I’ve seen some negative posts from job seekers on LinkedIn lately about behavioral or personality assessments. Understandably, they complain about how long they take, when they’re taken, and ultimately why they’re taken. This article focuses on the “why” question and provides some answers to help applicants see the mutual value in assessments they may not have seen before.
Simply put, most assessment tools are focused on increasing the chance of success for both the employer and the employee. Experience, education, technical skills, and past performance all play crucial factors in that potential success, but what these assessments look for (e.g. soft skills, personality, and emotional intelligence) are things that could be the difference between a mismatch, or even good and great. As a jobseeker, you’re not just looking for a job you are qualified for, but equally as important, you want to feel good about going in to work every day and be in a position that plays to your strengths. Assessments can help with all of that.
There are dozens of assessments available, but most gather data in the same way and yield similar fundamental results. After answering a series of questions, they produce how one’s personality may be expressed in a work-relevant context. They assume that behaviors shift according to situations, but the underlying person does not fundamentally change.
Why does this matter to you as a potential candidate? For starters, assessments should help you put yourself in a position to recognize and use your strengths. For example, if you love being surrounded by unfamiliar people and circumstances, you may be more likely to succeed in a business development role. If you enjoy problem solving and multitasking, you may thrive as a project manager. This does not mean that you could not succeed in a situation where these traits were different, but such scenarios create stress, and too much stress can be counterproductive for the employee and the employer, potentially resulting in poor performance, burnout, or even separation.
Here’s a hidden benefit of assessments you may not have thought of. Interviews can be stressful, and it’s common to get nervous and not communicate as eloquently as usual. If this happened to you and you completed an assessment, a quick review of those results may confirm that you’re not a poor communicator at all, but you thrive in other environments, ultimately helping put the Hiring Manager’s mind at ease and moving you on in the interview/hiring process.
The real benefits of a successful assessment program come after being hired. The best employers make time to share your results with you, to better understand yourself. Here at Alcorn, we utilize Culture Index, and we share survey traits with our employees which show things like patience, reasoning style, attention to detail, and logic. Understanding yourself as well as how others may view you can be a career-enhancing ability and help you get even better at what you’re already good at.
Another benefit of an assessment tool is its ability to help with work relationships and teamwork. For example, a difference in energy level amongst coworkers may be perceived as slacking until comparing assessments side-by-side and seeing that it may just be a difference in style. Or logical thinkers will express themselves differently and come to conclusions differently than emotional people. Neither are wrong, but knowing this difference about a coworker (or Manager) can prove invaluable. Great teams complement each other, and assessments help teams discover strengths and collaborate better.
Assessment tools can also play a critical role in communication. Wouldn’t it be nice if your manager knew how you like to be communicated with, recognized, and motivated? Yep, an assessment tool can do that as well.
So next time you apply for a job and are asked to complete an assessment, don’t think of it as a chance to “get screened out”. Take it as an opportunity to help you find the right fit for you. Take your time, answer honestly (“gaming” helps no one), and when you’re hired, ask your employer to share your results. And if by chance you’re not hired and an assessment played a role, know that it may have saved you from a situation that just wasn’t the right fit.
