When a Personality Assessment Isn’t Enough: How to Choose the Right Assessment for the Job

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Picking a personality or talent assessment can feel like picking a wine at a restaurant when you’re not a sommelier. Everyone’s talking about the MBTI or DiSC like they’re must-haves but what if they’re not built for what you actually need?

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For HR, Talent, and L&D leaders, choosing the wrong employee assessment can waste time, burn budget, and lead to poor decisions around hiring, promotions, or leadership development. The assessment space is crowded with tools that “look” credible or are wrapped in fancy technology but lack scientific rigor, regulatory oversight, or real-world business impact.

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So how do you choose a quality employee assessment that fits your specific need for hiring, employee development, team dynamics, or addressing a narrow issue like conflict or turnover? You start by aligning purpose to method, understanding what to look for in an assessment, and evaluating who’s behind it.

Let’s break it down.

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Step 1: Define the Purpose of the Assessment

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Before selecting any tool, ask: What problem am I trying to solve or improve? The answer determines the right type of assessment and how much psychometric rigor is required.

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Common Goals and Matching Assessment Types:

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‍Tip: Typology-based tools like MBTI, StrengthsFinder, and DiSC are built for reflection, not selection. Their own manuals state they should not be used for hiring. For example:

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• The MBTI® Manual explicitly states: “It is not ethical or appropriate to use the MBTI instrument for hiring or for deciding job assignments.”
• DiSC® providers note: “DiSC is not designed to predict job performance.”
• StrengthsFinder® states: “It is not intended for use in employment selection or diagnostic decisions.”

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These are great for coaching and team-building but a poor fit for high-stakes talent decisions.

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Step 2: Understand Assessment Sophistication (and Why It Matters)

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Levels of Assessment Validation:

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If you’re making talent decisions, you need tools with criterion validation and reliability estimates and you need to confirm they exist in a technical manual. Many typology-based assessments will not have this level of sophistication in their construction. 

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There are various levels of sophistication and indicators of quality with regard to employee assessments. In order, content, construct, and criterion validity are all sources of evidence that can show how rigorously validated an assessment is in its creation or continued ongoing evaluation. 

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Not all assessments are created equal. Some are great for sparking discussion; others are scientifically built to guide high-stakes talent decisions. Choosing the right one is like choosing the right medical test:

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• Free personality quizzes are like forehead thermometers -quick and fun, but not accurate or predictive. Use for entertainment only.
  Examples: Buzzfeed-style quizzes, pop psych tests
• Typology-based tools (like MBTI®, DiSC®, StrengthsFinder®) are like basic checkups - they have some content validity, but they don’t measure traits precisely or predict outcomes like performance or turnover.
  Best for team-building and self-awareness. Not for hiring decisions.
• Construct-valid assessments are like blood panels - they measure deep psychological traits with rigor and allow for meaningful comparisons across people. More sophisticated models of personality based on the Five Factor Model of Personality - FFM
• Criterion-valid tools are like full diagnostic panels—they are statistically linked to job performance and turnover, making them ideal for hiring and promotion. It is estimated that only about 10% of commercially available assessments have this level of validation (done properly and documented in a technical manual). 

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The higher the decision risk, the higher the assessment rigor should be.

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Step 3: Ask These Questions About the Assessment

To avoid wasting money or risking poor hiring decisions, ask your provider the following:

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On the Assessment Itself:

• What outcomes is this designed to predict?
• Has it been validated with criterion data (e.g., job performance, turnover)?
• Is it normative or ipsative? (Normative = usable for decision-making. Ipsative = better for reflection.)
• Is there a technical manual available?
• Was this assessment reviewed for fairness and adverse impact?

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On Measurement Method:

• What assessment methods are available (Ex: personality, cognitive, situational judgment, culture fit, or skills-based assessment)? 
• Can they be bundled together into an assessment battery to increase predictive power?
• Are the assessment validated for specific job roles or use cases?
• Can you do a validation study for my specific needs (positions or jobs family)? 

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Step 4: Evaluate the Provider Behind the Assessment

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Choosing a great tool is only half the battle. You also need to evaluate the vendor and their level of scientific and consultative support. Choosing a provider without Industrial-Organizational (I-O) psychologists on staff is like trusting your health to an online wellness influencer rather than a board certified doctor. Or perhaps designing your new custom home with your handyman rather than an experienced architect. When the decisions impact your people and your bottom line, you need experts trained in the science of behavior, measurement, and fairness. I-O psychologists ensure your assessment isn’t just shiny, it’s valid, reliable, and built to hold up under pressure.

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Key Questions for Providers:

• Was the assessment developed by Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychologists?
• Do they offer local validation studies to link scores to your company’s own performance data?
• Can they conduct a job analysis to ensure role relevance?
• Do they offer implementation guidance and change management support?
• Do they monitor fairness and compliance over time?
• Are their consultants capable of interpreting and applying results to your business goals?
• Are they a reseller or have white labeled another providers assessment as their own? 

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Providers offering science-based hiring solutions should have I-O psychologists on staff and offer services like validation, job analysis, and consulting.

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Step 5: Assessment Technology Platform

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Don’t forget the technology. Even the best assessment is frustrating if the platform is clunky or inaccessible.

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Questions to Ask:

• Is the assessment platform mobile-optimized?
• Can different users (e.g., recruiters, hiring managers, admins) have role-based access?
• What is the user experience like for candidates/employees? 
• How are results delivered (dashboard, PDF, email)?
• Can I track usage, results, and easily access and deliver reports?
• Can the platform integrate with other systems (ATS or HRIS)?

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For enterprise and mid-market companies, these tech questions become essential especially when scaling hiring or managing multiple locations.

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Summary: How to Choose the Right Assessment for Your Needs

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Here’s a quick recap of the process:

1. Clarify your goal: Hiring, development, team building, or something specific?
2. Match method to purpose: Use validated, normative tools for high-stakes decisions.
3. Check validation and documentation: Look for technical manuals and fairness evaluations.
4. Vet the provider: Prioritize scientific expertise and consulting capabilities.
5. Assess the platform: Make sure it supports your workflow, tech stack, and users.

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Choosing an assessment should not feel like a gamble. When done right, it’s a strategic advantage that that boosts employee performance, reduces turnover, and aligns people data to business impact.