HOW TO PASS PERSONALITY TESTS OR INTERVIEWS DURING RECRUITMENT EXERCISES
Uchechi Moses
Companies, nationally and globally, have come to realise that it is expensive recruiting people and having their personalities not aligned to the work environment. The work environment is different from the academic environment and assessing for this is an important factor in a recruitment process. In order to reduce bias in the process, firms utilise personality tests to effectively gauge candidates’ suitability for the work place. (See: Why Nigerian companies use personality tests during a recruitment exercise). As a result, the tests are delivered online where candidates can login from anywhere they are. The verified results are collated and compared to others, thereby ensuring the process is sped up and candidates’ answers aligns with company’s plans.
Let’s assume this: You saw a vacancy for a role most likely graduate trainee (firms also administer personality tests to experienced staff) and applied, wrote the aptitude test and passed to the next stage (See: How to pass aptitude tests; Popular aptitude tests used by Nigeria companies). Which is a personality assessment most likely to be taken online. Before you take the test, many questions race through your mind: Will it be hard? What is the duration? What if the results do not reflect “me”? Can I fake a personality to scale through? How effective is it? What really does the firm require of me at this stage? On the other hand, your performance during this stage tells the recruiter your personality aka “kind of person”. How does this individual fit into the firm? What are the pros and cons of employing the candidate? And many similar questions are asked during the assessment of your results.
HERE ARE WAYS TO PREPARE
- Read about the company’s values and culture to know the skills they covet
This is important as it gives you an insight to how the company operates and what she espouses. What particular values do they espouse? Do they lead by example? Respect each other? Are totally honest about their dealings? What inspires them? These and many more will be checked by infusing them into the assessment and you as the candidate will be mandated to answer them accordingly. Study the firm thoroughly ditto the job description. See the values and culture section of a firm as a mock exam before the real exam. Fine-tune your answers to them.
2. Be yourself
This cannot be overemphasised. Being yourself, like the phrase says – brings out the real you. You cannot continue to fake it, most personality tests have lots of questions and are mixed together. It can be confusing to you, and the deceit will not last long. For instance, even if you are scrupulously honest and not prone to anger, the way that some questions are interpreted can cause doubts to be raised about both your honesty and your stability. Being yourself – how you do and see things – aids in you answering the questions effectively.
3. Avoid presenting yourself as being perfect
There is no perfect employee; we have our mistakes. One of the questions asked during interviews is “what was your biggest mistake in a work/professional environment?” (See: ; Common interview questions and tips; Top banking interviews questions and answers). Trying to be perfect will end up being futile in the exercise. Which takes us to the next tip.
4. Do not make all your choices be “strongly agree or “strongly disagree” except in ethical question
This reduces your chances of going to the next stage because it comes across as someone who cheats the system, is too rigid, not open to change, difficult to work with etc. However, like our first tip says – know the firm in-and-out; because some firms actually employ individuals with such characters – non-conforming, unsocial, extremely disciplined etc. Exceptions do exist; however, exceptions are not norms.
On the other hand, during ethical/integrity related questions. Like we have said during interview questions; never ever accept to compromise your integrity. No matter what! (See Questions asked during some Nigerian companies’ interviews: Top questions asked during an interview with PwC Nigeria; Top questions asked during an interview with Unilever Nigeria; Top questions asked during an interview with GTB Nigeria; Top questions asked during an interview with GSK Nigeria)
5. Look at a question from a broader perspective. Is it about integrity, team work, leadership, communication, pressure handling etc?
Take some seconds before answering a question. During this time, think about the question and what they desire. Carefully select the option that aligns with your personality and the firm’s values.
6. Be consistent, take your time and do not fret
As odd as it sounds, you have all the whole day to answer a personality assessment. Do not be hasty when answering questions; take your time. Candidates have spent an hour on PwC’s OPQ assessment and were successful, you don’t have to “quickly” finish the test and unfortunately get a regret mail. Yes, you have all the time, but don’t sleep there. Additionally, be consistent; agreeing not to collect bribe, but agree not to report someone who committed fraud. That is confusion.
Note: There are no past questions for personality tests. It is about your persona.
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See also
Why universities desire personal statements and statement of purpose
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