Why do employers use a personality assessment?

With more than 60% of employers using a personality assessment during pre employment testing, candidates can often feel that they have to jump through hoops to get a foot in the door! This type of pre employment assessment however, is here to stay as it gives employers a greater change of hiring the right person for the job.

This also benefits the employee of course, because they are able to find a job that eminently suits their abilities and personality. There are however, a variety of personality assessment on the market, so if you want to know the type of pre employment testing that might be used during your next interview process, here are three of the most popular tests used by employers.

The Caliper Profile: This personality assessment relates to key traits, such as your leadership and time management abilities and your level of empathy, all of which might be relevant in a sales or management role. It’s very good at identifying what really motivates a person, examining both positive and negative qualities, providing the employer with a clear understanding of what drives a candidate. Whilst this assessment identifies both positive and negative qualities, it’s often used to identify areas where the candidate needs more training or support. This helps the employer to finetune their employee’s professional development programs.

Gallup Strengths Assessment: Unlike the Caliper Profile, the Gallup Strengths Assessment does exactly what its name implies – it focuses on a candidate’s strengths rather than their weaknesses. This pre employment assessment identifies a candidate’s top 5 strengths out of a total 34, indicating to the employer in which areas the candidate will excel. For the employee, it identifies what they naturally do best, giving them the opportunity to develop these talents even further.

Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire: Also referred to as the 16PF, this personality assessment focuses on practical situations, rather than general personality characteristics. Compared to the two pre employment tests above, this assessment gives a more rounded picture of the candidate, revealing their potential and suitability for a specific role. It also points out areas for self-development, which can be of help to both the employer and the employee.

For more information on using a personality assessment during pre employment testing for your organisation, call Urban Psychometrics on 07 3535 1220 or send us an email.