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Personality Testing For Employment

Posted by kdawson on from the strongly-disagree dept.

Thelasko writes "While I was in college, I had the opportunity to take an elective course in Industrial Psychology. One section of the course covered hiring practices and the validity of 'personality testing' to screen applicants (Google link for non-subscribers). The Wall Street Journal has a long article discoursing on how such tests are used in today's economy. While personality tests may be designed to uncover underlying personality traits such as honesty, critics claim that the tests instead reward cheaters." The article talks mostly about the tests' use in winnowing candidates for retail positions — deciding whom to interview. Anybody encountered them in an IT or more technical context?

2 of 581 comments (clear)

  1. Having a BA in Psych and an MS in CS... by greg_barton · · Score: 0, Redundant

    ...I have a bit of a perspective into both worlds. My industrial psych class in college was the first time I was exposed to personality tests, specifically the Myers-Briggs. I love them, and still do. They can help you understand yourself and get some insight into the possible motivations of others. (Not a surprising statement, coming from an INFP. :P )

    That being said, they should not be used in the hiring process. I think they're useful in the workplace as a way for team members to understand each other and try to see things from others' perspective. (Why does Bob freak out when I move things on his desk? Oh yeah, he's a Judgmental. Why doesn't Frank make decisions until the last possible moment? Ya, he's a Perceptive.)

    And before you perceptives have a hissy fit, those are just general tendencies, not permanent categories you're pigeon holed in. And don't you judgmental go pigeon holing. And ain't you thinkers just clever for seeing the self referential contradiction there. ;)

    Managers shouldn't use these personality tests to form teams. Personality is just too complex to manipulate like that, especially in groups. But they can be used by the individual members to help them interact better with their team mates.

     

  2. Re:I would like to hear from a lawyer on this.. by CmdrGravy · · Score: 0, Redundant

    If you can only earn $250 a week what sort of moronic decision is to get a $1500 mortgage ?