1. List one example of a personality test often used by Human Resources Departments.

“Although personality can be measured in many ways, for personnel selection, the most common measures are self-report surveys.” (Staffing Organizations, pg. 459) In the selection process, several survey measures of the Big Five qualities are used. The Big Five typology is used, and the International Item Pool, NEO Personality Inventory, and Hogan Personality Inventory are used. Online surveys are frequently used since they are less expensive for the company and more convenient for the candidates. It assesses and measures the five basic personality qualities specified in the five-factor model: neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion, as well as subcategories of each of those five factors. The neuroticism trait, for example, comprises stress sensitivity, anxiety, sadness, impulsivity, and self-consciousness. Because many of the attributes it assesses are relevant in the workplace, it’s becoming more popular as an employment screening tool. (8 Top Personality Tests Used in Psychology (and by Employers, 2021)

2. Do you think this is a sound recruiting technique? Explain why it is –or not.

This recruiting strategy does not appeal to me. My motives are like those stated in the book. Online surveys have three major issues: (1) test security may be compromised, (2) applicants may find it simpler or more motivated to cheat online, and (3) candidates may not be able to tolerate lengthy online personality tests. Longer tests may cause the applicant to lose interest, and attention to the question may be overlooked owing to mental exhaustion. The three most common objections of using personality tests in hiring decisions are that their validity is questionable, that faking them reduces their use, and that candidates react poorly to them. (Staffing Organizations, pg. 459-461).

3. Have you ever had to take a personality test at time of hiring? If so, how was your experience. If not, did you wish you could have taken one to prove that you could do the job well?

I’ve previously completed a personality test. During the test, I was not pleased at all. It was quite lengthy; I believe there were around 350 questions. The part that bothered me the most was that the questions were either repeated or, at least in my opinion, filled with irrelevant questions. I had to remind myself several times that the goal was to find my personality rather than job suitability. After the first hour, I start to feel mentally exhausted. I’ve always seen the test as a tool to weed out competition from a pool of applicants, rather than a technique to select the best candidate.