Personality / Psychometric Testing – Is it Needed?

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I never believed in personality or psychometric tests, until I took one. I couldn’t understand how answering a series of multiple choice questions could determine my personality and character traits. So given my nature of being an explorer, I took a test to prove myself right.

To my surprise, my results were so well aligned to the point where it actually felt like someone had written out my character description. So if you’ve ever taken a personality test to find out whether you’re an introverted or extroverted type, you’re not alone. However, there’s a big difference between scrolling down your Facebook feed at home and clicking on a personality quiz than being asked to take one in the recruiting process to land your dream job.

It’s human nature to have the desire to better understand our characteristics and as individuals we love any opportunity to gain a deeper insight into our true self. We’re all too eager to find explanations as to why we act a particular way or why certain personal and workplace relationships didn’t work out. We’re in the tech savvy age where reaching for the phone and googling our star sign compatibility is an acceptable and logical way to better understand a situation. Which brings me to my next point, how acceptable is it for an employer to ask you to take a personality test after being interviewed for a job?

Why we do them and are they effective?

Personality tests have helped employers determine whether or not a candidate may fit the culture of their business as well as how they may perform in their designated role.  From our experience at New Point, we found that the accuracy of a personality test weighs heavily on the individual answering the questions – is it new for them or are they well-versed in knowing the responses required and can manipulate the results? In the recruitment process, a personality test can give the employer false reassurance that they’re hiring someone who has the right qualities for the job. We have found that a personality test will only be accurate if the candidate is truthful with their responses. We’ve manipulated our responses to deliver a different result and this could be the approach taken by a candidate, depending on what answer they feel the employer is looking for. We have found that a personality test will only show some level of accuracy if the candidate is truthful with their responses and in the right frame of mind to take the test. There is a certain level of self-awareness that is required of the candidate to be able to answer the test truthfully. In reality though, this can be a difficult process to face when put under the pressure of being shortlisted for a job. If the person genuinely want the role they shouldn’t feel fearful about their results. They should feel comfortable enough with who they are and know the value they can bring to the employer to answer the test truthfully. Altering your answers will leave you with a test result that doesn’t align with your characteristics and is often obvious to a recruiter. At New Point, we advise candidates to be truthful with their responses to ensure an accurate result.

What to choose or do you choose one at all?

There are a large number of personality / psychometric tests online to choose from. We have found that starting with a basic one such as 16Personalities which is free, is a good place to start. You be the judge and test it on yourself and your team (if they are willing), otherwise you can also delve into the deeper and paid tests such as Talent Dynamics, Keirsey and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator or Jung tests. Having stated this, all of those tests have been open to scientific criticism with no real evidence supporting them or any clear linkages to defined results in the workplace. Do you go on gut feel, demonstrated examples of what a candidate has done and reference checks? Is that enough to make you decide?

We would like to hear your feedback on this. In the meantime, if you would like to know more about these tests or would like to have us help you navigate through the recruitment process, please email us at gc@newpointrecruitment.com.au or call 1300558979.

Thanks for reading,

Sophie and David.

All I Want For Christmas Is…

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Christmas time is commonly associated with drinking, socialising and loosening up for what many people call the ‘silly season’. Businesses tend to wind down and the office begins to clear out as the year comes to a close.  What many employers don’t know is that they could be missing out on some great talent by not recruiting in the lead up to this busy time of the year. A number of employers generally dismiss the idea of sourcing new staff at this time, rather leaving it to the beginning of the New Year. From our experience, we have found that this period can actually be the most valuable time to recruit. Are you still on the fence? We’ve put together the top three reasons that explain how hiring in the lead up to Christmas could positively impact your business, positioning you in front of your competitors.

New Year: New Career

On Instagram, the hashtag #newyearnewme has been shared on over 1.3 million posts. You’ve heard it before and we’re going to tell you again. There is nothing that stimulates change and the desire for a fresh start more than heading into the New Year. This means that the number of job seekers on the market will increase and employers who are ahead of the game will jump on this opportunity to recruit new talent. It’s this time of the year that people tend to reflect and reevaluate their current position, leading them to feel more open to the possibility of a career change. Entering the New Year in a new role could be the ultimate gift for a prospective candidate.

Less Competition for Talent

It is likely that your competitors will wind down recruiting efforts towards the end of the year however, from our experience; job seekers will still be in the market, giving you the opportunity to maximize your own recruiting efforts to attract talent. Employers are generally less motivated to make the effort to prioritise recruitment due to potential sales downturn (depending on industry), closures and staff holidays. Less competition will give you access to a wider variety of candidates seeking employment and recruiting now, will give you the opportunity to beat one of the most challenging aspects of recruitment – having access to great candidates.

People are thinking about money

For most people, Christmas is an expensive time of the year. The weight of juggling the cost of gifts, holidays, flights and entertainment can be overbearing, making people reexamine their financial position. Given the increase in workplace wellbeing strategies, a lot of people are making career choices based on an employer can offer them in addition to their remuneration package. Workplaces will often propose several perks alongside the salary, such as gym memberships, bonuses and healthcare services. These all contribute to the decision making process of employment and can drive individuals with money issues to explore their options and enter the New Year feeling more financially secure with a new role.

Executing a well-thought out and targeted recruitment strategy in the lead up to Christmas has the potential to attract top level talent to your business whilst your competitors are waiting for the New Year to come around. Our team at New Point have the experience to develop a solid campaign to help you win the recruitment game and strengthen your position in your market with quality staff that will help you grow. Call us on 1300558979 to get started now.

Finding a Balance Between Hiring for Skills and Company Culture

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Your ideal workplace will have a team that embodies the company’s culture whilst also having a set of skills that allows them to succeed and grow within their role. From our experience in the market, we have often seen employers prioritising talent over cultural fit, whereas recent studies indicate that ignoring cultural fit when hiring can have a detrimental impact on your business. We understand that finding the right balance isn’t an easy task for employers and hiring new staff can be one of the most challenging and time consuming processes.

Skill vs Cultural Fit

In business, it can be difficult to differentiate the importance of a candidate’s skill set in comparison to how that individual will fit into your company culture. Both components are extremely important and essential if you want longevity from your staff. There have been several discussions surrounding this topic and arguments that would challenge whether one weighs a heaver importance than the other.

Every workplace culture is different, team dynamics change and employers need to be aware that the needs of candidates are also changing. When technical expertise and talent is limited in the market, employers tend to overlook cultural fit and hire solely based on the candidate’s skill set. Whilst this may fix a short term problem, it’s likely to have a negative impact on your workplace in the future. Potential candidates will have attributes that are essential for the role, such as experience in a similar position or degree qualifications. They will also possess skills that can be taught, such as writing, math and specific technical skills. These are classified as hard skills and whilst they are highly valuable when selecting a person, they won’t contribute to your company’s culture. The skills that will determine whether or not an employee will be an ideal fit for the company can’t be taught. These are creativity, self-awareness and interpersonal communication skills. You can’t train an employee to get along with their colleagues, they must already possess inherent qualities that align with the values of your business, workplace culture and team. Having the ability to differentiate hard skills from soft skills with allow you to make a distinction between a candidate’s talents and personal values. Employees will feel more comfortable when their values are aligned with others in the workplace, contributing to a positive company culture. A candidate who doesn’t have the skill set but has the motivation and drive to learn could positively impact your workplace culture.

Building a positive company culture

It has never been more beneficial for employers to understand what values and principles align with their business. Understanding the culture and key beliefs of your business will have a positive impact on the relationship you have with your team and your clients. Culture is the voice and character of your business; building this to be a positive voice will improve staff productivity and retention and will improve the overall wellbeing of your team.

When speaking with clients that have created a great place to work, they stated that nurturing the relationships they have with their team and creating a safe space that encourages transparency and drives performance, have led to that “winning” feeling. Leaders that they have hired possessed an optimistic and collaborative approach when managing staff and were always be open to suggestions both from the executive and from those they were managing. They also found that incentivising staff and being clear on expectations as well as the goals of the company gave much more focus and a common purpose to align to. Outwardly, this also assists them in recruiting staff; their reputation for being a great place to work is seen through social media and other channels, meaning candidates become aware of the company and are more willing to approach them for opportunities to join the team. When the culture of your business is communicated clearly you will attract candidates with similar values, resulting in greater alignment and longevity from your staff.

How a recruiter can help

At New Point, we value workplace culture and sourcing well-vetted candidates that fit your team as well as having the skills and experience to perform well in the role. With our experience in the market and access to an extensive network of potential candidates, we have the ability to reach out to people that you aren’t aware of that we know will fit your team and enhance your business. The hiring process differentiates for each business and we can guide you in formulating a great job spec as well as identifying your culture and what makes your company a place that people want to come and do great work. This will ensure you reach the best talent and are presented with the highest calibre of candidates. If you would like to find out how we do this, please call us on 1300 558 979.

Thanks for reading,

Sophie and David.