Personality Tests… Friend or Foe? |
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January 22nd, 2008 -- by Jenny Floren
I have to admit I have always had a very, very, very strong aversion to assessment tests. I took one in high school and it told me I was supposed to be a plumber… and although I am a huge fan of Home Depot and have never met a home improvement project I didn’t like, I’m pretty sure that test was wrong… Well, at least I think so. For now.
Personal history aside, I have always felt that most assessment tests are set up to put people in a box (or an elbow pipe, as the case may be) - rather than open doors to possibilities and options. Perhaps it’s because so many of these tests stem from acadamia, and are more focused on being statistically significant than being useful… but whatever the reason, the mere premise that a “fill in the blank test” could predict the path of one’s career just feels so wrong on so many levels. But for those looking for “the right answer”, perhaps some guidance is better than none.
That said, assessment tests can provide very useful data to employers when they are used as part of their recruitment screening or talent development efforts… almost like the SATs for the post-college world. But are they effective? Are they discriminatory? Do they work better for predicting success in certain types of jobs more than others?
So… what do you think about assessment tests? Friend or foe?
January 22nd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
I hate em and could not agree with you more.
The real problem is that you dont hire a person- you hire a team member (in almost every situation), and how that person works as part of the team is the actual question at hand.
A person may be a horrible employee on the merits, but also be someone who glues a team together and in fact moves your organization forward. Likewise you can have a real star who destoys your business.
Assessment will grow up when it can handle the vast complexity of assessing a group of people - dont test candidates as individuals unless they will be truly working as individuals- rather, test teams including various candidates to see which groups work best.
Belichick understands- he builds teams and does not hire his players in a vacuum. You could test Randy Moss all day as a Viking and you would find a guy who does not block, who yells at the press, who his teamates hate. As a Patriot, he blocks hard, keeps his mouth shut, and has never looked more productive or accepted by his peers. Assess that with a personality test…..