Personality Profiles

Personality profiles are becoming increasingly popular during the recruitment process to assess the individual characteristics and capabilities of candidates and their suitability for the role they are applying for. In the initial stages of the recruitment process, personality profiles can be used to reduce a large number of applicants while, in the later stages, they can be used to formalise a decision. Profiling can either be generalised or can be specifically tailored towards particular roles, such as assessing the organisational skills, efficiency and IT proficiency of candidates for an administrative position.

There is a wide variety of personality profiles that are available for use in the recruitment process. A DISC profile involves completion of a simple questionnaire which can then be used by employers to ascertain a candidate’s approach to work, their key strengths and their weaknesses. This in turn helps to establish how a person is expected to respond to a given situation.

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator assesses an individual’s personality and determines which of a possible 16 personality types they match. The traits distinguished between are Introversion & Extroversion, Intuition & Sensing, Feeling & Thinking and Judging & Perceiving.

Personality profiles are also commonly used to help people identify the most suitable career path for them. A Morrisby Profile is used in schools and colleges to assess abilities, work style and key talents and to draw conclusions on the most appropriate job as a result.

Personality profiles normally consist of aptitude tests and personality questionnaires.

Aptitude tests

An aptitude test is designed to ascertain your potential to undertake certain tasks and can therefore be used by employers to establish suitability for a specific role.

Common aptitude tests assess numerical skills and verbal reasoning, and there are certain steps you can take which will help you to prepare for these. Numerical tests evaluate your ability to apply basic mathematical principles and can be prepared for by practising basic sums without the use of a calculator and by revising the times tables. Verbal tests, which assess your spelling, grammar and language comprehension, can involve the identification of synonyms, analogies and antonyms and can be prepared for by completing crosswords and other word games.

Personality questionnaires

If your personality traits are likely to clash with those of people already working for an organisation, this could lead to potential conflict, lack of motivation and general dissatisfaction. Personality questionnaires are therefore used by employers to decide whether you are suited to a position based upon your personal characteristics.

When completing a personality questionnaire, it is essential that you give honest answers rather than what you consider to be the answer an employer is looking for. It is not possible to give incorrect answers in a personality questionnaire, but if you are dishonest you will be forced to try to back up this inaccurate representation of your character if you are called for interview. Similar questions can often be set with slightly different wording in order to perhaps trip you up and see whether you give the same response that you did last time. However, you should remember that if you do not answer the questionnaire honestly, you are the one who may suffer the most if you end up in a position that you are simply not right for.

Preparation

Preparing for personality profiles does not just mean practising your numerical skills and verbal reasoning but can also include making sure that you get a good night’s sleep before the event and ensuring that you start the day with an energising breakfast. This will help you to remain alert and attentive during the testing and ensure that you are capable of following the instructions given. Although you should take your time in the test, it may be worth remembering that the first answer you think of is generally the right one so don’t be afraid to go with your instincts. The last thing to remember is that all other candidates will be assessed by the same criteria so you have just as much chance of getting the job as anybody else.