Different types of screening methods are used by employers to make smart hiring decisions — including tests that measure cognitive ability, physical ability, aptitude, personality traits and honesty. There are various considerations that must be taken into account when implementing and managing a preemployment testing program, and to avoid legal challenges, the reliability and validity of a selection test must be established.

Psychological testing need not only be for recruitment and selection. The tests available today include a range of personality tests, as well as ability, aptitude and reasoning tests for use in development, team‐building, coaching and individual career development. These tests, however, are usually too expensive to use on an everyday basis.

Some recruitment agencies can use personality profiling, such as MBTI or DISC, to help companies recruit specifically to suit culture or to fit with an existing team. This is a relatively cheap process, and can provide great insight for the recruiter and manager.

QUESTIONS

1. Have you experienced any psychological testing for a position? What form did it take?

2. How would you determine behavioural issues when recruiting?