Long-Term Care

Tip of the week: Making the most of personality tests

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, July 23, 2009

Administering personality tests as part of the employee selection process has its risks and its rewards. Although no test can gauge everything an employer is looking for in a potential employee, a few, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), can provide tremendous assistance when it comes to measuring an individual’s personality traits against those necessary or preferred for a certain position. Today most psychologists feel that five major traits, often referred to as the Big Five Personality Model, can capture personality. Furthermore, these five have often been found to be associated with work performance. They are:

  • Extraversion – these individuals are sociable and outgoing
  • Agreeableness – these individuals are receptive, trusting, warm, and work well with others
  • Conscientiousness – these individuals are dependent and reliable, focused and assiduous
  • Emotional stability – these individuals are less anxious, feel a sense of self-efficacy, and are composed when dealing with stressful situations
  • Openness to experience – these individuals embrace novelty and are able to roll with changes

This is an excerpt from HCPro’s book, The Long-Term Care Administrator’s Field Guide, by Brian Garavaglia, PhD.

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