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85% of the jobs of 2030 do yet exists, creating an upcoming employability challenge. How can you tackle this challenge to build a future-proof workforce?
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With the development of remote and hybrid working, the behavioural skills of candidates have become very important. Companies are looking for employees with adaptability, those able to demonstrate autonomy and agility - soft skills that are not always easy to assess. This is why recruiters are choosing to use a number of tests, including test of personality. We explore what are the advantages of this type of test for the company and the candidate? How to use it in the recruitment process?
A personality test is a test whose objective, through a series of questions, is to analyse the personality of an individual. Frequently used as a recruitment test, it more precisely evaluates the dominant traits of a person's character, their behavioural profile in the professional environment, and, sometimes, their motivations and values.
All our tests are reliable and comply with ethical rules. Each of them meets specific psychometric criteria, guarantees of their reliability: fidelity, validity, discriminating power. These professional tests can be used by psychologists, and human resources professionals; and some require training to be administered. They come in different formats: statements to classify, quiz, questionnaire.
In the context of recruitment, the personality test has many advantages, both for the company and for the candidate.
Personality tests allow you to go beyond the written application and discover personality traits that do not appear on the CV, before or after an interview. Through these types of tools, the evaluation of the personality of a candidate is refined. For example, you could check if an aspect of the personality would not be appropriate for the role, or on an area which you have doubts.
Another advantage of having a personality test is to eliminate cognitive biases, which makes recruitment more objective. It avoids recruiting based on simple intuition, which can be misleading. Finally, thanks to standardised tests, candidates are evaluated fairly.
If the personality test provides information that helps to objectify the job interview, it also helps to identify the personality profiles that best match the position.
By identifying the profile that best corresponds to the open role, this type of test reduces the risk of recruitment errors, and the cost they imply for the company. If you are looking for a specific personality type, tests before the interview will save time during the candidate screening stage. You can then complete follow the tests with a discussion on the results, particularly focusing on certain dominant traits of the candidate's personality.
Taking a personality test also has certain advantages for the individual applying. Indeed, the report allows him to get to know himself better, even to discover character traits that he did not suspect. Sometimes the result is stunning for a candidate, as it can accurately reflect their personality and confirms what the person already knows. Knowing themselves well allows the candidate to work on how to present themselves and, if they join the company, to pay attention to their “weaknesses”.
Recruiters can use the personality test in two ways:
Organizations using assessments for recruitment should follow best practice guidelines set out by responsible bodies such as the British Psychological Society. Candidates should be informed of the nature of the test, how their results will be used and who will have access, and how long their results will be retained for. Any tests should also be delivered by an appropriate professional with the relevant training for the test being offered.
Test results should be kept confidential within the company but passed on to the candidate. In practice, they are generally communicated during a feedback interview and are accompanied by a report containing a personality assessment. A tool for dialogue between the candidate and the recruiter, the personality test also represents an aid to assessment and recruitment. Thus, if the company decides to retain a candidate despite certain weak points regarding the position sought, it can inform future onboarding and coaching plans.
With the right strategy and tools, you'll empower your talent acquisition teams to make the right hiring decisions. Want to see how Pearson TalentLens can work within your hiring process? Learn more about our talent assessment library or get in touch with us today to find out.
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