    Recruitment is not just about getting a right fit in terms of skills. The right candidate must also fit the team structure and organizational culture. Personality tests are a good way of finding whether a candidate fits well with an organization's values and working environment. Such time and resource-sparing mismatches avoid the risk, leading to a high level of productivity and retention.

  3. Key personality characteristics

    Most personality tests measure such traits as openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability. Such tests are more relevant in decisions involving equal technical competence. These studies let the recruiter eliminate candidates that may otherwise appear perfect on paper but are lacking in flexibility or social skills in real life.

  4. Avoid labeling people

    People cannot be fitted into rigid mold or box: extrovert/committed. Personality tests should give more insights so that instead of boxing them within a stereotype, each candidate will bring something unique to the table while the information gathered can still guide decision-making.

  5. Flexibility and balance to suit the team dynamic

    For recruitment, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work. Personality assessment customized for specific roles and team requirements will ensure better performance. The test design must be based on historical data and interaction among the teams to recruit applicants that supplement strengths in the current team and solve the gaps effectively.

  6. Expertise in interpreting results

    An individual personality test is interpreted as its value. Results of the test are just raw data before experts analyze them to derive meaningful insights. Recruiters must work with skilled professionals who can accurately evaluate findings and incorporate them into the hiring decision-making process. Personality tests can close gaps in a team because they focus on the team's weaknesses and needs rather than hiring someone who mirrors the existing people. Instead, recruiters can call in candidates to balance the team and fill a specific void.

  7. Conclusion

    Personality tests are a powerful recruitment tool when used wisely in modern recruitment. They provide a deeper understanding of candidates and their potential fit within a team or organization. Employers can make better hiring decisions, therefore stronger teams and better outcomes, with the proper use of such tests.