Finding a Good Fit: Pre-Employment Tests That Measure Who You Are, Not What You Know
Nan Knight

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Scenario 1
Thomas graduated summa cum laude with a degree in chemistry and biology. He's always taken his scientific work very seriously and thinks he'd be a real asset to a local genetic research startup company. After applying for a position, he's called in for pre-employment testing. He has all the right skills but finds out that the results of his personality assessment test have made the company decide not to hire him. What could possibly have gone wrong? And what's wrong with Thomas?

Scenario 2
Hannah understands that one part of applying for the job she wants as a pharmaceutical quality assurance manager will be pre-employment testing. She aces the skills test and does well at what her employer calls an "integrity" test. She balks, however, at a third test in which she is asked to answer very personal questions, such as "What time do you usually go to bed at night?" and "Besides your ears, are any other parts of your body pierced?" Where can she-or should she-draw the line? Is it legal for her prospective employer to ask such questions?

Scenario 3
Tabitha has applied for a job as a bench chemist with a large corporation. She has a new degree in chemistry and excellent qualifications. After a battery of pre-employment tests, she is called in for an interview. To her surprise, the company offers her a much higher-level job, managing and coordinating the activities of a team of chemists. How did this happen? How can pre-employment testing information help Tabitha decide whether or not to accept this unexpected responsibility?

Tests and More Tests

You have good training, excellent credentials, and glowing references-what more could a prospective employer want to know? A lot, apparently, given the number and types of pre-employment screening tests currently in use. At least 10 broad types of assessment tests are available to employers who want to know as much about potential employees as possible before making costly investments in hiring.

In the news for the past few years have been tests that measure, literally, what you're made of: medical assessments that include physical ability tests, drug and alcohol tests, general medical examinations, and most recently, the controversial possibility of genetic screening.

Other types of "tests" measure your accomplishments: mental quizzes, educational and experience requirements, achievement tests, specific skills tests, and recommendations and reference checks.

For many years, employers relied on the face-to-face interview to assess intangible personality traits and interpersonal skills that do not appear on a medical report or a resume. Some interviewers are quite skilled at eliciting the kind of information that can forecast whether an individual will be a good fit with their company. Others are not so capable, and almost all would admit that the subjective elements of interviewing make them uncomfortable. "Did I dislike this applicant because she reminded me of my 10th-grade English teacher?" "Did I give this applicant low marks because his socks didn't match?"

Many employers have turned to tightly structured interview formats to comply with the hiring requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and with laws that protect the civil rights of applicants. Although these formats increase the objectivity of interviews, they often mean that it's even more difficult to find out who a prospective employee really is and whether or not he or she is a good fit for the job being offered. Businesses and other organizations are turning increasingly to personality assessments to supply the answers. More than 40% of Fortune 500 companies and an estimated 50% of medium-sized and large corporations currently use some form of personality assessments for some or all of their employees.

Personality Assessment

"Most companies, especially in the sciences, do a good job of identifying whether or not an applicant has the basic skills necessary to do the job," says Nancy Haller, PhD, founder and director of Applied Psychometrics, a San Diego firm that offers a wide range of employee selection and retention tools and services. "But these same companies then need a way to identify less tangible characteristics like good judgment, personal poise, or leadership capabilities. That's where the right kind of pre-employment testing can yield information that will ultimately be useful to both the employer and the employee."

Haller emphasizes that good pre-employment personality assessments are about inclusion, not exclusion. "It's about identifying the assets an employee can bring to the company," she says. Applied Psychometrics works with its client corporations and organizations to develop job analyses that highlight the characteristics most needed both for specific jobs and for fitting into the general atmosphere of a company. "We then recommend specific tests from a wide range of instruments that are available," says Haller. "The results help companies go beyond the basics of skills and work experience to make matches with employees who will be able to share in the 'style' of the work and the goals of the company."

A small biotechnology firm trying to take breakthrough technology to the mass market on a shoestring may look for entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and a willingness to go above and beyond traditional 9-to-5 workplace requirements. The job also may require the interpersonal skills necessary to work in small quarters on tight deadlines with diverse coworkers. "These are all traits that can be identified," says Haller. She emphasizes, however, that if an applicant does not score well on these specific points, that does not mean that he or she will not be highly valued in another type of work setting. "Every company has different requirements," she says. "The same traits the entrepreneurial environment values may not be as important to a large corporation, where loyalty, cooperation, and carefully considered decision making may count for more."

Sidebar: Background Screening: The Test That Gets Taken Without You

How Does Personality Assessment Work?

You are most likely to encounter a personality assessment test before you even get to the interview stage in the hiring process. Many companies use these tests as second-level screening after resumes have been reviewed. Tests are offered either in the Human Resources department of the company or in a special testing and assessment center that has contracted to perform this service.

The way in which assessments are administered varies by the type of test. The majority are still pen-and-pencil multiple-choice instruments, but increasing numbers of tests are being administered at computer workstations. A few testing services administer the test online. You can get a feel for such tests by taking a sample multiple-choice assessment from The Computer Psychologist, an Atlanta company specializing in Web-based personality and cognitive assessments. The Computer Psychologist customizes its tests to identify potential employees with the traits the employer finds the most desirable. America's Career InfoNet is an informative site with links to free online assessments and tests.

A few tests allow room for open-ended responses. Testing for professional or managerial positions often involves situational tests, including "in-basket" exercises (where you sort through items determining priorities and solving problems), group problem solving (where your leadership and team-building qualities are assessed), and role-playing (where your ability to deal with other employees or customers is judged).

The good news is that, regardless of the type of test you are required to take, you won't need to study. "This is not a pass/fail scenario," says Kevin Sessions, Director of Sales and Business Development for The Computer Psychologist. Like Haller, he agrees that these tests are about measuring what you're good at and finding the right fit between employer and employee.

The bad news, however, is that this type of testing often constitutes a blind spot for employees. You don't know what to expect when you go in to the test. You can't know for sure what the employer is looking for. Even if you did, the best tests are designed with "lie-scales" and repeated questions that make "fooling" the test difficult. And later, if you don't get a callback for an interview, you have no way of knowing why or even whether some aspect of your test results denied you the job. Prospective employers are under no obligation to share the results of the test with you. Experts advise that you put your best and most truthful self forward in taking the assessments.

A Note About Honesty

A number of "honesty" or "integrity" tests are marketed to employers who are concerned about possible theft or other illegalities on the job. Such tests usually take one or more of three forms: direct questions about whether you have engaged in illegal or dishonest behaviors, more indirect questions about your attitudes toward dishonesty, and polygraph examinations. A host of state laws govern the content and use of honesty and integrity measures, and the 1988 Employee Polygraph Protection Act places significant restrictions on the use of so-called lie detectors.

Experts contacted for this feature, however, noted that honesty and integrity tests tend to be much more useful for entry-level positions, such as convenience store clerk or security guard. "If you're smart enough to have an advanced degree, you're probably smart enough to know what the right answers are on most of the written integrity tests," said one test developer. Few scientists are asked to take such tests as part of pre-employment assessment. Once on the job, however, a polygraph is sometimes part of clearance for assignment to secure or classified operations. If you are asked to take a polygraph, experts advise, you should consult an employment attorney who can counsel you about your rights in the testing environment, use of results, and retesting.

Benefits for All

When pre-employment personality assessment tests match the right employee with the right employer, everyone gains. Not only does the company know that it has hired someone with a broad range of desired skills and capabilities, but the employee starts out on the job with a useful tool for further development. "These tests go into HR files," says Haller. "If the employer chooses to share these, the employee can identify strengths and pinpoint areas for further development." Sessions agrees, "You get additional insights about yourself-and about what the company values-from these tests." Moreover, you're likely to benefit from the work atmosphere that results when your coworkers have been selected with these tests as part of the criteria. "We even see this as a marketing tool for companies, both for prospective hires and potential clients," says Sessions. "It allows companies to show that they're looking to replicate strengths in their employees-and that those employees have the interpersonal and other skills to get along and do well in the workplace."

Personality assessment doesn't stop at the point of hire. "We encourage ongoing testing," says Haller, who advises companies on using assessments to identify leaders, as guides for restructuring, and in decisions about advancement. "This helps companies increase retention rates and increase worker satisfaction. It's a win-win situation."

Like Your Mother Said…

This is one of those times when the best advice is to be yourself. If you're in the market for a new job, then, the news that you need to be tested shouldn't make you cringe. First, it's an indication that your prospective employer is interested. Second, if the test is a well normed and proven assessment, it's likely to provide a pretty good prognosis about your well being in the job. Finally, once you have the job, the test may give you-and your employer-helpful pointers about future career strengths and directions.

How did our candidates measure up?

Nan Knight is a freelance science writer and editor whose credits include Smithsonian exhibits, Discovery Channel Web sites, and a wide range of publications on radiation in medicine.

Related Reading

Donald J. Spero of the Florida Mediation Group has written an excellent summary of the legal ins and outs of employment testing.

Should a psychologist determine your professional future? Read what Fortune magazine has to say about the changing executive hiring process.