Self-Reports in Personnel Selection

Abstract

Self-report measures are widely used in personnel selection because they enable efficient assessment of applicants’ characteristics during hiring processes. Despite their prevalence, self-reports have long been the subject of debate, with research documenting both their strengths and their susceptibility to systematic threats, particularly in evaluative contexts. To advance understanding of self-reports in personnel selection, this chapter synthesizes prior research on core self-report constructs, key validity threats, complementary assessment approaches, and emerging methodological solutions. Specifically, this chapter reviews major self-report domains commonly used in selection, including biodata, personality, motivation, values, vocational interests, and behavioral tendencies. It further discusses validity threats inherent in self-reports, with particular attention to those heightened in personnel selection settings, and contrasts self-reports with other-report measures to clarify their relative strengths and limitations. Finally, the chapter integrates evidence on strategies to prevent, detect, and mitigate self-report biases, highlights recent methodological innovations, and discusses practical implications and directions for future research.