Introduction to Psychology 10th Edition by Rod Plotnik,Haig Kouyoumdjian

Exercise 5

More Employers Use Personality Tests in Hiring Process
More and more job applicants are being required to take personality tests. Because many personality tests are available and each measures something different, employers often hire industrial/organizational psychologists, who study behavior in the workplace, to help choose personality tests to aid in personnel selection. Depending on an employer's specific needs, industrial/organizational psychologists may choose to have applicants complete the Myers-Briggs test, which measures personality traits necessary for leadership and teamwork. Alternatively, they may choose to administer the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, which measures an individual's tendency toward substance abuse and psychopathology. Other personality tests look at a variety of additional characteristics, such as thought processes, sociability, motivation, self-awareness, emotional intelligence, stress management, dependability, and work style. Some experts believe personality tests are overused and overinterpreted. Others believe personality tests have an important place in the hiring process because the tests can predict how well an applicant "fits" with the job description. For instance, when hiring a salesperson, a company can have a list of the personality traits of successful salespeople and then match an applicant's test results against that standard. Many companies that have used personality tests showed a decrease in absenteeism and turnover, which means big savings for the company. Other companies have observed increases in employee retention and customer satisfaction, and reductions in absenteeism and theft. Personality tests are now being used in the hiring process to narrow down the number of applicants to interview. The popularity of Internet job postings has created floods of applications that employers need to quickly narrow down, and personality tests offer an efficient way for them to review only the applicants who may be a good "fit." So, how should you respond to test questions to be sure you get the job? Although ideal responses vary by job position and company, experts suggest that you not falsify your responses, as many personality tests have a sophisticated way of knowing if you're lying. Luis Valdes, an executive consultant, explains, "For any given character trait, say independence, there's an optimal amount. If a person seems to be really extreme, well, most people aren't that extreme, so it suggests they tried to answer all the questions in a positive but not very realistic way" (Valdes, 2006). In the case of personality tests, it appears that honesty is the best policy.
Question
An applicant's behavior during an interview is important, but does it generalize to good behavior on the job? Why or why not?