Monday, January 19, 2009

Personality Assessments are Useful in Finding the Right Person

By T.S. Field

Personality assessments have become one of the most utilized assessments given to potential employees. Most people spend at least a third of their day on the job. The time spent at work makes it very important that the employee not only possess the abilities to do the job, but the individual also must be happy and fulfilled at the same time.

When a person is placed on a job that does not suit his personality, he becomes confused, unhappy and bored. When the job does not satisfy the employee's need for challenge and a sense of accomplishment, the employee becomes unproductive and begins to only do the minimum requirements just to keep the job until a more suitable position can be found.

There are five reasons why a personality assessment can be useful to the employer:

1. Determining if the individual's personality is suitable for the job. For example, if the job is a sales job, a shy individual may find it challenging to cold call either on the phone or in person. Though there are salespersons who have overcome this challenge, it is highly unlikely for most to do so.

2. It can be used to improve communication in a team. The position being filled may have a manager who gives out the bare minimum of instructions. A job candidate will need to have communication skills that can draw out the needed details from the manager.

3. The assessment helps an employer determine the job candidate who can help a team increase its effectiveness and productivity. The team may need someone who is enthusiastic and has boundless optimism in order to raise the productivity level. Or maybe the team needs someone who is dogmatic and focused.

4. There may be too much conflict on the team. The hiring manager may be looking for someone who has the qualities of a peace maker.

5. The job applicant can benefit from taking an assessment because it could serve as a tool in his job search. He will be able to know if he is searching for the right kind of position, or whether his personality is more suited to a different type of job.

The personality assessment is just one tool in an employer's tool chest to help the organization find the right employee out of the hundreds of applicants for a position. Matching the right personality to a job is most important in reducing dissatisfaction and thus turnover. - 16928

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