Evaluating Assessment Instruments

Cornell University ILR School DigitalCommons@ILR

Cornell HR Review

1-26-2013

Personality Tests in Employment Selection: Use With Caution H. Beau Baez Charlotte School of Law

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Personality Tests in Employment Selection: Use With Caution

Abstract [Excerpt] Many employers utilize personality tests in the employment selection process to identify people who have more than just the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in their jobs.[1] If anecdotes are to be believed—Dilbert must be getting at something or the cartoon strip would not be so popular—the work place is full of people whose personalities are a mismatch for the positions they hold. Psychology has the ability to measure personality and emotional intelligence (“EQ”), which can provide employers with data to use in the selection process. “Personality refers to an individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits”[2] and “emotional intelligence consists of the ability to perceive and express emotion, assimilate emotion in thought, understand and reason with emotion, and regulate emotion.”[3] By using a scientific approach in hiring, employers can increase their number of successful employees.

Keywords HR Review, Human Resources, employment selection, personality tests

Disciplines Human Resources Management | Labor Relations

Comments Suggested Citation: Baez H. (2013, January 26). Personality tests in employment selection: Use with caution. Cornell HR Review. Retrieved [insert date] from Cornell University, ILR School site: http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/chrr/ 59

This article is available at DigitalCommons@ILR: http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/chrr/59