Personality tests in the workplace

Ones, D. S. & Dilchert, S.
InTheBlack, 54-55.
(2009)

We make judgments and evaluations about others’ personalities every day – when we meet new acquaintances, when we catch up with old friends, and even when we interact with our spouses or partners. Personality is important – it describes the general tendencies of individuals to feel, think, act, and react in a variety of life situations. And our work lives, of course, are one of those domains where personality plays a primary role. Organisations have long tried to glean information on individuals’ personalities for a variety of purposes, including career counselling, employee development and coaching, or candidate selection. The method most commonly used to try to learn more about someone’s “character” is the employment interview, and such interviews can be useful when properly designed and applied (especially when they are standardised to minimise the influence of human error and bias).