We understand the appeal of seeking a one-size-fits-all solution to recruitment, one that relies on data and assessment tools. It seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, finding platforms that offer personality testing and indicator assessments, promising scoring and analysis that perfectly match candidates to job criteria.

And indeed, many recruitment companies embrace this approach. But here's the catch: Does it always work? Well, the answer is a bit murky. Sometimes it hits the mark, but other times it falls short. And when it misses the mark, the consequences can be costly in terms of time, money, and even workplace culture. So, while it may be tempting to rely solely on these methods, it's crucial to proceed with caution and consider the broader picture when making hiring decisions.

Recruiting the right candidate is a critical task and pivotal challenge for every organisation. When hiring, you may find yourself grappling with the question of whether personality indicators truly work and deliver reliable results. While trusting your gut instinct is invaluable when you have the experience and clarity to do so, it is essential to understand the strengths and limitations of personality tests in the hiring process.

In this article, we will explore how personality tests work, their strengths, their shortcomings, the potential for deception in test responses, the risks of relying solely on personality tests, and the additional factors that recruiters should consider when making informed hiring decisions.

A. How Personality Tests / Indicators in Recruitment Work

Personality tests in recruitment aim to assess a candidate's traits, behaviours, and preferences that may be relevant to the job requirements. These tests are typically designed based on established psychological frameworks and utilise a series of questions or scenarios to measure various dimensions of personality. The responses provided by candidates are then analysed and compared against established benchmarks or profiles to identify potential matches.

According to research conducted by Hogan Assessment Systems, a global leader in personality assessments, these tests rely on self-reporting, allowing candidates to reflect on their own characteristics and provide insights into their behavioural tendencies (Hogan & Hogan, 2007). The results are often presented in the form of personality profiles that highlight the individual's strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas for development. They can be a fun starting point for tool for team building and personal development.

B. The Strengths of Personality Tests / Indicators

Personality tests and indicators offer several strengths in the recruitment process. They provide a standardised and systematic approach to evaluating candidates, offering a consistent measurement of personality traits. These tests can help identify individuals who possess desired characteristics and align with the company's culture. There are various types of personality tests available, such as the Big Five, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) and numerous others. Different tests utilise distinct theoretical frameworks or models of personality, each with its own set of dimensions and measurement techniques.

According to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota, personality assessments can predict job performance to some extent, particularly in roles that require specific personality traits (Oh, Wang, & Mount, 2011). By utilising these tests, recruiters can gain initial insights into a candidate's potential fit within the organisation. The tests are typically considered alongside other assessment methods and qualifications to evaluate the candidate’s suitability for the job.

Moreover, personality tests can help uncover valuable information that may not be evident during interviews or through a resume review. For instance, they can report on traits such as adaptability and conscientiousness, derived from the answers provided by the candidates.

C. The Shortfalls of Personality Tests / Indicators

Personality tests are commonly used in employment settings to assess candidates' suitability for specific roles. While they can provide valuable insights, it's important to recognise their limitations. Here are some research-backed shortfalls of personality tests as indicators of job performance:

1.      Limited Predictive Validity: A meta-analysis conducted by Ones, Dilchert, Viswesvaran, and Judge (2007) found that personality tests have a moderate level of predictive validity for job performance. This means that while they can provide some useful information, they are not highly accurate in predicting actual job performance.

2.      Context Dependency: Personality traits can vary in their expression depending on the situation. Research by Fleeson (2001) suggests that individuals' behaviour can vary significantly across different contexts. Therefore, relying solely on personality test results may not capture the full range of an individual's capabilities and behaviour in a work environment. Individual factors such as mood, mindset and situational context during test-taking can also contribute to variations in results.

3.      Response Bias: Personality tests often rely on self-reporting, which can be subject to response biases. Research by Paulhus (2002) highlights the potential for individuals to present themselves in a socially desirable manner, leading to an inaccurate portrayal of their true personality traits. This can undermine the validity of the test results.

4.      Lack of Dynamic Assessment: Personality tests typically assess stable traits, but they may not capture an individual's potential for growth and development. Research by Mount and Barrick (1995) emphasises the importance of dynamic assessment methods that consider an individual's ability to adapt, learn, and acquire new skills, rather than focusing solely on static personality traits.

5.      Individual Differences: People are complex and multifaceted, and personality tests often oversimplify human behaviour by categorising individuals into discrete traits. Research by McAdams (1992) suggests that individuals' personalities are better understood as dynamic systems, shaped by various factors such as personal history, context, and motivation. Personality tests may not capture this complexity adequately.

6.      Strength Development: Picture this: you come across a phenomenal salesperson who, to your surprise, discloses their inherent shyness and introversion. However, as you delve deeper into their experience and personal journey, you discover their remarkable ability to overcome their core personality traits. They have honed their skills and pushed themselves outside their comfort zone to achieve remarkable success in their chosen role. This strength of character and determination, born out of their commitment to excel, is something that a personality test alone cannot reveal. It’s like witnessing a magical transformation that goes beyond surface-level trails and testing and uncovers the hidden depths of what makes an individual truly exceptional.

D. Manufactured Results – Manipulation: Conscious and Unconscious

Despite their strengths, personality tests and indicators have notable limitations. Research conducted by Levashina and Campion (2007) highlights one major shortcoming of these tests/indicators: impression management. Some candidates may engage in strategically attempt to deceive the test by answering in a way they believe the employer wants to see to portray themselves as ideal candidates.

This is where candidates select answers that align with the desired traits or characteristics outlined in the job description or company culture, rather than providing genuine responses. This can undermine the validity of the results and lead to inaccurate assessments of a candidate's true personality and lead to a discrepancy between the candidate's test results and their actual behaviours and preferences.

In the study, the researchers examined the potential for deception in personality tests and its impact on hiring decisions. The study involved a sample of 300 job applicants who completed a personality test as part of the selection process for a managerial position.

The results of the study revealed that approximately 23% of the applicants engaged in strategic responding, deliberately altering their responses to present themselves in a more favourable light. These applicants manipulated their answers to appear more conscientious, agreeable, and emotionally stable, which are traits typically valued in managerial roles. The results revealed a significant discrepancy between the candidates' test scores and their actual job performance. This finding demonstrates that personality tests can be vulnerable to deception, potentially leading to inaccurate assessments of candidates' true characteristics.

Moreover, the study found that the deceptive candidates who scored higher on the personality test were more likely to receive favourable evaluations from the hiring managers. This suggests that even with the presence of impression management, personality test scores can still influence hiring decisions, further emphasising the need for caution when interpreting these results.

Relying solely on personality tests without considering other indicators of job performance may inadvertently favour candidates who are skilled at presenting a desirable image rather than those with genuine qualifications and abilities.

In light of these research findings, it is important for organisations to adopt a comprehensive selection process that incorporates multiple assessment methods. This may include structured interviews, work samples, reference checks, and performance simulations, which provide a more holistic view of candidates' capabilities and potential for success in the desired role. By considering a broader range of information, employers can make more informed decisions and mitigate the limitations associated with relying solely on personality test indicators.

Quote from the study:

"Results indicated that applicants' self-presentation tactics had a significant effect on their personality test scores and that these inflated scores were related to the raters' evaluations of the applicant. Such findings suggest that personality measures, like any self-report measures, can be vulnerable to faking and other forms of deception." (Levashina & Campion, 2007)

A Recruiters Intuition and The 10 Essentials

Developing intuition as a recruiter when assessing job candidates is a valuable skill that comes with experience and observation. It involves cultivating a heightened awareness of subtle cues, non-verbal communication, and the overall energy a candidate brings to the interview. Through years of interacting with candidates and witnessing their behaviours and responses, we have honed and developed a refined intuition that allows us to go beyond surface-level information.

This intuition helps us identify authenticity, assess cultural fit, and gauge a candidate's potential for success in a role that goes beyond a personality test/indicators. Of course, it is essential to assess a candidates skills and qualifications, experience, cultural fit, motivation and interest, communication and soft skills. Beyond this though, intuition serves as an additional tool in the recruitment process, complementing objective data and assessments to make more nuanced and informed decisions. Nurturing this intuition involves quality industry experience, active listening, paying attention to body language, and continuously reflecting on past experiences to refine one's instincts as a recruiter.

In our view, to enable a successful placement – one that is successful for the candidate, the employer, the role and the workplace environment – these are the 10 essential tools every recruiter needs to bring to the table to effectively match the right job candidate to the right job:

1.      A refined "Bullshit Detector": Experienced recruiters have developed a keen sense of discernment, allowing them to identify inconsistencies, embellishments, or exaggerations in a candidate's claims, whether on a test or in person. Crucial when assessing a personality test where it is a part of the process. Their ability to spot "red flags" and separate genuine qualifications from inflated ones ensures a more accurate candidate-job fit.

2.      Recruiters' Experience: Experienced recruiters have a wealth of knowledge and expertise accumulated over years of working in the recruitment industry. Their familiarity with various job roles, industries, and hiring practices allows them to make more accurate assessments and decisions.

3.      Ability to Read Body Language: Skilled recruiters can observe and interpret candidates' body language during interviews, gaining valuable insights into their confidence, engagement, and authenticity. This non-verbal communication can provide additional information beyond what is conveyed verbally.

4.      Gut Feelings/Intuition: Derived from Years of Experience, seasoned and successful recruiters often rely on their gut feelings and intuition honed through years of experience. While not the sole basis for decision-making, these instincts can serve as valuable guiding factors when evaluating candidates, particularly in cases where objective data may be limited.

5.      Reduced Bias: Highly successful recruiters are trained to recognise and mitigate bias in the hiring process. They are more likely to approach candidate evaluation objectively, focusing on relevant qualifications and skills rather than personal biases or preferences.

6.      Knowledge of Job Requirements: Seasoned recruiters possess in-depth knowledge of various job roles and their specific requirements. They understand the skills, qualifications, and experience needed to excel in different positions, enabling them to evaluate candidates against these criteria accurately.

7.      Industry Insights: Recruiters who have worked extensively in a particular industry or field have a deeper understanding of the industry's dynamics, trends, and challenges. This expertise helps them identify candidates who have the necessary domain knowledge and can navigate industry-specific complexities.

8.      Enhanced Screening Abilities: Experienced recruiters have honed their screening abilities over time. They can quickly assess resumes, application materials, and profiles to identify candidates who are potentially suitable for a role. Their expertise allows them to filter out unqualified or mismatched candidates efficiently.

9.      Behavioural Observation: Recruiters with experience have developed a keen eye for observing and interpreting candidate behaviour during interviews and interactions. They can identify subtle cues, non-verbal communication, and evaluate candidates' responses to assess their suitability for the job and company culture.

10.  Professional Networks: Established recruiters often have extensive professional networks and connections within their industry. Through their professional networks and relationships, experienced recruiters can tap into personal contacts within the industry. This enables them to source candidates, gather insights, referrals, and receive recommendations from trusted sources, increasing the likelihood of finding well-matched candidates.

To put it simply, personality tests should be taken with a pinch of salt, like adding a sprinkle of seasoning to a dish. They're just one ingredient in the recipe for assessing a candidate's fit for a job. Recruiters who have mastered their craft bring a whole buffet of skills to the table – expertise, understanding of job requirements, a network of contacts, body language reading superpowers, a finely tuned "bullshit detector," and an intuition honed from years in the field. It's like having a seasoned chef whip up the perfect dish of a candidate-job match, blending all the right flavours for success. So, let's savour the mix and embrace the multi-dimensional approach and a great recruiter (yes, that’s us!) to finding that perfect fit!

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