Personality Tests as a Tool for Hiring

Personality Tests

Over the years, psychologists have developed a number of different personality tests. While each test has its own strengths and weaknesses, they all share one common goal: to give insight into an individual's personality. The three most popular personality tests are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the Big Five Personality Test, and the Enneagram Test. The MBTI is one of the most widely used personality tests in the world. It is based on the theories of Carl Jung and divides people into 16 different personality types. The Big Five Personality Test is another popular option. It measures five key traits: neuroticism, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Finally, the Enneagram Test is a nine-pointed system that is often used for personal development and growth. No matter which test you choose, remember that personality tests are only one tool for understanding yourself and your relationships with others. They should not be used to label or pigeonhole people, but rather to give you a better understanding of who you are and how you interact with the world around you.

All three of the aforementioned personality tests contain aspects of behavioral and social cognitive theories. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test, for example, is based on the work of Carl Jung and his theory of personality types. The Big Five Personality test includes a section on neuroticism, which is a key concept in Behaviorism. And the Enneagram test is based on nine personality types that are thought to be influenced by both Nature and Nurture. In short, all three of these tests contain elements of behavioral and social cognitive theories. However, it is important to note that each test measures different aspects of personality and should not be seen as interchangeable.

The MBTI is the best fit for the publishing house because it is based on the work of Jung and focuses on personality types. As Furnham (2022) shows, it can be used by recruiters and hirers as a way of filtering out potential candidates that have red flags in the personality department. The publishing industry could benefit by targeting and hiring people with specific personality types that fit well with the industry and the work required therein. For that reason the MBTI would be most beneficial as a tool of the company to be used in the hiring process.

In fact, since its development in the early 1940s, the MBTI has become one of the most popular personality assessments in the world. The test is based on the theory of psychological types first proposed by Jung, and it attempts to measure an individual’s preferences across four different dichotomies: introversion/extroversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. While the MBTI has been criticized for its lack of scientific rigor, there is evidence that it can be a useful tool for predicting job performance. For example, research has shown that individuals who prefer introversion tend to perform better on jobs that require high levels of concentration, while those who prefer extroversion tend to excel in jobs that involve customer interaction. Furthermore, the MBTI can also help employers to identify personality-job fit, which is a strong predictor of job satisfaction and retention. In light of these benefits, it is not surprising that the MBTI is often used in the hiring process. By understanding an applicant's personality type, employers can gain insights into their work style and potential job fit, making the MBTI a valuable tool for hiring workers.