Behavior profiling: implications for recruitment and team building

Abstract

Purpose – This paper aims to address the role of behavior profiling in personnel recruitment and selection and how managers would benefit by using behavior assessment. Psychometric tests that measure cognitive ability and behavioral traits are regularly used to support management decisions in recruitment, team building and leadership development. But are they effective as a determinant of hiring and can their use be justified? Design/methodology/approach – The relationship between personality and job performance has been studied frequently in business psychology, particularly so in the past 20 years. This paper sets out by discussing the advent of personality profiling and exploring the advances made to where we are today with behavior assessment tests. It addresses the views of academics and the use of behavior assessment in the corporate setting. Findings – There are many studies that document the validity of cognitive ability tests and personality/behavior profiling as predictors of work performance. Of the numerous procedures used for recruitment and selection, two combinations – general mental ability (cognitive ability or GMA) plus an integrity test (personality profiling) and GMA plus a structured interview – have the highest multivariate validity and utility for job performance. Behavior profiling is an effective determinant of hiring. Practical implications – Adopting personnel selection methods with high predictive validity ensures that managers can make decisions with a stronger degree of certainty and confidence. Using behavior profiling in conjunction with cognitive ability measures and sound interview techniques maximizes the predictive power of the selection process. Social implications – Behavior assessment tests should also benefit those taking the test by providing a facility that conveys important issues about their personality and behavior. This will allow them to discover areas that need to be addressed to make positive changes within themselves to achieve their ultimate goals in life, both personal and career. Originality/value – This paper addresses, among other things, the research of several people into the use of personality measures in personnel selection. The paper will benefit all those involved with recruitment, team building and leadership development by improving their understanding of the use of behavior assessment tests.