Why You Should Take A Personality Test Today

Having registered his CV with us for over a year, James has had the opportunity to be interviewed by several of our clients. You see, James own experience and presentation on paper makes him look like an ideal candidate for anyone looking for an accountant with five years experience. He is lucky to have worked for an SME and lately with a big player in the telecommunication industry.

For James, it’s not an issue of getting called for an interview but how to go about convincing an employer that he’s the right candidate for the job. At Corporate Staffing, we have sent him for five interviews and on his own he’s managed to secure four. That’s a good number considering how competitive the accounting profession is.

So, what could be putting off potential employers?

When you meet James, he will strike you as a responsible, skilled, and hardworking individual. Good qualities that any employers is looking for. However, James also comes out as a slow person, not chap chap if you know what I mean. He also doesn’t look like the type that takes charge. In short, you wouldn’t feel comfortable hiring him in a managerial or supervisory role.

Unfortunately, with five years experience, the only jobs available for James are in leadership roles i.e. senior accountant, chief accountant etc. whereas James has the technical expertise, his personality is coming between him and his career growth.

This is where psychometric tests come into play. Psychometric tests are categorized into two. We have personality and aptitude tests. Today’s article is on how Kenyan employers are increasingly using this tool in recruitment and why you should take one before that important interview. After all, wouldn’t you want to know what you are made of?

With a personality test, you get an objective assessment on who you are as an individual. Different providers and tests measure different areas. Some are looking for confidence levels, communication skills, leadership, presentation skills, ability to manage, initiative, how one copes with change, organizational skills and such like soft skills areas.

As you might have picked from the list above, these are not skills taught at a class room be it at college or university. The tragedy is that majority of us take pride in amassing certificates while their soft skills remain weak. You’ll also be surprised to know that over 99% don’t really know our areas of weakness. Even if you have a certificate from a company training showing you’ve attended a training session, it doesn’t not necessary mean that you posses the skills. That’s why it’s important to take a personality test.

For employers, the advantage of subjecting candidates is that they are able to distinguish those candidates who are able to sell themselves well during interviews but cannot deliver. The test also removes any form of biasness as it is automated and free from human interference. There’s no better way to have an objective recruitment exercise than incorporating tests.

If you are like James, you will not only get an insight into your weakness but also get to know why you are struggling in your chosen field. Some things are not met to be. If you are in a sales job but do not possess the characteristics required of a sales person, how far can you go? If you want to change careers, which one will work for you? These and more will be answered by a personality profile.

If you would like to take a test contact Sheila through sheila@corporatestaffing.co.ke

Dont Miss any Job Or Article Subscribe to Career Point Kenya by Email FOR FREE CLICK HERE