Introduction

Personality is generally defined as the unique patterns of thought, emotion and behaviour that characterize a person, which may seem simple. But the concept of the human personality is complex and changeable. There are many theories on how it develops, and scientists don’t really know what causes it to change. Despite the intricacy of personality, people have been trying to analyse and categorize it for more than 2,000 years. That drive to understand personality eventually gave birth to the modern personality test.

A personality test is a tool for evaluating aspects of human personality. In reality, the majority of personality diagnostic tools are rating scales or introspective self-report questionnaire measures.

Do They Work?

As personality can change over time, personality tests are considered flawed by some. They have, however, stood the test of time and have provided valuable perspectives and insights for many people about the inner workings of themselves and others.

Tests such as the Myers-Briggs type indicator and DISC measure qualities such as extraversion, dominance, conscientiousness, and agreeableness to categorize people into specific personality types. Through these groupings, people can learn valuable insights into their unique personalities.

Although personality tests are reliable, they should not be the sole measurement of a candidate’s fit for a particular job. But because the test measures different personality characteristics necessary for specific roles, hiring managers can use them to make more informed hiring decisions.

Summary

Although personality tests are not absolutely accurate, they are great tools to improve hiring decisions and ensure that the right people are hired into the right roles. The insights they provide can help better understand yourself and others- leading to a more efficient and productive work environment. But take note, do not jump to conclusions on someone’s personality based on their 20 question assessment they took online.