MBTI Personality Assessment for Employment

Much debate has arisen over the use of self report personality tests to determine a job applicant's personality. Questions arise as to the validity of these types of test indicators, as well as the reliability of the results. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality indicator test that is being used by employment professionals to determine an applicant's potential success on the job. Even though the MBTI has a high reliability rate, the use of the MBTI in the employment screening process is questionable and of concern. The MBTI can be utilized to assist employee professionals create teams and conduct workshops to assist employees in personality skill development to enhance job performance. However, the MBTI has repeat testing result conflicts. There are concerns about incorrect stereotyping, lack of incorporation of shadow traits and no incorporation of motivations and values for the MBTI making it an unreliable tool to use in the successful job predictions of individuals.

The MBTI appears to be an excellent indicator of personality and thus predictor of job success. Personnel managers have been able to use the MBTI to assist in many different human resource tasks. "For example, psychological type is useful for: identifying leadership styles training employees to work better with each; resolving employee conflicts; and forming work teams that best complement each other." (Coe, 1992) Use of the MBTI enables employment professionals to place new personnel in the appropriate positions and departments creating a stronger employee base and thus maximizing the potential output of the teams assembled. Some personnel managers are combining the use of the MBTI with the Adjective Check List for employees. "Employees may discover strengths and needs for development which indicate whether or not they would like to be managers. Potential benefits to the organizations which utilize this process are monetary and nonmonetary. One benefit is the ability to retain good employees." (Mani, 1995)