Hiring the right employees
is the ultimate return on investment
for managers. By placing quality hires
in appropriate positions, a company
can maximize its productivity and
effectiveness. It also allows new
employees to immediately contribute
without greatly disrupting existing
staff.
But predicting which candidate is
best for employment isn’t always easy.
Any help available to pass over poor
performers and hire high performers
is valued. That’s why assessments are
appealing: They promise to objectively and accurately indicate if an
applicant holds the knowledge, skills,
abilities and characteristics needed for
a position.
Employers want an easy, quick,
yet reliable method for hiring, and
assessments promise to do just that.
Personality and psychological assessments in particular have earned
the attention of employers as pre-employment screening tools to help
choose people most likely to perform
well in a position. The tests, however,
come with their flaws.
• BRAIN TEASERS
Employers often use personality and
psychological assessments as employment screening mechanisms to gauge
which candidates will best fit their
company cultures and thrive in their
available positions.
While there is a wide array of assess-
ment tests to use, some of the most
popular ones employers use include
the DISC Behavioral Model, which
analyzes the behavior of individuals
(particularly their dominance, influ-
ence, steadiness and conscientious-
ness) in specific situations; and the Minnesota Multiphasic
Personality Inventory, a clinical examination used to diag-
nose mental disorders but commonly taken by those apply-
ing for high-risk jobs such as law enforcement.
• ANALYZE THIS
Despite the increased data such assessments might provide
on a candidate, Rosenberg said he does not recommend or
support personality or psychological tests for pre-employment screening. He said the value is disproportionate to
the weight some hiring managers place on them.
