We’ve all seen situations in which candidates are nailing every single step of the interview process and the job seems at hand until some form of testing is requested. A lot of candidates are caught off-guard by this addition, but the only unsettling factor happens to be the choice of the word “test”.
However, professional testing is a valid and fair practice that allows employers to further vet their candidates before employment. And although role-specific tests tend to be an expected part of any interview these days, personality tests are the new addition to the process, providing employers with more targeted insights into the candidate’s behavior, skills, and personality.
Are personality tests the new recruitment trend?
Data sourced from the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology displays that 13% of US employers include personality tests in the interview process, and 68% of employers utilize job/role-specific skill testing. These figures are constantly rising, given the inevitable transformation of companies catching up to new recruitment practices.
This global change in recruitment practices made onboarding the point of emphasis for companies. But as it is an expensive, time & effort consuming practice, employers find it in their best interest to vet candidates for long term employment beforehand.
Why do employers use personality tests?
The addition of personality tests gives employers a sense of their employee’s capacity to fit into the organization. The better a fit they are, the more likely they would be to remain part of the company for a long time, completely eradicating the time and effort needed to fill the position.
A 40-minute interview reveals superficial details about the candidate. It skims the surface and outlines the capability, experience, and knowledge they have. It’s difficult to discern whether the candidate would make a great fit. As such, the addition of personality tests allows hiring managers and employers to make informed hiring decisions.
1- Cultural Fit
Determining whether a candidate would fit the company’s culture can give employers a general idea of what they have to look forward to down the line. A good cultural fit translates to a compatible workforce that gets along, operates well as a unit, and displays increased productivity levels.
The point of utilizing personality tests is to determine the optimal working environment for the candidate. While some employers believe in the importance of cultural fit, this isn’t a point that a good interview would be thrown out the window for.
For example, candidates who thrive in a corporate environment would not do well in a fast-paced startup setting and vice versa. These insights allow employers to set the tone for the onboarding process and employment beyond it.
2- Role & Team fit
So your digital marketing candidate has an impressive resume and considerable experience. But are they a team player or a solo go-getter? Do they fit the social requirements for the role? Can they lead when an important deadline looms over the entire team?
Personality tests can reveal whether or not the candidate fits the position and the team in more than just capability and skills. It displays whether they are capable of thinking on their feet, how they approach problem-solving, and whether they display leadership skills when necessary or under pressure.
These are all details that are usually revealed over the first few months of employment. However, introducing an in-depth personality test can provide these insights early on in the process.
3- Communication style & preference
Communication is perhaps the most important point to consider for new hires. People work in different ways and we all have a process, a recipe for productivity. And it’s important that the environment does not disturb it.
Communication in terms of style and preference needs to be specific to each individual, catering to the most efficient manner for them to absorb information and relay it.
What do personality tests reveal about the candidate?
- – Information acquisition (How the candidate absorbs information)
- – Decision-making skills (Leadership under pressure)
- – Process & Rational Thought (Problem-solving skills)
- – Organizational skills & Time management (Productivity)
There’s a variety of options available to choose from. It’s important to choose a personality test that fits your company culture, workplace preferences, and provides the questions that matter to your organization the most. Manatal’s applicant tracking system allows you to integrate the test of your choice to its platform via open API.
This feature allows users to connect different software for different functions into one local ecosystem for the company or department’s operations. It also makes importing and exporting data from one software to another a seamless and secure process. Moreover, users can utilize the Manatal-hosted career page and its customizable fields and forms to create their own questionnaires.
Click here to read more of our insights on Applicant tracking systems and recruitment or discover our 14-day free trial.
