Should You Use Personality Tests for Hiring?
Short Answer
Yes, when used correctly. Big Five Conscientiousness predicts job performance across all roles (r=0.22). DISC predicts team communication fit. EQ predicts leadership effectiveness. But: never use as sole criterion, apply consistently to all candidates, and focus on job-relevant traits only.
Full Answer
Personality tests in hiring are both scientifically supported and commonly misused. Here's the balanced view.
The science supports it
Meta-analysis by Barrick & Mount (1991, 117 studies) found Big Five Conscientiousness predicts job performance at r=0.22 across all occupations. For specific roles, other traits matter: Extraversion predicts sales (r=0.15), Agreeableness predicts customer service, Openness predicts creative roles.
How to use correctly
- 1Define required traits BEFORE seeing candidates.
- 2Use validated instruments (Big Five, DISC — not BuzzFeed quizzes).
- 3Apply consistently to ALL candidates.
- 4Weight at 20-30% of the decision — alongside interviews, skills tests, and references.
- 5Focus on job-relevant traits only — don't penalize introversion for a coding role.
How NOT to use
As sole hiring criterion, to discriminate against protected groups, with unvalidated tests, or to screen out "bad" personality types (there are no bad types — only poor fits for specific roles).
Find Out for Yourself
Take the Big Five (OCEAN) test free — full result with strengths, blind spots, and matching careers.
Take the Free Big Five (OCEAN) TestRelated Questions
Is it legal to use personality tests for hiring?▼
Yes, in most jurisdictions, when: tests are validated, applied consistently, don't discriminate against protected groups, and used as one input among many. In the UK: comply with Equality Act 2010. In the US: comply with ADA and EEOC guidelines. Avoid tests that ask about medical conditions or disabilities.
Which personality test is best for hiring?▼
Big Five is the gold standard (strongest validity evidence). DISC is great for team-fit assessment. EQ predicts leadership effectiveness. RIASEC predicts job-interest alignment. Use Big Five as your primary hiring assessment, add DISC for team roles and EQ for leadership positions.
More on Big Five (OCEAN)
Yes, but slowly. Big Five traits change approximately 1 standard deviation over a lifetime. Conscientiousness and Agreeableness tend to increase with age, while Neuroticism tends to decrease. Deliberate effort (therapy, life changes) can accelerate personality change.
The Big Five (OCEAN) is the most scientifically accurate personality test, with test-retest reliability of 0.75-0.90 and the strongest predictive validity across thousands of studies. It measures 5 continuous dimensions rather than assigning a single type.
Introverts recharge through solitude and prefer less stimulation; extroverts recharge through social interaction and seek more stimulation. It's about energy source, not social skill. Most people (60-70%) are ambiverts — somewhere in between.
Neurodivergence refers to natural variations in brain function: ADHD (attention regulation), Autism (social/sensory processing), Dyslexia (reading processing), Dyspraxia (motor coordination), and others. About 15-20% of the population is neurodivergent. The neurodiversity paradigm views these as natural human variation with genuine strengths, not defects to be cured.
The Big Five (OCEAN) is the most scientifically validated personality framework. It measures 5 continuous dimensions: Openness (creativity), Conscientiousness (organization), Extraversion (sociability), Agreeableness (empathy), and Neuroticism (emotional sensitivity). Unlike MBTI types, Big Five gives percentile scores on each dimension.
MBTI places you into 16 discrete personality types; Big Five measures you on five continuous scales (Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism). Big Five has stronger scientific validation and better predicts job performance; MBTI is better for self-discovery and personal identity exploration. Ideally, take both.