What are Personality Tests?
Personality tests are assessments used to measure an individual’s psychological characteristics and predict their behavior in certain situations. There are many different types of commercial personality tests on the market today that provide employers with valuable insights into potential job candidates, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Big Five Personality Test (BFPT). Each test measures distinct aspects of one’s personality; for example, the MBTI looks at how individuals process information and make decisions, while the BFPT examines traits such as extroversion and agreeableness.
Personality tests are an invaluable tool for employers when it comes to selecting the ideal candidate for a job. These tests help employers measure and evaluate personality traits, values and characteristics that may not be revealed through traditional hiring methods. Personality tests can also provide insights into how particular individuals function, think and communicate in work environments or teams, helping employers or recruiters make more informed hiring decisions.
Based on the personality of the candidates, companies can better predict their behavioral tendencies at the workplace and decide if the individual would be a good fit for the company culture and goals. They can also gain a sneak peek into the candidate’s communication style or leadership style, and suitability for the job position to be filled.
With all of this in mind, it’s easy to see why many companies make use of personality tests for hiring. To further understand the reasons, here are 5 advantages of using personality tests for the hiring process.
Benefits of Personality Tests:
1. Cost Effective and Easy to Use
It is very simple to set up an online personality test where the results are generated immediately upon completion of the test. Because these tests can be done on almost any device and can be filled out anywhere anytime, they are highly accessible and can be completed very quickly. The instructions are usually laid out within the test itself which makes them easy to administer. The results will allow employers to weed out bad hires who may negatively affect the team dynamics or clash with the company culture, thereby saving a costly investment of time, resources and morale for the company.
2. Faster Recruitment Process
Thanks to the nature of personality assessments which allows them to be completed by multiple job applicants at the same time, the time required to filter out unsuitable candidates can be reduced remarkably. Upon receiving the results of the assessments, employers or recruiters can quickly decide whether or not the candidate is worth considering. They can then move on to the interview stage for suitable candidates quickly, leading to a much faster recruitment process.
3. Less Unconscious Recruiter Bias
During the hiring process, candidates may encounter unconscious bias by the recruiter at the interview, which could be heavily influenced by subjective judgements. Personality assessments significantly reduce such biases by providing objective information on the candidate’s personality and allowing recruiters to shortlist candidates based on data. This will allow for a fairer standing among job candidates and create a more equal footing for them to be considered based on the same parameters.
4. Better Job Fit
Every individual has a different personality, and with every differing personality comes a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Personality testing can be used to find out what a person’s strengths and weaknesses are, along with their suitability for a specific position based on its job scope and nature. With the results of the personality assessments, organisations have more data points to assess the job fit of candidates, thus allowing for more effective candidate selections.
5. Lower Staff Turnover
By understanding the candidate’s personality and motivations, employers can gain insights into whether the candidate is suitable for the job and if he or she is likely to be a good match with the company culture or goals. Informed decisions can then be made to hire individuals who are generally a better fit, which in turn will lead to higher employee satisfaction. This will help to encourage the new hires to stay with the company for a longer period of time, leading to lower staff turnover.
Conclusion
Personality assessments can be a valuable tool for employers in hiring new staff for their organizations. Not only do they help to eliminate recruiter bias, they also provide an efficient and effective way to quickly identify qualified candidates with the personality traits necessary for success in particular positions. Furthermore, personality assessments can provide useful insight into candidates to reduce the risk of hiring the wrong person. Ultimately, organizations that make use of personality tests in their hiring process will be in a more advantageous position than those who do not.