Small law firms are making costly errors in recruiting staff, a recruitment consultancy warned this week as it launched a service to help firms identify the ‘darker side’ of candidates’ personalities.

Human Assets’ critical appointment assessment service is designed to provide an ‘expert second opinion’ to law firms with between ten and 100 staff.


Under the service, candidates sit a series of tests designed to investigate their personality, interpersonal and general skills, including verbal reasoning. Human Assets then conducts a 45-minute interview with the candidate.


Human Assets managing director Charles Woodruffe said: ‘Several firms have come to us having made mistakes in recruiting staff. Some firms rely too much on interview performance, particularly when using an informal “do we like them” style of interview. They can also focus excessively on candidates’ technical skills when recruiting.’


One of the tests searches for the candidate’s ‘darker’ side – positive behavioural traits that are present to such a degree that they can become extremely undesirable when the individual is under pressure.


Mr Woodruffe said: ‘When people are under pressure, characteristics that could be beneficial can become exaggerated. Those who are very methodical can become obsessive, and ambition can turn to arrogance. Extremely charming staff can become manipulative.’


The tests are based on answers to a series of multiple-choice questions. Mr Woodruffe said: ‘Personality tests can be biased against individuals from certain backgrounds, although ours are designed to minimise any distortion, and so it is important to meet the candidate as well. That also allows us to probe the candidate if we think they are just trying to present the perfect image. There are certain questions designed to catch this: for example, if the candidate claimed that they always responded to client letters within the hour, this is something we would ask them about in the interview.’