Do Personality Tests Lead to Better Hiring Decisions

Although psychological tests have been used for decades in the hiring selection, nowadays they’ve gained more traction. Basically, a lot of people think they can help an entrepreneur choose the right employees that will improve the workforce of the company.

Whereas this is true to an extent, it’s a little hard to believe that personality assessments can predict the future, even if they are helpful when making the selection. So, do they really lead to better hiring decisions? Let’s find out!

Personality Assessments – Are They Helpful?

There are personality tests such as the one you can find on https://www.berkeassessment.com/solutions/personality-testing that are expected to be efficient. Well, such tests are indeed good in analyzing a candidate, and finding out whether he/she will be able to succeed in the position.

These assessments consist of cognitive ability tests that measure the candidate’s capacity to manipulate information and mentally process it. In comparison to other personality tests before employment, they seem to be the most accurate ones.

Another good thing is that these assessments will not test what the candidate says they’re going to do, but rather what they will do. For instance, maybe they are very intelligent, but not emotionally intelligent. Also, they may be very dedicated to their work, yet get angry very easily and react negatively. So, these could help a lot in making the right decision.

They’re also great as you can compare the results with those of your already established top employees – thus, you have a better chance at selecting the right person. All in all, these tests can prove very effective when picking from various candidates.

Do They Have Weaknesses?

While they are very helpful in many situations, they also come with downsides. Having said that, they are just general tests, so they may not always be right. They aren’t an actual science, but a mere method of figuring out some personality traits of the candidate.

As much as you want it to be the case, these tests are not invincible when it comes to being fooled. Basically, the internet is very wide, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if, after a while, the questions of the test will be all over the online world. If the candidate has been browsing search engines and found the questions, they might have constructed an answer that they knew will be convenient and get you to accept them in the company.

Furthermore, while one personality trait might perform better than another, that doesn’t mean the opposite one won’t be helpful for the job. For instance, introverts and extroverts can become equally good at what they do. They just have to take different paths in how they do it. So, the test can’t predict the actual future.

Final Thoughts

Personality tests can indeed lead to better hiring decisions. All it takes is to know how to use them. Simply giving them to the candidates and not reading between the lines could still end up in hiring the wrong people. If you’re aware of the weaknesses of the tests, you will have a better time hiring new people.