One popular test is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Author Adam Grant calls the MBTI about as accurate as a polygraph test\u00a0<\/span><\/a>\u2014 and that it fell somewhere in-between a horoscope and a heart monitor in terms of accuracy.<\/p>\n And that horoscope analogy makes perfect sense. If you look up your MBTI type<\/a>, there\u2019s a whole wealth of information that looks at career types, romantic matches, and your unique set of strengths. It\u2019s fun \u2014 to some extent \u2014 and some may identify with their results more than others.<\/p>\n But using those results to determine whether someone is a good candidate is dicey.<\/p>\n Personality testing has already raised some red flags with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission<\/a>. Some test questions are framed in a way that might disqualify someone with a mental illness.<\/p>\n Some experts also fear that using these tests might allow employers to discriminate against certain groups under the guise of cultural fit.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also the issue that results might be flawed. With these types of tests, employees sometimes answer the way they think the employer wants them to answer.<\/p>\n The robot hiring manager \u2014 impartial recruiter or totally biased bot?<\/p>\r\n READ NOW \u25ba<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n One recent study<\/a><\/span> found that personality tests don\u2019t necessarily give companies access to employees that are a \u201cbetter fit.\u201d These tests don\u2019t guarantee a certain level of job performance like skills testing. Rather, they appear to be a way to filter out the heap of applicants to a more manageable amount.<\/p>\n It\u2019s understandable that companies look toward some measurable way to improve their pool of candidates \u2014 but in general, broad personality traits don\u2019t necessarily indicate whether someone is a good fit<\/a>. Sure, some strengths and weaknesses may be revealed \u2014 but that doesn\u2019t account for the fact that an extrovert and an introvert might both be great sales reps, but bring different working styles to the table.<\/p>\n That said, hiring managers may benefit from some test results. Many of these tests measure things like positivity, willingness to work with a group, or a preference for autonomy. Still, it seems that the employee gets the short shrift.<\/p>\n Take the INTP personality type, as an example<\/span><\/a>. According to the 16\u00a0 <\/span>Personalities website, this type is solitary, eccentric, and not exactly built for thriving in the structured, collaborative workplace of today. But those same people are reportedly intellectual innovators \u2014 which, obviously add value to many positions.<\/p>\n Or there\u2019s the four quadrant personality test, another popular option. This test asks you to pick from four statements which one is most like you, then which one is least like you.<\/p>\n Best questions to ask before leaving your next job interview<\/p>\r\n Read Now \u25ba<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n A 2017 Hidden Brain episode<\/span><\/a> looked at personality tests and noted that there\u2019s something a bit unsettling about them \u2014 that ability to put someone in a box conjures up images from a not-so-distant past.\u00a0A time when scientists would classify personalities based on race or gender. The point is, personality tests allow us to categorize people quickly without getting messy.<\/p>\n Psychologist Annie Murphy Paul compared the use of personality tests to phrenology<\/a>, a bygone pseudoscience used to determine someone’s traits and attributes by measuring the bumps on their head. Like personality tests, phrenology was once big business<\/a> — people would get tested and use the results to as a way to find the right career or the perfect mate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There\u2019s also the issue that how you answer may have to do with what group you belong to \u2014 women and minorities, for example, may not answer in the same way that a white man might. And while that doesn\u2019t seem like an issue, the way employers analyze the results often favors the \u201cin\u201d group.<\/p>\n But the problems come in a few different forms. There\u2019s a test called the Culture Index that gives employers notes that aim to help them manage employees based on personality types. But, those notes might color employer feelings about a person \u2014 saying for example \u201cthis person is low energy and may need frequent breaks.\u201d<\/p>\n While the company claims to help create a better employee environment, it raises some flags. This BBC article interviewed a CEO<\/span><\/a> who said, the test helped her company weed out one candidate who seemed impressive in the interviews, but the test revealed they weren\u2019t a team player or multitasker.<\/p>\n Complete guide to advancing your career<\/p>\r\n Read Now \u25ba<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n Ultimately, the driver behind the rise in personality tests over the past decade or so can be chalked up to cutting costs and saving time. Not to mention the fact that people have grown more accepting of personality tests in general.<\/p>\n As a tool, personality tests do offer a way to learn about yourself. In the workplace, it\u2019s complicated. On the one hand, a personality test could be an opening for employees and their bosses to have one-on-one conversations about work preferences and habits. Still, there needs to be a lot of trust in place to pull this off.<\/p>\nShould HR departments trust personality tests?<\/h2>\n
![\"personality](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2021\/06\/personality_test_700.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPersonality tests pose some known problems<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/ai-hiring-career-192.jpg\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n Personality tests might exclude great candidates<\/h3>\n
![\"16](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/personality-types-myers-briggs-key-300x224.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"four](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/four-quadrant-assessment-262x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/01\/job-interview-career-192.jpg\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n Or, worse, they might outright discriminate<\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/forward-business-future-work-192.jpg\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n Wrapping up<\/h3>\n