Will ‘Failing’ a Personality Test Cost You Your Dream Job?

You’ve passed the recruiter’s screen and the technical assessment, and your dream job is within reach. But the interview process involves a personality test. You take the test, anxiously wait … and discover that you’ve somehow flunked this part of the interview. The recruiter says they’re no longer pursuing you as a candidate. 

As dystopian as it sounds, this scenario is not uncommon. About 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality tests in their interviews for senior positions. Across all roles, you have about a one in seven chance of the employer requiring a personality test, according to data from the Society for Human Resource Management. For every person that “passes” one of these tests, someone else will “fail” — though they may never learn why their personality ruled them out.  

This situation raises several questions. Why are employers using personality tests in hiring? Are they another arbitrary hoop, or a real measure of potential? Advocates argue these tests help employers spot people likely to thrive in a role or fit into the company culture, but critics say they can screen out perfectly qualified candidates who simply don't match a preferred profile — and those test results rarely tell the whole story.

Why Do Companies Use Personality Testing in Hiring?

In the SHRM survey, most respondents (78%) said they used personality assessments because they improved the quality of their hires. A staggering 59% of HR professionals surveyed said that a ‘low’ score on their assessment made it unlikely they would proceed with an applicant, even if they met all the experience and education requirements. It seems employers give personality test results a lot of weight.

As to why companies are using personality testing during the assessment process, the main reason is to establish “company culture fit.” But there are other factors, too. 

AI makes every candidate look the same

AI has upended the recruiting process. With candidates now using ChatGPT to polish their resumes, it’s becoming hard to tell who’s genuinely a match for the team and who’s just really good at prompt engineering.

"As more candidates use AI tools to craft their resumes and personal-branding materials, talent acquisition professionals are turning to other methods, like skills and personality assessments, to gain a clearer, more objective view of a candidate’s true abilities and work style, and to determine whether they’re the right fit for the role,” says TopResume career expert Amanda Augustine. 

She says the “right fit” is about whether you and the organization share the same accepted behaviors, morals, core values, and workplace expectations. Companies use personality tests to spot people who will mesh with their team, or sometimes to shake up the mix with new perspectives. That’s the kind of nuance you just can’t pull from a resume, cover letter, or even an interview — especially now that AI can make every application sound picture-perfect.

Hiring managers need to justify their decisions 

Vicki Salemi, Monster’s career expert, says that employers like to have tangible data to support their hiring decisions, rather than relying on a gut feeling about who is the “right fit” for the job. “For instance, if they're an Introvert, they may not be an ideal candidate for a sales role that involves cold calling.” She thinks that using personality tests as part of the hiring process isn’t a red flag, and that tests can be useful when used correctly. An example is to help the hiring manager figure out “how they would fit in with the dynamics of the current team and work environment/culture.” 

Augustine says that when candidates are rejected based on a personality test, it's not necessarily a fail. “Just like being laid off isn't being fired, if you're not getting the job because you don't have the right personality fit for the role, it's about fit,” she explains. “If they're looking for something in particular and they're expecting an individual to come in with a certain mindset or personality, and based on the test, you don't have that, it's probably for the best that you're not taking that job.”

She uses a good example — if you’re risk-averse and are interviewing for a sales or consulting role that involves taking high risks, you probably won’t enjoy the job if you land it. “You can't change your personality. So if it's not gonna fit, it's not gonna fit,” she adds.

The Limitations and Risks of Using Personality Tests in Hiring 

Whether you agree with companies using personality tests in hiring decisions or not, it’s a trend that won’t be slowing down.  Employers like them – according to Fortune, satisfaction rates from using these tests are about 84%. 

Augustine predicts an uptick in their use in 2026. “It's a tough market, it's an uncertain job market,” she says, adding that whenever competition for jobs is high, employers will seek more efficient ways of narrowing the candidate pool. She thinks that employers will use personality tests simply to whittle down the large pile of applicants to “a more manageable number.”

With that said, both experts agree that personality tests have their limitations in a hiring context and can edge out high-quality candidates. They say that tests shouldn’t call all the shots in hiring — and here’s why.

They can oversimplify human behavior

“Personality tests can offer valid insights for some roles more than others. For instance, in jobs that rely heavily on soft skills such as customer service, leadership or counseling, traits like empathy and resilience can provide valid insight during the hiring process,” Salemi says. “However, allowing personality tests to dominate hiring decisions can oversimplify complex human behavior. It can be a helpful data point during hiring, but it's not the only factor to consider.” 

They can introduce bias, limit the candidate pool, and stunt diversity

Companies can unwittingly limit the candidate pool if they narrowly define the personality type they’re looking for. Diversity is important in the workplace, but if assessments screen for one particular way to solve problems or one type of creativity, it may stunt company culture by making it too one-note. 

Relying on the test results too much also risks other applicant strengths, such as technical skills, prior experience, motivation and cognitive abilities, being ignored. “One of the best predictors of future performance is looking to past performance as proof … not necessarily how well they take a personality test,” Salemi says. Other issues, such as applicants introducing self-bias or tailoring their test answers to what they think employers are looking for, can make the results untrustworthy.

A fit on paper isn’t the only factor in job success

Although some companies find hiring for fit via personality testing beneficial for reducing turnover, the end result depends on many factors. “Personality tests don't always predict how someone will adapt to that new culture when they start working,” Salemi says.  If a newly hired employee is “a fit on paper,” but doesn’t receive the proper resources, support or help assimilating into the company culture, they may not feel satisfied or succeed in the role.  

And fit can only go so far, says Salemi. She’s seen hires who were a great fit resign due to underpayment, stagnation or a toxic boss.  

A Job Candidate’s Personal Story

Lauren (not her real name) learned firsthand what it feels like to “fail” a personality test while job hunting. After more than a year of sending out applications with no luck, she’s still looking for a full-time role and has started to question if these tests actually help anyone find the right match.

“I was re-entering the job market after several years at a tech company. Unfortunately, I was part of a mass layoff,” Lauren says. In her stretch of applications, she applied for a mid-level role at another tech company. “The position seemed like a great fit. I had the experience and had handled similar responsibilities in my previous role, so I was fairly confident,” she explains.

But after the first couple of interviews, the hiring manager sent her a personality test to take as part of the final round. “I had never taken a personality test as a part of a job application process before, and I didn’t think that it would bear too much weight on the final decision. I felt confident in my interview, and I thought I was going to be in the final pool of applicants considered.”

The test they sent her was the Hogan Personality Inventory, which has roots in the Big Five. About a week after she took her test, she received an email saying that they had decided to move forward with other candidates.

“Although they didn’t tell me that it was based on my personality test results, I am sure that this was the biggest factor in their decision,” says Lauren. “I honestly felt like my experience, my education and my skillset were overlooked because they were looking for a specific type of personality, and I didn’t have it. Afterwards, I had a lot of self-doubt.”

Lauren says that she answered the questions truthfully, without making assumptions about what the company was looking for. “It bugged me for quite a while, but I’ve since focused on looking for the right job at the right company. I don’t really want to work for someone who would totally discount me for having specific personality traits.”

Other job applicants I spoke to had a similar experience. Some said they felt torn between answering tests honestly and answering with the employer’s desires in mind. One person admitted to having never passed one of the personality tests sent from employers, but assured me that none of those applications were for a dream job, so it didn’t feel as disappointing when the jobs fell through.

Some Advice, if You’re a Hiring Manager

If you’re a hiring manager, you may be using personality tests to help you comb through applicants. Advice from career experts may help you better grasp the upsides and pitfalls.

Salemi says it’s best to avoid relying solely on these tests to decide whether to proceed to the following interview or to make an offer. “The test provides one aspect to their candidacy, not their whole candidacy,” she says. “Evaluate their behavior and rapport with interviewers and their past experiences by asking open-ended behavior-based questions [such as] ‘Tell me a time when you dealt with a difficult client/colleague; what was the situation and the outcome?’” Open-ended questions give you actual examples of how a candidate handles specific situations, whereas a personality test is just a snapshot of general traits.

Augustine agrees that you should never use personality testing “as the end-all, be-all for your assessment criteria.” She recommends that you routinely assess your relationship with personality-based hiring: “Make sure that you're carving out time, at least on an annual basis, to ensure that what you've decided is the right assessment and the right type for your team hasn't changed.” 

Some companies are starting to use AI to map the personality traits of their current top performers, and are screening out candidates who don't possess those traits.. This approach is problematic. It risks excluding strong candidates by assuming there’s only one “right” personality for success, when in reality, people take different paths to do great work.

A few things you should evaluate, based on this advice, are:

• Is your evaluation process reducing bias or introducing bias? 
• If you are using personality tests, are they one of many factors, or are you relying solely on them?
• Are you taking a holistic view of candidates?
• Are you considering how different personality types work well together and create workplace diversity? 
• Are you ruling out a good candidate over one or two traits, when you could support or train them to succeed instead?

Some Advice, if You’re a Job Seeker

If you’re a job seeker looking to end the constant search, Augustine has some advice. First, she urges you not to view flunking a personality test as a failure. “Reframe that in your mind, and say, ‘No, now I better understand who I am and who I'm a better fit for.”

Some other things you should take to heart, according to Augustine:

• The most successful job seekers clearly know themselves and their goals, and self-reflection can help you determine which direction you want your career to take. Check into free personality tests such as Truity’s Typefinder® Test, the DISC Assessment, or Career Aptitude Test. They can help you figure out what you’re great at, what you don’t like doing, your communication style and what your ideal work environment looks like. 
• At the very least, get comfortable with personality test formats, so you won’t feel lost or surprised when an employer asks you to take one. For interviewing, practice and research are key.
• Think of cultural fit as a two-way street. If you don’t fit into a company culture based on your personality results, Augustine says you may “have dodged a bullet” by avoiding a “behavioral mismatch.”  
• Try to communicate your personality type and strengths through your LinkedIn profile. Do so by including language that hints at your preferences and work style, such as  “I prefer structure and planning over risk-taking and improvising,” or “I enjoy rapid decision-making.” Letting hiring managers see your work style helps them picture you in their team.
• Don’t try to answer personality type questions based on what you think the employer wants. “Even if you pass, it would most certainly be uncovered when you talk to an individual face-to-face or screen-to-screen,” says Augustine. This may even drag out the process and result in a rejection.  

Personality Tests Don’t Tell The Whole Story

Truity doesn’t endorse the use of personality tests in the hiring process, but unfortunately, job seekers are likely to encounter them anyway. Failing one doesn’t mean that you’re a bad worker, lack skills or aren’t good at job applications and interviews. And it doesn’t mean that you won’t land your dream role in the future. In fact, it may help you redirect your approach and focus on roles where you’re likely to be a top applicant.

You can’t control who hires you, and you can’t control the job market. But you can control how well you understand yourself and how you present yourself on LinkedIn, in your resume and in interviews. As Augustine puts it, “You have to accept the fact that if the personality they're looking for is not you, there's a good reason for that. You would be better off playing the long game and looking for the opportunity where you're more likely to thrive and not necessarily be looking for work again in six to 18 months.”