Psychological Testing at Work: How to Use, Interpret, and Get the Most Out of the Newest Tests in Personality, Learning Style, Aptitudes, Interests, and More!

by Edward Hoffman

Essential reading for managers and individual career builders alike After being out of favor for nearly two decades, psychological testing is back with a vengeance. Companies of all sizes now use tests for everything from employee screening and selection to promotion, training, and development. At the same time, individuals in increasing numbers are turning to tests for help in planning and managing their careers. In this one-of-a-kind guide, a psychologist with more than 20 years of professional experience with psychological tests explains the purpose, construction, validity, and usefulness of 42 of today's most popular assessment tools. In plain, jargon-free English, Dr. Edward Hoffman tells managers and individuals what they need to know about using, interpreting, and getting the most out of tests of personality, learning style, aptitudes, interests, and more. Here are some of the critical questions answered in Psychological Testing at Work :

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 13, 2001

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Reviews

[Adrian · Rating 3 out of 5]

An intriguing look at both the history and current state of personality testing in the workplace. I learned so many little details about how testing has been used or abused in the the U.S. which made me wonder if it is currently worth if for companies to do it. In particular, I appreciated the discussion around the influences of Freud, Adler, Jung, as well as Maslow to the creation of the theory and practical instruments used in modern-day personality testing. From these authors we gained the MMPI-II, the PAI, several tests meant to measure the Big 5 (O.C.E.A.N) constructs, and many others. Additionally, I thought the points about creating a test that would minimize adverse impact to specific population (i.e., racial-ethnic minorities) was enriching to my training. Overall, I picked up this book because currently I am using the PAI for diagnostic purposes at my current practicum site yet I did wonder how employers might use the information to both vet as well as evaluate their workers. In particular, a basic assumption is that companies want the "best" workers and in a capitalistic mindset probably means those that produce more and cost less.