Personality tests are often used by employers to determine if an interview candidate is suitable for the organization. Although not utilized by every organization, these assessments can also be used to figure out a candidate’s personality and their likelihood of excelling at your organization.
So, what’s the big deal about personality tests? Well, research shows that an employee placed in a role or an organization that doesn’t mesh well with their personality leads to a lower rate of engagement. As a HR outsourcing agency in Singapore, we understand the importance of hiring the right candidate (find out why here). Along with the detrimental effects of low engagement. Below, we discuss the importance of personality tests as part of the interview process.
Benefits of Personality Tests
Personality tests provide an insight into the mind of a job candidate. Some other major benefits of personality tests include:
A. Understand a Candidate’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Knowing your candidate’s strengths and weaknesses can give you a better idea of your candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, a job candidate with an INFP personality might excel in roles such as marketing due to their creativity. But might find it harder when it comes to more data-driven positions. As a HR outsourcing recruitment agency, we understand the importance of employing individuals with the ideal personality types. Below, are some personality-based articles you might find useful:
B. Better Understanding of Other People
Before we begin, understand that there is no personality type that’s “better” than another. Personality tests are one way for hiring managers to decipher and understand how a potential employee stays engaged and motivated at work. Additionally, personality tests also reduce the chance of putting the wrong person in the wrong role. A mistake that can be costly.
Types of Personality Tests
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With many personality tests available out there, we’ve summarized some of the most popular few below.
A. Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an assessment that breaks down the different ways in which people perceive the world and make decisions. The test believes that there are 16 different types of personalities, including both introverted and extroverted personalities. At the workplace, this test is often used in many different business-oriented settings including career selection, leadership development, and the screening and interviewing of employees.
Learn more about the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test here.
B. The Big Five Personality Tests
Also known as the OCEAN model and the Five-Factor Model (FFM). The Big Five is a personality test that aims to identify someone based on five broad traits that define human personality. Additionally, the test also aims to account for individual differences. The Big Five’s personality traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. At the workplace, this test is often used to see if a candidate is the right fit for the job.
Learn more about The Big Five Personality Test here.
C. DISC Assessment
This is probably one of the more common personality tests used by HR executives. The DISC Assessment aims to break candidates down into four different behavioral types (i.e. Dominant, Inspiring, Supportive, and Cautious) based on their behaviors at work. At the workplace, this test is often used to see if a candidate has the ideal work behavior that meshes well with the rest of the organization.
Learn more about the DISC Assessment here.
D. Situational Judgement Test (SJT)
These tests are often used to determine how an employee interacts with customers or handles the pressure of common challenges, often found at work. The Situational Judgement Test is a way of assessing a candidate’s decision making, critical thinking, and judgment skills. Unlike the other personality tests listed above, the Situational Judgement Test is often not created equally. They can be tweaked according to the different roles available. At the workplace, the SJT is often used to determine if an individual will be a good hire for the different roles available.
Learn more about the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) here.
E. Occupational Interest Inventory (OII)
The Occupational Interest Inventory is an in-depth analysis of an interview candidate’s professional motivation and natural expertise. This test emulates itself according to the RIASEC model. As it aims to categorize people into six different personality types:
Realistic: Someone who enjoys Kinesthetic activities (i.e. working and fixing things with their hands).
Artistic: An individual who values self-expression and independence. These people are naturally inclined towards creative professions such as writing and music.
Social: Also known as the Helper, these are people who value providing services to aid others. Ideal careers for Social individuals include nursing and freelance healthcare providers.
Conventional: Think of this as someone who enjoys repetitive tasks executed in an orderly fashion. These are individuals who want to work with numbers, records, and machines.
Enterprising: These are your entrepreneurs. They often see themselves as being social creatures. You can often find these individuals in business or politics.
Investigative: You can often find these individuals in investigative or intellectual industries.
Learn more about the Occupational Interest Inventory here.
How Can I Excel in Personality Tests As a Candidate?
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Personality tests can be unnerving to some people, especially as a job interview candidate. Research shows that the lack of compatibility is one of the many reasons why people fail during internal and external job interviews. And while times are tough right now, a bad job fit can lead to major burnout. Which can have major emotional and physical distress. So, the next time you’re confronted with a personality test. Just answer it to the best of your abilities and you’ll be able to find the right job!
As a HR outsourcing agency, we see a number of different job interview candidates. These articles below might help you identify your next ideal position:
What’s your personality type? Share it with us in the comments section below!
Read More: Cybersecurity Threats Your Introverted Employees Tend To Attract Based On Their MBTI!