Reference no: EM132808009
After reading the text below answer the questions below I just landed a second-round interview with a great company, and I'm super excited. And super nervous because I hear that they'll give me tests. I've read a few articles about how more and more companies are using them. Do you have tips for how I can put my best foot forward? -Lauren
Dear Lauren:
Congratulations! It's natural for you to want to understand the tests your prospective employer uses. You've probably deduced that it's possible to respond in a favorable manner. For example, if a statement says, "I am always prepared," you know that employers are looking for an applicant who agrees with this statement. You might think responding in the most favorable way possible increases your chances of getting hired, and you might be right.
There are a few caveats, however. First, some companies build in "lie scales" that flag individuals who respond to statements in an extremely favorable manner. It's not always easy to detect them, but they usually appear across a number of items. If you respond in the most favorable way to a long list of items, then, you might pop up on the lie scale.
Second, high scores on every trait are not desirable for every kind of job. Some employers might be more interested in low scores on a particular trait or pay more attention to a total profile that would be hard to "game." For example, agreeableness is not a good predictor of job performance for jobs that are competitive in nature (sales, coach, and trader).
Third, there is an ethical perspective you should consider. How are you going to feel once you are in the organization if you have not represented yourself correctly in the hiring process? What is your general attitude toward lying? How are you going to make sure your behavior fits the traits you tried to portray?
Finally, perhaps you should look at the assessment differently. The organization-and you-should be looking for a good match. If you are not a good match and are hired, you are likely to be unsuccessful, and miserable in the process. However, if you have a good, honest match, you can arrive for your first day confident and ready for success.
In the end, you might increase your chances of getting hired by responding to a personality test in a favorable manner. However, we still think honesty is the best policy-for you and for your future employer!
Sources: M. N. Bing, H. K. Davison, and J. Smothers, "Item-Level Frame-of-Reference Effects in Personality Testing: An Investigation of Incremental Validity in an Organizational Setting," International Journal of Selection and Assessment 22, no. 2 (2014): 165-78; P. R. Sackett and P. T. Walmsley, "Which Personality Attributes Are Most Important in the Workplace?" Perspectives on Psychological Science 9, no. 5 (2014): 538-51; and L. Weber, "To Get a Job, New Hires are Put to the Test," The Wall Street Journal, April 15, 2015, A1, A10.
- Answer the questions after reading the text above
Questions
1. Discuss the various factors that determine an individual's personality.
2. With reference to personality tests, discuss how organizations measure personality and individual differences. Also discuss the main reasons such tests or instruments may be used and the situations where the application of personality concepts could be of value within an organization.
3. Highlight the potential problems that may occur if firms depend significantly on personality tests when hiring employees.
4. Preparing managers for working overseas remains a critical feature of international HRM. With reference to cultural differences, discuss why some employees may find it difficult working with people not like themselves and in a new context. Provide examples to further explain the points.
5. Which do you think is more important: similarity between personality types or differences? Explain your answer.