Adaptability Skills Testing for Job Candidates

Adaptability skills in the workplace.

With a rapidly changing economy, technological landscape and work world, employees that are adaptable are an asset to any business. Administering an adaptability test is one way you can find people who will thrive through change and disruption.

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What is adaptability and why is it important in the workplace?

Adaptability is a skill that is in high demand today, but why is it important in the workplace?

Employees who can adjust to new conditions at work and who can effortlessly, confidently and effectively make changes in what they do, are invaluable to your organization. Having people who are willing and eager to acquire new skills will help your business be more than just nimble and responsive. Adaptable employees can proactively take advantage of opportunities and drive growth.

Testing for adaptability in the workplace makes sense in the hiring process to discover:

  • How well a candidate works in a fast-changing environment
  • How fast they get used to the new team or working style
  • Attitudes about changing technologies and approaches to work
  • Willingness to learn new skills
  • Openness to asking for help
  • Eagerness to do things differently or pursue new goals
  • Comfort level with ambiguity
What is adaptability and why is it important in the workplace?

What is an adversity quotient (AQ)?

The idea of an adversity quotient is that it gauges a person's ability to deal with difficulties in life. Resilience is an important element of flexibility and adaptability in the workplace and beyond. Also called grit, backbone, persistence, or self-sufficiency, adaptability soft skills bring strength to your organization.

Examples of adaptability skills you can test job applicants for.

Examples of adaptability skills you can test job applicants for

You might be wondering: Is adaptability a skill? Adaptability is, in fact, a measurable soft skill. An adaptability assessment test or adaptability quotient test uncovers certain attitudes and character traits that are strong indicators of a candidate's ability to perform well and contribute to the team in changing circumstances. Examples of adaptability in the workplace include qualities such as:

  • Active learner

  • Creative problem-solver

  • Good communicator

  • Adaptable to change

  • Takes responsibility

  • Receptive to feedback

  • Makes decisions even in ambiguous situations

  • Ability to motivate others despite setbacks

  • Tenacity to keep going despite adversity

A Hire Success® personality test includes an adaptability assessment among other soft skills, some of which are related to adaptability in the workplace.

What job roles benefit from adaptability skills?

Your business will benefit from putting adaptable people in nearly every role, however some jobs require more grit than others.

  • Executives need to be highly comfortable leading through change
  • Technology workers need to thrive in constant disruption
  • Anyone who is public-facing brings value to the company and everyone doing business with your firm by being adaptable
  • Workers involved in processes need to be ready to shift course as needed
  • Training staff need to be open to new skills and approaches
What job roles benefit from adaptability skills?

Sample questions to determine adaptability skills

The best time to test adaptability in the workplace is early on. When you have a clear picture of how a candidate faces disruption, you will be able to ask the right questions as the interview process continues.

You may wish to try the Hire Success® auto-baseline builder to develop an ideal candidate profile that defines what adaptability means in your company. You can customize the test to fit your situation.

With results of the Hire Success® personality test in hand, you can personalize interview questions and follow up for more detail on the results of the test. Example questions may include:

  • How have you adjusted to changed circumstances you didn't control, such as a team member quitting, or a client leaving?
  • When dealing with a "this is how we do it" attitude at work, how would you convince people to make a change?
  • When starting a new job, what were some of the biggest challenges you faced?
  • Halfway through a project, you are told the requirements have suddenly changed. What would you do?
  • When presented with last-minute meetings or moved-up deadlines, how do you re-adjust your schedule so that you don't fall behind?
  • Tell us about a time you had to learn a new skill or start using a new process or software system at work. How long did it take you to master it?
Sample questions to determine adaptability skills.

Hire people that can deal
with the stress of a fast-changing workplace

The Hire Success® personality test is a great adaptability assessment that uncovers how a candidate perceives, evaluates, and manages change and disruptions. When you test for adaptability in the workplace, you have insight into making better hiring decisions and building teams that can thrive in today's constantly changing business environment. Contact Hire Success® to request a customized quote.

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