Like about 60% of recruiters, you may have administered a personality test to a candidate. These tests can be insightful for predicting job performance, offering clarity on key strengths and areas for improvement. However, the next step—delivering the results to the candidate—is crucial and often under-discussed. Misinterpretations or poor communication during this stage can negatively impact the candidate's perception or your hiring decision. To help avoid mistakes, we’ll outline a four-step method to deliver these results effectively, ensuring that the candidate understands the feedback and how it relates to their potential role.
Step 1: Define the Important Criteria
Personality test results should always be viewed through the lens of the specific job role, company culture, and the team dynamics the candidate will join. Without a context-specific interpretation, the results may appear vague or irrelevant. For example, a candidate with a high need for novelty might excel in a fast-paced, innovative environment but struggle in a routine-based role like accounting.
First, identify the key competencies you're looking for in the candidate. Are teamwork, leadership, adaptability, and innovation critical for the position? As you interpret the test, these competencies will serve as reference points. For instance, in the case of a project manager role, traits like leadership and flexibility may signal strong potential for success. Knowing how these traits map onto job performance will help you tailor the delivery of results meaningfully.
Step 2: Analyse the Results
Once you've defined the essential criteria, it's time to dive into the report. Personality tests typically provide a summary of dominant traits, as well as in-depth explanations for each. Take your time to understand how these traits may manifest in a work environment.
For example, a candidate with a high need for novelty might thrive when juggling multiple projects, while another might prefer to focus deeply on one innovative task. If that need for novelty is combined with a high degree of rationalism, it could suggest the candidate will bring a practical approach to innovation. On the other hand, paired with intuition, they might bring creative, out-of-the-box thinking.
By interpreting how these traits interact, you gain deeper insights into the candidate’s strengths and potential challenges. This will allow you to give constructive feedback that’s not only clear but aligned with the role’s demands.
Step 3: Prepare Insightful Questions
Now that you have a comprehensive understanding of the candidate’s personality traits, the next step is to prepare thoughtful, open-ended questions for the candidate. These should aim to clarify how the traits identified in the test show up in their work behaviour.
For example, you might ask a candidate with a strong need for novelty to share examples of how they’ve introduced new ideas in previous roles or how they approach repetitive tasks. These types of questions give you insight into their preferred work style and alignment with the position.
Avoid leading questions, and instead, allow the candidate to reflect on their experiences. Tailoring these questions to the role and the company’s culture ensures the conversation remains relevant and productive. Central Test's Smart Interview video interview solution offers predefined questions related to specific skills or positions.
Step 4: Conduct the Interview
Once you’ve prepared your questions and studied the personality test results, you’re ready to meet with the candidate. The feedback session aims to provide a balanced, constructive assessment, while also engaging the candidate in a meaningful conversation about their fit for the role.
Begin the interview by setting the tone—emphasize that the personality test is not a judgment but rather a tool to understand their work preferences and behaviours better. Explain that you are interested in how their traits can align with the job’s requirements, and encourage them to ask questions about the results.
When discussing specific traits, tie them back to real-world job expectations. For example, if the candidate has a high degree of extraversion, discuss how this may affect their ability to work in a highly collaborative team. Similarly, if the candidate shows high levels of conscientiousness, explore how that manifests in their ability to manage multiple deadlines or handle responsibility.
Aim to spend 30 to 45 minutes in this feedback session, ensuring you cover all key points and allow the candidate to reflect on their results. If the candidate’s personality traits suggest they might not be a perfect fit for the current role, be honest but kind—highlight potential growth areas or discuss how they might be better suited for future roles within the company.
Conclusion
Delivering personality test results requires careful planning, empathy, and an understanding of both the candidate’s traits and the role they are applying for. By following this four-step process—defining key criteria, analyzing the results in depth, preparing thoughtful questions, and conducting a meaningful interview—you can ensure that both you and the candidate leave the conversation with clarity and confidence. This process not only helps identify the best candidate for the role but also fosters a transparent and respectful recruitment experience.
