By YEC
Personality tests provide information that candidates may not even know about themselves.
From DiSC to Myers-Briggs, there’s no shortage of personality tests these days. While leaders often use these tests to better understand their current teams, personality assessments can also provide crucial information about potential hires.
Here, nine members of Council for Young Entrepreneurs share what you can learn about candidates through personality assessments – and what you can’t – and how they can help you find the right talent for your team.
What is an advantage of using a personality test to recruit or hire employees? What information will these tests give you that you might not otherwise learn?
1. A candidate’s natural skills and talents
Personality tests reveal traits beyond a person’s resume, such as their thought processes, work style, organizational habits, interpersonal strengths and weaknesses, conflict management skills, problem-solving skills, and much more. These tests help companies assess a person’s potential in real-world situations, while analyzing compatible traits that fit the company culture. —Brian David Crane, Spread great ideas
2. Fit your company culture
Employees are leaving companies in droves these days and one of the reasons is that they don’t feel like they fit with the company culture. That’s why you don’t even want to bring these people on board if, based on their personality test results, you doubt they’ll fit. — Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance
3. Work Style
One test that we have found extremely useful is the: Kolbe A Index, which doesn’t tell us about the employee’s personality, but rather their work style. For example, some people are more methodical and investigative, while others need to dive right in and get their hands dirty. Knowing this in advance will help you find the right person and work with them effectively from the start. —Nathalie Lussier, AccessAlly
4. Strengths and Weaknesses
Personality tests help you examine a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. It is not possible to simply request information. Most people are not really aware of their strengths or, more importantly, their weaknesses. Even if they know, it is very unlikely that they would reveal this information to a recruiter. Personality tests are designed to help you examine this information. —Jared Atchison, WPForms
5. Ideal working environment and role
Not all personality tests are created equal. However, if you do find a good one, use that information to find out some important factors: what kind of work that person does best, what environment he or she prefers (e.g. more flexible or controlled), how they work in a team and what motivates them. Not everyone is so self-conscious to understand these things about themselves. —Samuel Thimotheus, OneIMS
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6. True Nature of a Person
Personality tests help you examine in-depth information that is not easily accessible through standard interview questions. These tests help you assess a person’s mood, their strengths and weaknesses, fears, expectations, and more. In general, personality tests help you assess a person’s true nature. —Stephanie Wells, Formidable shapes
7. Leadership Skills
Personality tests are not 100% reliable, but they can help you learn a few things about people. I would use a personality test to find out if a person is suitable for a leadership role or not. For example, a test can reveal whether someone is likely to be aggressive or passive. It can also give you an idea of ​​how well someone works on a team. This information can help you make hiring decisions. — Blair Williams, Members Press
8. Temperament and Workflow
A personality test should be used as a tool to understand an individual, not as the all-encompassing of their exact inner dynamics as a person. That said, it’s helpful to find out their temperament and workflow. How a person works and interacts with others are two huge factors that most influence team dynamics and task workflow. Know those and hire accordingly to fit your needs. —Nic DeAngelo, We buy loans quickly
About the author
Young Entrepreneurs Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization made up of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs.
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