What is Personality Profiling and How to Use for Recruitment

Finding the perfect candidate for your business can be a frustrating process. You may be struggling to find someone to fill the position, or could be spoilt for choice with qualified candidates, each with similar levels of experience and expertise that are almost impossible to separate.

At Quantum, we simplify the employment process. By using methods that enable you to find the best candidate, we’ll allow you to say with absolute confidence that you’ve hired the right person.

Using the DISC (dominance, influence, steadiness & conscientiousness) psychometric personality assessments, it is far easier for you to select the perfect candidate.

In this article, our recruitment experts have laid out the benefits of using personality profiling for talent acquisition, but before we get started, it’s important that you understand what a DISC assessment is, and how it works.

What is DISC assessment?

A DISC assessment is a psychometric test that analyses behaviour, aptitude and personality in the workplace based on four behavioural dimensions. ‘DISC’ stands for the four personality types it tests for, which are:
 Dominance
 Influence
 Steadiness
 Conscientiousness

Psychometric testing helps to determine an individual’s behavioural style and communication skills, highlighting their potential leadership and performance strengths and weaknesses.

The assessment can also help to identify the ways in which communication within your business can be improved. By identifying personality types, you can work out the best ways to communicate with each member of your workforce, improving efficiency and helping to build interpersonal relationships.

No one personality type is superior, and every workplace should strive to be varied and inclusive.

Below we have set out what to expect from each personality type and detailed how the unique traits of each candidate fit into different roles.

High ranking in dominance

Candidates that score highly in dominance can be relied on to be assertive and decisive, and are often best placed in leadership roles, as they often perform well in stressful situations.

High ranking in influence

Those who scored highly in influence are often extroverted and social, skilful at influencing people and great at collaborating as part of a team.

High ranking in steadiness

If a candidate has scored highly in steadiness, it means that they are level-headed, reserved and routine-based, and can be expected to be supportive and accommodating, meaning that they excel when supporting others.

High ranking in conscientiousness

A candidate that has scored highly for conscientiousness (also known as compliance) is someone that is analytical and logical, and appreciates quality and accuracy in their workspace.

How accurate is DISC personality profiling?

The assessments we use at Quantum are based on 40 years of research and have been subjected to rigorous testing. Our methods for talent acquisition using DISC have even been approved and registered by the British Psychological Society.

The assessment takes between 10 – 15 minutes to complete, and all that is required from the candidate is to answer a series of questions about their behaviour, using a Likert scale that ranges from ‘strongly agree’ to ‘strongly disagree.’

The validity of the test is extremely reliable, with candidates receiving the same score when repeat assessments are carried out.

Based on the necessary criteria of the position your business is looking to hire, you can determine whether your potential candidate is suitable by looking at their test results and seeing if their high-ranking scores are appropriate to your unique needs.

How can DISC personality assessments be used for recruitment?

DISC assessments are a valuable tool for talent acquisition because they help business owners to narrow down a perfect candidate from a shortlist of potential employees.

For example, our search could result in two potential candidates that you are considering to hire. Both candidates are as qualified as the other, with similar levels of experience and expertise.

You may then think that choosing to hire one over the other will not make much difference to your business because both are equally skilled.

However, following a DISC test, you may discover that one candidate has a personality type that better suits the role.

You can then proceed confidently, knowing that your chosen candidate is the best option for your business.

What are the business benefits of using DISC for candidates searches?

Finding a suitable candidate is not the only advantage of using DISC for talent acquisition.
Here are the reasons why we recommend using DISC for your organisation:

 DISC can be used repeatedly, significantly reducing the stress of all future recruitment.
 Minimise risk of hiring someone unsuitable and wasting resources on training.
 Vastly improve communication across your workplace.
 Tailor the workplace to each personality type, improving overall performance

Recruitment and consulting support from Quantum

At Quantum, we believe that recruitment shouldn’t be a frustrating, stressful process.
That’s why we go beyond standard recruitment services, helping you to search for, and nurture, potential talent, ensuring that you only recruit the best candidates for your business.

If you have any further questions, get in touch with one of our recruitment experts. We’re on hand to support with anything you need.