From what I've seen more
companies are having applicants take personality tests. The question as always
still lingers however, do these tests actually help figure out whether a person
is a good fit for a job?
According to a 2011 survey
completed by SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), nearly 20% of
employers use personality tests to help with hiring.
The tests are designed to measure
attitudes, emotional adjustment, interests and interpersonal skills. For
example, they might include questions about whether an applicant likes parties
and social events or dislikes being told what to do.
Some critics say personality
assessments disqualify candidates for the wrong reasons. Others raise the
question, is the test being used by the hiring company the right test. For
example, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is not meant to be used in
selection situations. The technical manual even goes so far as to say this and
it is generally used for team-building.
There are multiple factors that
can impact a person’s performance and a hiring company needs multiple steps in
the hiring process to make an informed decision, keeping in mind there are no
sure bets. The selection process is an attempt at identifying the best
candidate to the best of the hiring teams’ ability given the information they
have at hand at that moment.
The typical process could include: resume; application; interviews (minimum three, including initial phone interview); employment and credential verification; background check if required; reference check (minimum two); income verification; assessment tool; team meeting.
I’m all for the use of
assessment tools if they are used to help identify areas to focus on during the
actual interview. I admit, however, that I’m not a big fan of the all or
nothing process used by some companies with the assessments. Testing can be a
tool used to ask more informed questions that help you dig deeper. I believe
that testing should be a guide and not a fixed label.
There seems to be a trend where
these assessments are being used to rule people out without even an interview
verse using them as a tool. What are your experiences?
Scot Dickerson, CPC
President
President
Capstone
