Personality Tests at work? Yay or Nay?

Valerie Sargent Depending on the test and the purpose, I say yay. I remember one time when we were going through a hiring process for a Director of Operations. Based on where she was in her life, her first interview wasn’t as engaging as she actually is in person. However, we had her take a personality test, which revealed ALL of the qualities we were looking for in this position. It actually had me want to bring her in for the next interview, and we ultimately hired her. She was a wonderful fit, just as indicated by the test! As an Emotional Intelligence (EI/EQ) trainer and EQ executive coach, I find that the EQ appraisals I utilize during my training classes and coaching are incredibly helpful and helping people determine their strengths and also see the areas where they need to grow. It’s not so much personality related, but it is focused on strengths and growth, which is incredibly useful. When you focus on your emotional intelligence, personality slides to the side. I love insight on self, and... Show more

Depending on the test and the purpose, I say yay. I remember one time when we were going through a hiring process for a Director of Operations. Based on where she was in her life, her first interview wasn’t as engaging as she actually is in person. However, we had her take a personality test, which revealed ALL of the qualities we were looking for in this position. It actually had me want to bring her in for the next interview, and we ultimately hired her. She was a wonderful fit, just as indicated by the test! As an Emotional Intelligence (EI/EQ) trainer and EQ executive coach, I find that the EQ appraisals I utilize during my training classes and coaching are incredibly helpful and helping people determine their strengths and also see the areas where they need to grow.  It’s not so much personality related, but it is focused on strengths and growth, which is incredibly useful. When you focus on your emotional intelligence, personality slides to the side. I love insight on self, and the best tests and appraisals offer that.

DEANNA SEWARD Yes

Lisa Ward We like the Gallup Strenth Finders Mission Rock Residential

Guest Insider Yes. It’s a conversation starter and fun to learn things about others and ways to interact. While maybe not fully accurate there are typically traits/characteristics that can’t be hidden when answering questions.

Shady Morales No! Unless these are done over a wide range of days they likely are not accurate. If someone is in a certain mood one day while taking the test it won’t reflect on who they really are

Rommel Anacan So...as a communication/people skills speaker I have some opinions. I have done a bunch of the personality tests personally and I think they can bring value IF (and this is a HUGE If!) they are skillfully used to help people take the right kind of action to create connection with people who are different. The problem? So many companies don't take this step! In this instance, it just becomes another "gimmick" that doesn't create transformation, and actually fosters cynicism. While I use a specific "relational style" framework in my talks, I don't do personality "tests" but rather describe the 3 relational styles (according to my methodology) and ask people to reflect on which style most resonates with them. Then give them action items based on their styles, and how to relate to others. This has worked for me and for over a decade as a speaker/coach.

Lilah Poltz Rommel Anacan THIS

Nina Troester I 100% agree with Rommel Anacan! You can lead a horse to water but often times, that horse will not drink. This isn’t a check- the- box training, it’s a “lifestyle!”

Guest Insider For anyone reading, I recommend Rommel Anacan . Great leadership & team building seminars for your staff & associations.

Lilah Poltz I think it really depends on the test and how it's supposed to be used. As a former social worker, I have done so many but some are much better than others. I do think that anything we can do to share with our coworkers and supervisors who we are, what motivates us, how we learn best, etc is really helpful though!

Dave Holland Meh. Interesting, but not meaningful. We take the tests, but then what? Nothing changes

Tea Basquez Dave Holland facts!

Sherry Tompkins Nay. They are already employed. So what's the main purpose of it? I had a very large company do these once several years ago. It upset almost everyone. It is not perceived as fun or as a learning experience by the teams. It is perceived as threatening. Just my 2 cents lol.

Guest Insider Sherry Tompkins I agree. I would LOVE to know why this is needed. Seems like management just wants to know personal details that are irrelevant. Chocking up reasons to judge their people. How/why would a personality test improve their performance? Plus, they are such bogus. They always ask these questions, and I swear, every one of them I say to myself "It depends".

Jessica Romero I took a class on this in college - you should be careful on how you use them for candidate selection, ex: does the intent the personality assessment was created for, fit what you’re using it for?They’re excellent tools for leadership building your teams.

Heather Hoeft Yes! 100% Yes! If nothing else, to be able to figure out ahead of time how someone may prefer to be managed.

Gerry Hunt Heather I prefer NOT to be managed!

Fred Montgomery That’s a tough one, I know I’ve been torn between ALL of the answers every time I’ve taken one. I always think “do I always feel this way?” But the honest trust is I feel different from day to day. Right now my son is almost to his second year of being treated for cancer and I know, and hate, that I haven’t been as positive as I used to be. But every single day I get up and give 100% of what I have on any given day. Tests are easy to manipulate because we all know what’s the “right” thing to say. I’ve said the worst things in interviews ( I hate bullshit… stupidity pisses me off… I don’t like everyone but they will never know it.. etc…) and have never walked away without a job offer. Personality tests are fun, I agree with that 100%. Are they useful? Nope.

Miles Scruggs Fred Montgomery a good test doesn’t have a “right” answer. It gives you and those working with you better insight into what things you are going to be best suited for and ultimately increase your happiness.

Fred Montgomery Miles Scruggs you may be right, I think you are a sharp guy. But most folks are not. I honestly think most folks can only relate to their own experiences.

Guest Insider Yes, it's fun and gets people talking about themselves. Not saying any of its true, but still fun.

Guest Insider Nay. If you want to get to know me, interact with me like a normal human

Stacie Tennyson Nay - just get to know someone

Guest Insider No! Doesn't truly give you information about what type of employee they will be.

Guest Insider I don't think they aide in the interview process. But in a tight knit team it can be helpful to show what you could be doing better to help create a unified team. It starts with communication

Tea Basquez Nah

Shannon Ray We use the Berke assessment. I think it's helpful to know how/ why someone may think a certain way.

Shannon Clark Absolutely! The Berke is eerily accurate and Hartmann Color test is interesting and fun!

Guest Insider Nay. I think they are a waste of time.

Guest Insider Absolutely!!!

Guest Insider Yes!

Kimberly Evans I remember the ones that asked your favorite color and just silly questions. Haven’t heard me yet that really can tell someone’s personality.

Guest Insider Yes!

Guest Insider No waste of time

Guest Insider I think assessments that show someone’s learning or personality type is good if used in the correct way. Not everyone needs the same thing when it comes to leadership and if the assessment helps to lead your team better or learn more about yourself to lead your team then it’s useful.

Joelis Barandica-Rodriguez YAY

Lori Agudo Yay

Guest Insider Yes, good insight and beneficial if used correctly.

Carletta Richardson-Cheeseboro It helped us understand why we are the way we are. Anything to work towards the betterment of the team is always a plus! You need to know who needs encouraging….. who wants to be left alone, etc.

Jennifer Coco I think they are helpful in learning communication styles and personality traits. I don't think they should be used as screening criteria. I like taking them and learning more about myself.

Shar Eller Yay! If used to take the right kind of action to help create connection and communication. I have found we take the tests but they are not used to enhance the experience of the supervisor and associate experiences. In my experience I learned a lot about how others, learn, communicate and recharge, but supervisor do not take it and learn from it.

Guest Insider I really enjoy them! They help me learn how to interact with different personality types

Guest Insider Yes!

Guest Insider Recently did a leadership track with Greystar and cannot express how valuable it was to understand how others perceive me and how I can better communicate to people who are different than me. Used for the intended purpose I would say YAY!

Charity Zierten Nope.

Lisa-Marie McGaughey I would rather people take IQ tests and typing tests

Greg Miller I'm an INTJ most of the time. I've found the Myers-Briggs test to be fairly accurate helpful in putting teams together. Can't have too many E's in the same group.

eric rivera Nay. Totally inaccurate.

CJ Harbin Nay, I don’t think a personality is a good thing, everyone has a different personality, and in a world where we try to include everyone , a personality test feels invasive

Guest Insider Yes!

Kathy Sweeney Yes.

Brandy Blazen Most definitely!

Guest Insider Personally not at work. While fun and a bit insightful they do not hold merit to work ethic.

Sandy Clark Yes, it helps identify small, unnoticeable traits that are helpful for communicating and training that specific employee.

Gerry Hunt I have taken many. II found some of them helpful, some not. In my world, if we are real, our personality may change from day to day ~ depending on what is going on in our life. There is no test available that will tell you that I am feisty, passionate about life, some times insecure, quiet and difficult to supervise. If we listen ~ really listen and watch, we will learn more about the person in real life, not just a test situation.

Lori Agudo If it helps us to understand each other better and work better together I am all for it.

Mek A personality test can be beneficial for professionals who interact with tenants or owners regularly. For instance, customer service training is an essential requirement for all maintenance technicians as it enhances their personality by teaching them the dos and don'ts in the workplace.

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Who's Up Front in You Office?I start most mornings at Starbucks…about 5:30 am. Love that time of day. And I love the way the staff at my home-Starbucks greets me."Hi Rick!Here's your coffee and venti ice water." This team is usually perky and wear a cheery, if not a bit sleepy, smile.Nice…keeps me returning despite the mediocre coffee.I have another "office" at an unnamed Panera Bread. Food and coffee are ok and I like the secluded seating and go ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Managing delinquency is critical to a multifamily community's ability to function. Let me let you in on a secret, there's no magic account with an infinite amount of cash stashed away to manage and maintain communities. Communities function on collecting rent, PERIOD. Rent payments cover salaries, utilities, vendors, repairs, and all other operating expenses. This is why effectively managing delinquency is critical to its success. Because of how ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Laurie Mann Expenses rise. Income doesn’t 🫠

Guest Insider Touché

Guest Insider You tell your boss that

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Renewal processes in the apartment industry are complex and time consuming. The manual work required by the onsite team to complete one renewal will make your head spin.Initial renewal pricing is derived from the revenue management system. It then moves through a review process in which the revenue management team will carefully evaluate the suggested rate and either approve it as is, or make modifications based on varying factors. This pricing i ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Looking for some good examples:
What are some annoying, repetitive tasks that on-site are always asked to do (either by corporate or by residents) that could easily be automated to save you the hassle?

Guest Insider Monday morning reports….

Carletta Richardson-Cheeseboro l remember those!

Guest Insider As someone who worked at the corporate level - yes we can pull those reports too. But we can't individually pull 100 of them AND analyze them. Easier for the 100 to deliver them and we analyze - it's just as slow to pull each report but theres 1 of me and 100 of you. We also want you to look at the reports and see what you should be aware of or working on. Also, depending on the report type and metrics, data can change over time. Sometimes you have to pull the report to get data for that day - like current queue statistics. This is a generalization. May or May not apply to your specific situation. But that's some of why I have asked for reporting to be pulled. Automating report pulls and automating some of the analysis- like highlighting important metrics that are short of goal is extremely helpful to speedier decisions. Report customizing would also be great

Guest Insider Pulling reports from pm software that corporate is more than capable of doing themselves.

Cyndi Bedwell Printing pages and pages of reports to get information to put on a spreadsheet that is then emailed or uploaded to be viewed. All the info is already there and we kill another tree each month to do these reports

Aleisha Parongao 1000% - Monday morning reports and AME are time consuming and unnecessary.

Guest Insider Pulling reports that RMs can easily pull, and reports that the accountants can see as well.At month end I pull almost 20 reports, they are basic repetitive reports that anyone can pull and see what is going on. But for close out that goes to accountants I am having to include preventative Maintenace, work orders, etc… stuff that is of no concern to closing out financials. This goes with a pre close and other reports that are done monthly. Doing a report that is repetitive and that anyone who has access to my property can pull and see the answers for themselves. I understand fully how important numbers are however, there would be so much stress taken off plates and more time to tackle day today issues than laying out a report anyone can see. I understand as an RM or the accounting dept doesn’t know our properties and residents like we do BUT a streamlined easy way would be helpful to all

Guest Insider Honestly, I find any onsite team dealing with invoice processing is losing a tremendous amount of valuable time.

Guest Insider Monday morning reports and pretty much every report we pull for them.

Jonathan Weatherford Let’s see. I have to pull the conversion ratio report, the LRO pricing report, the UAD, the OPS budget variance, the projected occupancy, the charge summary, the delinquency summary, open work orders, LRO renewal report. Like it’s really too much.

Guest Insider Most platforms has report scheduler. You can set those reports to deliver automatically to their email in most cases

Guest Insider By corporate, reports when they can access the same information.When the club room is available when there’s an event calendar on the website.

Guest Insider Importing invoices into Yardi Payscan

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

This price seems like a good deal, even with all the stipulations. However, I think he decided it wasn't worth the hassle. Anyone who is in this industry I'm sure feels different. What would you say to him to make him feel differently?

Felicia Norman, Andi Armstrong and 1 other

Felicia Norman I'm sure there are lots of Property Managers who have days where they feel like this guy!

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

My client is building a 44 unit mid-rise 4 story building. The architect said he doesn’t need 2 elevators. I disagree. Who’s right? They are 150k each.

Read More...

Guest Insider This piqued my interest so I googled. Several articles recommend 1 elevator for every 50 to 60 units.

Guest Insider PS: if you trust the architect to design your property, I'd trust him on this decision as well.

Guest Insider Laura Renaldo I've managed several lease ups so I totally understand. The cost to purchase and maintain may not outweigh the benefit of scheduling move ins and move outs, though. I'm curious what the ADA requirements are when there's only one elevator and you're waiting on parts.

Laura Renaldo good question

Mike Powers How about a leak that disables and 9th floor heart attack has to wait for emt go carry gurney up down 9 flights stairs...ADA allows for temporary outages.

Tina Cavaco When the elevator breaks its a horror! I have a 7 story historical bldg with 1 elevator that was down weeks waiting for a part. Lawsuit due to a resident needed to move out...no elevator. 1 resident rented a RV due to not being able to get up and down. Nightmare!

Laura Renaldo Tina Cavaco my concern as well

Guest Insider Totally agree!!! The person thinking they only need one has no idea of the maintenance issues that come with each one of them!

Mike Powers It isn't about right or wrong other than building code minimums.It is about resident experience and convenience.Is this a young professionals community and commuting to work is common ? 3rd and 4th might wait for elevator. 10 or 15 people per floor 6am to 730am ? 4 people every 15 minutes ?2nd floor will take steps in morning if elevator is full each time.And, lastly, trust the architect. They actually know what they are doing for space and systems utilizations.

Maria Johnson Get TWO elevators! One breaks down, then one is still usable. Think about furniture movers and having to wait for the lift when it’s at the top floor and you need it on the ground floor.

Karen Mallinger I managed 102 units, 3 stories, 1 elevator. Traffic-wise that was plenty.

Amanda Gunn Karen I agree with this. We have a 92 unit 3 story building with one elevator and it's plenty for both move-in/out traffic and commuter use.

Denise Weems Financially I understand where he’s coming from however, when the single elevator breaks down (which it will at some point) and you can’t get the parts immediately or the elevator repair people can’t get there fast enough OR he has to pay the after hours price for them to come out at night or on a weekend, he’ll wish he had chosen two.

Lori Segura My building has 32 units total with 4 floors and 1 elevator is more than enough

Miles Scruggs Outside of ADA requirements you don’t “need” any. Will you get better rents on your upper floors if you have one? Yes. Will you get better rents on your upper floors if you have 2? Little harder to find any objective data to support that purchase….

a Guest No 2 I have one used all the time but when it go's down helping resident up the third floor. Is hard for them

Guest Insider Trust me, with 11 units per floor and 4 floors, you want one for each end of the building for maximum living experience. I am speaking from experience on both sides. Now, what I'd really be concerned about though, is parking space ratio Are architects still using the outdated 1.5 spaces per apartment??

Ann Carey I have 103 unit 4 story building with 2 wings 1 elevator on each side and you can't cross over. I wish i had 2 elevators on each side. Elevator is down and you're out of luck.

Amanda Meyer I have a building of 50 units, 5 stories and we only have 1 elevator. Another building is 110 units, 7 stories and we have 2When it goes down it’s a nightmare but it’s very doable for 44 units

Michelle Wood Having lived in a building fully occupied with only two elevators for 250 units for the last 5 years - I wonder how often one elevator would break. We have had two occurrences in 5 years. I’m not sure adding a second elevator out of concern of one breaking down makes sense from an investment standpoint.

Michelle Wood I think it can depend. I live in a 7 story 250 unit side of a building with only 2 elevators. It’s fine.

Guest Insider I had a 45 unit 7 story building and 1 elevator was more than enough. No one had to wait more than 2-3 minutes and that was only during rush hour. The wait was 30 seconds 95% of the day. That being said, if your friend is willing to spend the money to provide a more “luxurious” feel then go for it.

Guest Insider It will break down and residents will complain they can’t get down the steps- disabled people won’t be able to get down steps when it breaks.. I’d suggest two just to be safe and avoid issues

John Ridgway 2 for the customer service experience and redundancy

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Felicia Norman is friends with Mya Estrada

The terms and conditions of a renting arrangement between a landlord and a tenant are set forth in a rental agreement or a lease, both of which are legal documents. Rental agreements should always be in writing, but short term agreements may be legal even if verbal. Despite having a comparable function and although both terms are often being used interchangeably, the two differ in a few ways:Duration: A rental agreement is normally a short- ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

Industry Resources

More Industry Resources

Look out your window right now.If you're in New England, Northeast and even some parts of the South, it might look like a post-apocalypse dystopia. It's oddly quiet, and everything is cast in a bleak sepia tone. If you date to crack that window, you might smell burnt toast.Turns out, this is all being caused by Canadian wildfires. The New York Times is reporting that there are health alerts in many areas of the country warning people of poor air ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Between labor shortages and centralization efforts, multifamily is placing more pressure on its maintenance teams than ever before. The pace and scope of the work are growing, as companies increasingly assign the upkeep of multiple communities or even entire market portfolios to a single service crew. Teams must work strategically and efficiently to accomplish more with less manpower. To make such maintenance models feasible, technicians can't b ...

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

While I know we cannot limit the number of ESAs, I am wondering if there is any guideline as far as *humane* limits for ESAs per unit size. For example, 2 adults and 3 ESAs (let's say two dogs & a cat) in a small 1 bed unit seems inhumane and excessive for the unit size. Any insight or input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Read More...

Guest Insider Please remember that you have the right to have proof of need when any disability is non-visible.
Also, my opinion is that it isn't inhumane or excessive if the two people have 2 disabilities each.
Perhaps one animal is emotional support for being able to go outside the apartment and the other is required for sleep,
and a health services provider will attest to that. The second resident might have the same or similar issues.

Autumn Knight Thank you for your response, Anne. I really appreciate your insight here. I moreso meant in general --- i.e. number of occupants + number of animals occupying a unit --- if there is a humane limit regardless of ESA status/number of disabilities. Additionally, let's say an applicant has 3 ESAs for different disabilities, but (in theory) would then require a 2 bed instead of a 1 bed unit to ensure all beings can occupy the unit size within reason. If someone has several ESAs, but wants to rent a studio, would it be humane to house that occupant and that many animals, etc. I hope that makes sense. Thanks again!

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Sewage back up bathtub art. 🤣

Jose Maciel That is some S***y 🎨!!! Lol

Dave Scruggs Nice!

Guest Insider Looks like the upside down 😂

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Guest Insider OSHA !!

Amanda Hill It looks questionable to me!

Andi Armstrong Wow, he must have some TRUST in his coworkers!

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Lease up pros & cons?!
Let’s hear it!

Jared S. Leese

Amy Harris The most fun ever!!

Megan Goodmundson Pros: can be great money (bonus incentives) Cons: lots of pressure. Construction is a beeotch. Be prepared for never ending delays changes, problems, mishaps, etcPro: exciting and change of pace from the regular. Great experience

carol adams Dealing with Construction is a nightmare. Dust/dirt everywhere, appliances not hooked up property etc.

Karen Kossow For people who love challenges, a fast pace, and can understand and work through construction delays and other things the come with new construction, Lease Ups are a lot of fun.I've done the marketing for many...many...many lease ups and from a property team standpoint, there's a certain mentality that's needed to enjoy and be successful on a lease up. It's why you'll often see people hop from lease up to lease. Yes, the money is good if you're leasing, but you also have to be able to work with the rest and not everyone can.

Guest Insider Blast

Can't comment or like? Make sure to log in or register for a free account!

Event starts in:

Latest Surveys

Multifamily News

New Insiders