What to Look for in Management Personality Test Results

Determining if a candidate can lead a team is a hard thing to assess, especially when you don’t see them in action. Hiring for a management position requires that the perfect candidate has all the “hard” skills you’re looking for, like familiarity with the right technology, or a proven track record of leading successful campaigns, and presumably that’ll be displayed on their resume. However, there are things to look for in candidates past their education and work experience, especially when they’ll be working in a leadership role. Most skills can be learned, but on your search for a good manager, you may find that you’re looking for someone who has engrained leadership capabilities. Using a management personality test may assist in the holistic approach of determining a good candidate for your business, especially when you know what to look for.

Soft skills to look for in a management personality test

There are certain traits that candidates possess that will give them more potential to succeed in a management position, and you’ll want to determine which of these are most valuable to you when hiring. Here are potential skills to test for that you may not be able to determine from an in-person interview or resume alone.

1. Motivation: Having the skills on paper is one thing, but can they get the work done? Not only are they willing to put in the effort, but they need to be willing to always learn more. What is crucial to know today, may be entirely different a year from now. In a world that is so digitally-focused, required skills are always evolving – and it is an inherently motivated candidate that will be willing to adapt and learn them when needed.
2. Effective communication: A manager needs to be clear and succinct with their expectations, and be able to convey that to a team of people. According to research done by TinyPulse about employee engagement, one of the main causes of decreased productivity from employees is poor communication from management. They need to be able to get everyone on the same page consistently. Also important to note: managers need to be able to communicate effectively with a diverse group of people of various ages, ethnicities and personality types – which means being open-minded and responsive to different perspectives.
3. Confidence: Managers are responsible for setting an example for the entire team, and no one is going to put their faith in someone who doesn’t have assurance in themselves.  After a tough decision or a draining project, it’s a manager that is responsible for encouraging their team to move on. If your business is facing a setback, it’s a manager that has to keep up team morale.

How personality tests are used as a deciding factor

Using pre-employment testing, or in this case, a management personality test is a part of the comprehensive process of hiring. It’s likely the test will be used with a candidate’s skills and qualifications in mind, but just to get a clearer view of their personality and management style. A hiring manager may be trying to ascertain that the candidate is a cultural fit for the workplace, and be able to successfully lead there. While the results of the test aren’t necessarily a deciding factor for hires, it can be useful to see if applicants possess the traits to do well. Depending on the type of business, and the atmosphere of the workplace, these applicable traits may vary, but examples could include: the ability to influence others, problem-solving capabilities, stress management, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Test scores are generally presented in a percentile format, to evaluate where a candidate scored among others, but an in-depth interpretation of the score is also included to assist in the deciding process when using EmployTest.

The personality traits that make a good manager 

It’s important, first and foremost, that managers have good attitudes. The energy that they put out as a leader of their team sets the pace for the day. Of course, it’s also crucial they’re able to have a good poker face, suggests Entrepreneur. A manager with a good attitude isn’t going to showcase all of their emotions all of the time, and instead will remember that they are responsible for setting the stage. Staff will respond to a manager’s body language, which is why they need to be mindful of how they display themselves.

Another trait that is important for managers to possess is the ability to be flexible. While as a boss, it is good to know when to put one’s foot down – it may be more important to know when to work with your employees and understand their perspectives. A manager has a vital role to help employees adjust to change or get over obstacles they’re facing, and as a flexible manager, they’ll be able to see all of their employees as individuals. Having a working relationship with staff that tailors to their needs will go a long way in a productive, healthy work environment.

A good manager becomes a great manager when they are able to see their own flaws and evolve from them. According to Bustle, if you’re not self-aware, you miss the chance to grow. A manager who has the self-confidence to reflect on their role and behavior and is able to then pin-point areas of improvement will make a better leader. Especially if they’re able to take that to their team or fellow management staff to discuss ways that they can grow as a boss – which can lead to inspiring growth throughout the whole team.

Finding someone to fill a management position can be a challenge, especially because of how it can affect your entire team. While you may scrutinize over resumes, or put a lot of effort into in-person interviews, using a management aptitude test can be an additional tool for the hiring process that aids in your decision for future leadership roles.