The selection procedure at an organization is supposed to be a highly important and sensitive process. It requires immense care on the part of the selectors that they select the people who are best suited for that particular job.
There are various tools and techniques that are used for this procedure. Though these techniques have been in use and have been quite effective, but these traits have certain drawbacks also.
Graphology (Handwriting Analysis)can help in presenting a highly comprehensive personality profile of the prospective employee, which the other tools like interviews etc are not able to. Certain potentially negative traits can also be found out, which may prove to be detrimental in the long run and which may not be known initially, even with the help of the other techniques. This certainly shows that graphology is an effective tool in selection.
Handwriting analysis can be used at every level of hiring, from low-paying to high paying jobs, from non-skilled to highly skilled, and from clerical to middle and top management posts. Another important benefit of handwriting analysis for personnel screening is in weeding out generally undesirable employees at the outset. In an age of mounting crime, especially in the white-collar area, it’s tremendously important that dishonest individuals never get a chance to infiltrate organizations.
Even after hiring, graphology can still work. Promotions are one way in which handwriting analysis is used after hiring. A promotion is almost like applying for a new job. Generally the skills, dedication, and integrity is proven, but whether or not the person to be promoted can handle new or more responsibility is unknown.
Relocation evaluations are another way that handwriting analysis is used on the job. When a company decides to shift an employee from one location to another, it’s major move, so naturally everyone wants to make sure it’s going to work out well for all concerned. Transfers, too, are almost like starting from scratch, and screening methods are perfect for matching the right person to the right location, especially if the transfer involves a promotion, as is often the case.
On management levels, executives are using graphology to help them get ahead and remain productive in various ways. These include preparation for dealing with business people from other countries and backgrounds; negotiations, such as mergers and acquisitions; and strategic planning.
Outplacement is a relatively new area of business services. Outplacement departments of corporations or separate outplacement counseling agencies exist strictly to help terminated employees adjust to being fired. Although these services can deal with any strata of personnel, they’re generally geared to management levels. Many outplacement facilities have handwriting analysts on staff or on retainer. The function of the outplacement departments or agency is now to find jobs for people who have been fired but to help them cope and evaluate their present needs in terms of reentry.
Graphology is used extensively in Europe, particularly France where 90% of all recruiters turn to handwriting analysis to place the most compatible and suitable person. And now, according to The Wall Street Journal, Handwriting Analysis is being used by the big players in the US corporate world… a trend that can only grow as human resource managers have less and less time to assess the huge number of apparently similar applicants for each position.
More than five thousand U.S. companies now employ staff or consult graphologists in their personnel departments and use them on regular basis .The wall Street Journal reports that 80% of the corporations in countries such as France, Israel, & Germany employ handwriting analysis in their employment decisions.
Their functions include screening job applicants, evaluating candidates for their promotion and relocation, executive developments, colleague compatibility studies, partnership arrangements, mergers and acquisitions and outplacement – in short, any area dealing with people.All types of businesses avail themselves of handwriting analysis – manufacturing firms, financial houses, service organizations, marketing corporations, government agencies, and law enforcement bureaus.
Handwriting analysis also called graphology, is scientific .The pattern of characteristics – potentials, traits, talents, strengths, weaknesses, emotions, orientations, intellect, values, and physical well- being – that make up the complex human being are all encoded in handwriting every time pen is put to paper.
Handwriting is comprised of many diverse elements – various strokes, such as I dots, hooks, t-bars, and loops – connected together to form letters, words, and sentences. When analyzed, these strokes can be decoded to reveal any and all of the aspects of personality. While graphology does pinpoint behavioral traits, it can’t be used to deduce any information of a discriminatory nature, such as your age, sex, or national origin. Even the writing of handicapped individuals, who may use their teeth or toes to communicate, can’t be discerned as such.
Handwriting analysis is a psychological tool, a scientific assessment method that shouldn’t be confused with any of the so-called occult art such as astrology. Graphology is not predictive; it is a means to evaluate personality accurately as it exists in the present, not in the past or future.
Moreover graphology is a self -validating science. This means the credibility of the method can be proven immediately by the feedback you get from the graphologist. Validation of handwriting analysis has also come from the scientific community itself. Various comparisons have been made between psychological tests and graphology with the same caliber of information revealed by both. In many cases, in fact, handwriting analysis proved to be more thorough and effective in assessing behavioral patterns than slandered psychological tests.
An individual's physiological and psychological functions are depicted in a person's handwriting. The act of writing contains spontaneous actions for the purpose of communicating ideas. The examination of a written specimen is the legal basis for forensic identification of an individual. The consistency of script features with their graphometric measurements is repeatable and reliable. Writing is expressive behavior and communicates personality characteristics. The appearance of the written specimen and the tactile sensation of the written performance are the communication vehicles. Writing is a learned habit where the writer has refashioned basic forms. The look and feel of writing dictates our style of writing rather than our formal training. Your writing is the result of your perception of your pen-stroke's touch and visual images.
The act of handwriting uniquely fulfills the requirements for a projective personality test. The writer records responses to testing stimuli by writing. The writer spontaneously constructs random parts (strokes) to form known patterns (letters) into communicated ideas (words). Imposed organization to these ideas (sentences) in a limited area (page) conveys a conscious creative purpose (message). The physical data is recorded as a written specimen.
The conditions for a projective personality test are interpretative, constructive, cathartic, constitutive, and creative according to Lawrence K. Frank's grouping of projective techniques. Interpretative is to generate meaningless patterns. The writing equivalent of drawing strokes. Constructive is to place known parts into patterns. Linking letters to construct words is part of writing. Cathartic is to project and release emotions. The writing performance is an emotional release. Constitutive is to impose organization upon chaotic material. Maintaining sentence structure, filling in spaces with capitals and periods, keeping a written baseline, starting and finishing lines imposes structural organization. Creative is to generate a coherent message. The purpose of writing is to create a coherent message for the reader. The act of writing satisfies the test conditions for graphically depicting personality.
The act of writing contains human physiological and neural pathway requirements for extremely complex functions. The tactile manipulation of the writing instrument while composing a creative message involves a myriad of brain activities. Writing combines and uses elements of speaking, reading, composing, and eye-hand coordination. It is difficult to perform other tasks while writing such as exercising, holding a conversation, and operating a computer. The series execution of writing contains advanced prioritized planning and parallel cognition. Dynamically integrating perception, motion, and cognition is an involved task requiring your full attention. Writing is projecting a personality description. A particular graphic stroke-structure relates to a specific behavior or underlying disposition. The test process is the systematic observation of graphic signs or written indicators. Behavior, defined here as the observable compendium of traits, is measured while the subject is unaware of the test. The subject cannot significantly alter the test procedure or the findings. A graphic indicator is an expressive movement that is the connecting link to personality. The graphic indicator is a visible sign or symbol of an invisible behavioral attribute. Mathematical, engineering, and scientific principles can be applied to the graphic symbols to understand an individual. A pattern of behavior is determined from these graphic gestures and their inter-relationships.
In forensics, the routinely examined written specimen is used to identify a particular writer. Oriental ideograms are considered picture or symbolic writing and do not apply. When you are writing your hand and fingers are moving faster than you can consciously control them, but they are under control when you draw or paint. The majority of graphometric measurements are stable from test to retest and consistent with time. Another individual cannot duplicate a person’s writing rhythm. An individual's pen-strokes, their construction and their speed, are impossible to replicate without detection.
What makes handwriting analysis work is that handwriting is essentially brain writing . The pen is merely a tool, directed through the movement of your arm by impulses that originate in the cerebral cortex. The message is sent via the nervous system to your arm , hand , and even toe muscles , which motivate the pen to produce the symbols we call writing.
The process is often likened to the action of a seismograph, which picks up signals of earth movement and records them on the graph. Earthquakes can be detected and evaluated in this way. Handwriting records your personality as it is projected through the writing implement.
This has a significant implication – since personalities are unique, so are handwritings. No two, like fingerprints, are exactly the same. However, your handwriting can change to reflect your current personality and outlook on life. Yet the singularity of penmanship is always retained. On the surface, handwriting styles may appear to be the same, especially among family members. Generally, in such cases, the superficial resemblance is due to a commonality of traits, which are often reinforced in a family or communal structure. Conscious or unconscious attempts to emulate style can always cause a similarity in scripts. The significant differences of personality, however, will always be revealed by a detailed handwriting analysis.
Various human traits can be determined through graphology by analyzing a handwriting sample. There is a set criteria on the basis of which the research is done. By seeing certain strokes and using other different techniques many hidden personality traits can be easily determined. Along with the basic strokes like: slant, size, pressure, baselines, zones etc, various other techniques are also used.
Few traits and the method of determining them is explained below:
ANALYTICAL ABILITY:
Analytical ability is high in the people who have V formations in m’s and n’s, and medium size writing.
DYNAMISM:
people who have rightward slant, long, sweeping and heavy T-bars are very dynamic.
RESILIENCE:
resilience is present when the individual has upwards slope formations, sweeping T- bars and light pressure.
PRECISION:
people who have retraced lower p loops have precision trait.
ENTHUSIASM:
enthusiasm trait includes rightward slant and long, sweeping T bars.
PATIENCE:
the person who is patient has self control i.e., umbrella like T bars, tapering m’s and n’s, clear wide e’s and long finals of lower loops.
RESPONSIBILITY:
people who have large loops in their I’s and j’s are said to possess responsibility in their behavior.
CONCENTRATION:
small well formed writing with well placed i dots and t bars comprises good concentration ability.
METHODICAL THINKER:
persons having round m’s and n’s and clear writing are considered to be methodical thinkers.
ORGANISATIONAL ABILITY:
balanced and well -formed loops of letter f comprise good organizational ability.
EXTROVERT:
people having writing with rightward slant, with open a’s,& e’s and large upper loops are considered to be extroverts.
SELF-CONFIDENCE:
it includes large capital letters, and high t-bars.
DETERMINATION:
this trait includes long, straight downstrokes of the letters like, g, y, p.
INITIATIVE:
people having breakaway finals in their writing are supposed to have initiative taking ability.
PERSISTENCE:
It includes tie stroke formations in letters like, k, t, a, g, y etc.
DETAIL-MINDED:
people who are detail minded have their i-dots and t- bars in place and well formed writing.
LOYALTY:
loyalty trait includes round, well- formed i- dots.
OPTIMISM:
people having ascending baseline, upward slant of words, letters or lines are considered as optimistic.
BROAD-MINDED:
it includes open and
well formed a’s, e’s, and o’s.
DIGNITY:
this trait includes retraced t’s and d’s stems.
DIPLOMACY:
it includes tapering at ends of words, especially m’s and n’s.
ACQUISITIVE:
this trait is present in a person if initial hooks are present in words. Initial hooks mean hooks present in the beginning of the words.
EMPATHETIC:
to be empathetic means emotional responsiveness, which is considered to be present if the writing has rightward slant.
SELF-STARTER:
a person is termed as self-starter if certain strokes are present in the writing, like: high T bars, breakaway finals i.e., initiative taking ability and determination trait i.e., long straight lower loops.
PERSUASIVE:
for being persuasive one has to have open circle letters like, a’s, o’s etc and should be persistent i.e., have tie strokes in writing.
CONTROL OF IMPULSE:
by way of graphology it is considered that a person has control of impulse if he has convex T-bars.
POISE:
a person is considered to be poised if he has vertical/backward slant, long ending strokes of words and convex T- bars.
ACQUISITIVE:
initial hooks found at the start of a word, are a mark of of acquisitiveness i.e., the desire of acquiring something, which may be monetary or otherwise—for example, the acquisition of knowledge or friends.
FAIR:
a person is considered to be fair according to graphology if he has poise, broadmindedness i.e., open and well formed a’s, e’s, and o’s, and no signs of deceit in his/her handwriting.
AGREEABLE:
the agreeable individual is yielding i.e., has soft strokes in his handwriting and there is a lack of irritability i.e., lack of slashed i dots.
SINCERITY:
according to graphology and its underlying principles, a person is considered to be sincere if he has round, well formed i dots an does not have double loops in circle letters like o’s and a’s.
DILIGENT:
by way of graphology, a diligent person has persistence i.e., tie strokes and the ability to pay attention to details which is shown in the writing if the I dots and t bars are well placed.
Hence, the above mentioned are few of the traits that can be easily determined through the graphological analysis of a handwriting sample. Even a more comprehensive picture of the person concerned can be developed by the detailed study.
Not only positive traits can be determined through graphology, but certain potentially negative traits can be found out, which could otherwise prove detrimental. It is always better if one knows beforehand the harmful side of the person concerned, so that one is able to save himself from the negative consequences.
Dishonesty is probably the best researched area in graphology. Studies conducted throughout Europe, South America, Israel, and the Soviet Union have produced ample data correlating a variety of traits with different types of dishonesty.
There are few signs of dishonesty:
Overly slow writing.
Double or triple looped ovals.
Stabs in the ovals.
Wedging.
The felons claw.
There are few potentially negative traits or dishonest traits which can be determined with the help of graphological principles.
The traits are:
DECEIT:
according to graphology, a person who has double loops in his writing, and there is no trait present to counter it, then the person is considered to be deceitful.
STUBBORNNESS:
a person is considered to be stubborn if the t bars are tent like.
ARROGANCE:
this trait includes vanity i.e., long t and d stems, backward slant and dominating personality i.e., t bar that slants down to the right of the stem of the t.
HYSTERIA:
if the person concerned has extreme right slant, then the person is said to be prone to hysteria i.e., he is not able to control his emotions.
PROCRASTINATION:
this trait means delaying a work to the fullest and it is denoted by t-bars on the left side only.
TEMPER:
if proper controls are not present in the writing, and t-bars are made only on the right side, then the person is supposed to possess immense wrath or temper.
SARCASM:
if the t -bars are knife like, then it means the person is sarcastic.
ULTRACONSERVATIVE:
according to graphology, compressed letter -forms denote an ultraconservative nature.
UNREALISTIC IMAGINATION:
this trait can prove to be highly negative if proper controls are not present in the writing. This trait is denoted by exaggerated lower loops in the writing.
JEALOUSY:
as known by everyone this trait is really negative and can prove detrimental to one-self as well as others. This trait is supposed to be present in a person, if the person concerned has small initial loops in letter formations.
EVASIVENESS:
this trait means that the person tends to shun or avoid the situation rather than face it. If the circle letters of the writing have hooks.i.e., in letters like d, a, o, then the person is said to possess evasive trait.
FELONS CLAW:
the felon’s claw means subconscious guilt, bitterness, and bad instincts. The felon’s claw maker is someone who will pretend to have the best interests at heart. He will seem to be the nicest person on earth. No one would suspect this person of having an evil bone in his body. But then he is setting up only to stab in the back; he will end up clawing. This is the most frightening because one does not know the knife is coming.
GRAPHOLOGY AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN SELECTION
For many years the possibility of using handwriting in management has been discussed. Münsterberg back in 1913 wrote:
" A correlation, for instance, which the commercial world often presupposes, may exist between individual traits and the hand-writing. Graphologists are convinced that a certain loop or flourish, or the steepness or the length of the letters, or the position of the i dot, is a definite indication that the writer possesses certain qualities of personality; and if just these qualities are essential requirements for the position, the impression of the handwriting in a letter may be taken as a sufficient basis for appointment. The scientist has reason to look upon this particular case of graphological correlation with distrust. Yet even he may acknowledge that certain correlations exist between the neatness, carefulness, uniformity, energy, and similar features of the letter, and the general carefulness, steadiness, neatness, and energy of the personality."
During the 1970’s the business community found out what many individuals had known right along – that handwriting analysis is a very effective process . So graphology , long used in Europe , emerged as one of the most important and essential personality assessment methods available to American industry.
As of this writing , more than five thousand U.S. companies now employ staff or consult graphologists in their personnel departments and use them on regular basis .The wall Street Journal reports that 80% of the corporations in countries such as France , Israel , & Germany employ handwriting analysis in their employment decisions .
Their functions include screening job applicants , evaluating candidates for their promotion and relocation, executive developments , colleague compatibility studies , partnership arrangements , mergers and acquisitions and outplacement – in short , any area dealing with people.
All types of businesses avail themselves of handwriting analysis – manufacturing firms , financial houses , service organizations , marketing corporations , government agencies , and law enforcement bureaus.
The implication of all this is that whether you’re doing the hiring or being hired , handwriting analysis is more than likely to touch you in your career especially as more companies awaken to its benefits.
Lie detectors or polygraphs are a thing of the past; federal law has restricted the use of them for employee screening since the 80s. The best alternative is Handwriting Analysis or Graphology. More and more big businesses use Handwriting Analysis to screen applicants and potential business partners.
Loss Prevention is key in business today
Graphology is used extensively in Europe, particularly France where 90% of all recruiters turn to handwriting analysis to place the most compatible and suitable person. And now, according to The Wall Street Journal, Handwriting Analysis is being used by the big players in the US corporate world… a trend that can only grow as human resource managers have less and less time to assess the huge number of apparently similar applicants for each position.
The most important factor to any company's success is it's ability to hire the right people. The right people are not necessarily the most educated, the most experienced, the best looking, etc. They are individuals whose personalities and interests match those of the company's needs.
According to business experts, 95% of a company's success is hiring correctly. The end result of a hiring error results in employee turnover, which directly costs companies anywhere from $2,000 to replace a clerical position to $75,000 for a typical manager. And these are direct costs. The amount of indirect costs related to a mistake in the hiring process can be monumental.
There are a number of ways that companies typically screen prospective employees. Notice everything that employers rely upon in this chart is subjective based either on the interviewers' "impressions" or the applicants' "opinions" of themselves. Only handwriting analysis evaluates an applicant free of bias: it profiles the complete applicant (without their input!).
HIRING TOOLS AVAILABLE AND THEIR DRAWBACKS
There are various tools and techniques that are used in the selection procedure in any organization. The most famous being the interview, which is extensively used while selecting prospective employees by the employers. Various other tools are also used like psychological tests etc. No doubt these tools are effective and have been in constant use. But there are few drawbacks associated with them.
When used separately, each of these tools yields only a portion of information necessary to your decision. In combination, employers may find out important information about applicants. However, unless each process is carried out in such a way to totally eliminate bias on the part of the employer and the applicant, then it is impossible to ascertain the single most important factor in hiring correctly . . . that is the personality traits of the applicant.
In the following points, light is thrown on the drawbacks of the various tools of selection.
SELF -REPORTS AND QUESTIONNAIRES
Can be faked be test wise job candidates.
Designed to evaluate only a portion of one’s personality.
May ask invasive questions ( insulting or illegal)
Does not evaluate one’s behavior, just their reactions to questions.
Requires their co-operation, honesty, and self-awareness.
BACKGROUND CHECKS
Employers reluctant to disclose information for fear of lawsuit.
Unknown credibility of person disclosing information.
Nothing found (maybe applicant’s first employment or new to the industry)
INTERVIEWING
Subjective interpretations by interviewer, low validity.
Applicant may not perform well in the interview. ( anxiety, modesty)
Applicant’s appearance affects interviewer, discrimination inevitable.
Overburdens interviewer, time consuming.
You interview poor applicants as well as good.
POLYGRAPH
Inconsistent validity.
Restricted from use in most employment situation except in extreme cases.
CONSUMER CREDIT CHECKS
Invasive, non -job related.
Incomplete information or incorrect information not uncommon.
RESUMES
54% of all resumes are falsified, particularly previous earnings and education etc.
Often not prepared by applicant; therefore, quality is not reflective of applicant.
Doesn’t demonstrate performance or personality of applicant.
FINGERPRINTING
Only useful if prosecuted or convicted in a certain area that is being checked.
Many employers to avoid trouble and media attention do not prosecute criminals.
SKILL CHECK
Nothing is learned of personality of applicant.
Requires appointment time to “test” applicants.
USES OF GRAPHOLOGY IN BUSINESS
There are countless uses of graphology in business. The three most important areas are:
Hiring
Firing
Establishing who works well with whom and whom to promote.
HIRING
Immense information can be given about the person through his handwriting sample. This information about the person can be used to determine the right person for the right job, answering such questions as:
What’s this applicant’s intelligence level?
Is he honest?
Is he hardworking?
Should he work alone or with others?
Should he be in sales, or is he better suited to
working with small details over long periods of time?
The data overwhelmingly support graphology’s usefulness on the front end; it saves dollars for everybody. You can tell more about an applicant in a few minutes of looking at his handwriting than you can after administering a psychology test, running a credit check, giving a medical examination, giving a battery of aptitude tests, and interviewing him for an hour in person.
FIRING
People are fired from their jobs for many reasons, including incompetence, frequent tardiness, insubordination, lack of productivity, and difficulty in getting along with others. Where a graphologist is often instrumental in pointing out the guilty party when a crime has been committed within the company. This often leads to the firing of the “bad guy.”
This use of graphology overlaps the area of criminology, or investigative work, in several instances. Many companies sustain substantial losses due to employee theft. Actually, employee theft is one of the leading reasons for companies going out of business. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that in 1988 $182 billion was lost by U.S. businesses due to crimes committed by their employees. Nearly $100 billion is spent annually on security measures designed to prevent these internal crimes.
Obviously, the thieves are being hired in first place ( the companies didn’t use graphology to start!), so the problem is that someone in the department is stealing, or embezzling, or coming in late at night and emptying out the warehouse. who’s doing it?
A skilled graphologist can take statements written by the suspects and know when they’re lying, when they’re feeling stressed or anxious. Very often, without costly investigation, a quick screening of the suspect’s handwriting will alert the investigators to the probable suspects in the case. The investigators can then narrow their focus and zero in on the people most likely to have perpetrated the crime.
ESTABLISHING WHO WORKS WELL WITH WHOM
An important job of the manager is to get subordinates to work as an effective team. Graphology can provide insights into worker’s character, helping managers to bring together compatible people or to understand and alleviate conflicts.
ESTABLISHING WHO SHOULD BE PROMOTED
Graphology is also useful when promotions are at hand. Suppose you know that a certain employee is good where he is, but now you want to promote him to an area where you don’t know if he’ll necessarily be as skilled. Let’s say he was taking orders where he is now working so efficiently, and you want to move him up to manage a department of fifty people. Is he as good a leader as he is a follower? These types of questions can be answered by a graphological screening.
STAFF SELECTION & RECRUITMENT:
Handwriting analysis gives you a cost-effective, short cut to getting to know a prospective employee and obtaining information not likely to be disclosed on application forms or an interview. Used alongside other selection procedures, handwriting analysis can help you select and place the right people in the most appropriate positions.
When you use handwriting analysis you:
Can prove you selected the best person for the job regardless age, sex or race prejudice (physical features such as these cannot be assessed from handwriting)
Do need not waste valuable time organizing tests and processing results.
Can quickly obtain information about candidates' strengths and potential.
Will be aware of undesirable characteristics such as procrastination and indecisiveness.
Can check attitude to authority and other factors that affect relationships and harmony in the workplace.
Will increase efficiency and reduce staff turnover by placing people where can develop personal skills and achieve job satisfaction.
WHY GRAPHOLOGY SHOULD BE USED AS SELECTION TOOL
OBJECTIVE
Not a self-report (doesn’t require honesty/self awareness)
Not threatening process (no invasive questions asked)
Prevents illegal discrimination (doesn’t reveal age, race, gender, religion, appearance)
JOB RELATED
Traits can be selected unique to each job position for a customized profile.
No personal questions asked like psychological self-reports.
Successful employees typically have personality commonalities.
Evaluates the total personality(not a portion of one’s personality like self-reports)
VALID AND RELIABLE
Has been studied and refined for hundreds of years.
Over 2,000 published studies in journals.
Used extensively in Europe and its use growing in the U.S.
INEXPENSIVE
Interview only quality applicants.
Requires little staff time.
Less costly than a battery of psychological tests.
Multiple uses- (self-improvement, career guidance, hiring, negotiations, compatibility, team-building, investigation)
Profile applicants before flying them in from out of town.
Gives interviewer immediate insight during interview, same time.
DIFFICULT TO TRICK
Can’t cheat on a psychological test.
Intimidates conmen and criminals from even showing up for a Job interview.
Analysis can be produced without one’s knowledge.
CREATES RAPPORT
New hires can learn more about themselves and perform better
With others.
Family members of key staff can be provided to improve Happiness.
Creative way to evaluate / understand people.
EASY/FAST
Takes only a few minutes to produce a handwriting sample.
Upgrade a lesser profile to more in-depth.
HOW MANY COMPANIES USE GRAPHOLOGY?
A 1991 study shows selection methods used in the UK. The data are from a survey of 173 organisations of different sizes in both public and private sectors.
Graphology was used by one per cent of these employers (IRS 1991). A 1993 article shows selection methods in six countries. The percentages for graphology are France = 52, NL = 24, UK=3, Israel=2, Norway=2. (Robertson and Makin 1993). A survey of 1419 undergraduates in the UK asked what was required in job searches. 18% underwent psycwwwtric/personality assessments, 11% attended an assessment centre, 4% provided handwriting for analysis. This was a representative sample of final year students at 49 British Universities in July 1994. (The Guardian 1995: pg22). This suggests that over 3500 analyses are made a year on graduates in the UK.
A 1995 survey by the University of Berne (Personnel Studies Dept.) and the Swiss Personnel Management Society gave results from 843 Swiss company human resources managers (3000 members). 68% of these specialists in Switzerland claim to use graphology as a selection tool. ( see Thom N & Zaugg R 1995). The European Union (1998) describes the use of graphology for recruitment in member countries. France: used in up to 50% of companies and by 80% of consultants. Belgium: common in pre-selection or to back up impressions. Portugal: sometimes used. Italy: may be used. Denmark: rarely used.
The Employment Agency H W Group says that graphology is used by 6pc of large and medium-sized companies in the UK. (Daily Telegraph Appointments 29/4/99 Pg. A1). The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development began an annual series of recruitment surveys in 1997. The sample is representative of establishments across the UK economy, but excludes any with below 50 employees. The telephone questionnaire is with the "most senior person responsible for recruitment in the organisation".
Graphology use in 1999 was 1.1 per cent; in 2000 it was 1.9 per cent and in 2001 it was 1.9 per cent.
HOW MANY COMPANIES BENEFIT FROM GRAPHOLOGY
Companies can save time and money (In sales there was an 85% turnover of employees in 90 days!)
Detect honesty and dishonesty
Find out if the candidate is capable of performing the job. Do they have characteristics that will make them suitable or not suitable for the position
Identify mental or health problems such as suicidal tendencies, drug dependence
Identify any troublemaking tendencies; prevent union problems, back-stabbing, stealing
Find out if the person is compatible with the rest of the office team
The results are close to the truthful personality of the applicant.
RESEARCH
A 16-year study by psychologist Herb Greenberg asked the question, "What is the most important factor in job success?" After gathering data from more than 7,000 companies and 350,000 employees, the study determined that, "Personality is the single most important factor in job success - not education, not experience, not age, gender, race." Other reports have revealed that, "Employers hire for job skills, and fire for personality faults."
While each of the traditional methods described above has specific strengths, none can provide an employer with accurate, timely and revealing information about an applicant's personality . . . information that may never be learned, or at the very least, information that would take a great deal of time and money to acquire.
From India, Madras
There are various tools and techniques that are used for this procedure. Though these techniques have been in use and have been quite effective, but these traits have certain drawbacks also.
Graphology (Handwriting Analysis)can help in presenting a highly comprehensive personality profile of the prospective employee, which the other tools like interviews etc are not able to. Certain potentially negative traits can also be found out, which may prove to be detrimental in the long run and which may not be known initially, even with the help of the other techniques. This certainly shows that graphology is an effective tool in selection.
Handwriting analysis can be used at every level of hiring, from low-paying to high paying jobs, from non-skilled to highly skilled, and from clerical to middle and top management posts. Another important benefit of handwriting analysis for personnel screening is in weeding out generally undesirable employees at the outset. In an age of mounting crime, especially in the white-collar area, it’s tremendously important that dishonest individuals never get a chance to infiltrate organizations.
Even after hiring, graphology can still work. Promotions are one way in which handwriting analysis is used after hiring. A promotion is almost like applying for a new job. Generally the skills, dedication, and integrity is proven, but whether or not the person to be promoted can handle new or more responsibility is unknown.
Relocation evaluations are another way that handwriting analysis is used on the job. When a company decides to shift an employee from one location to another, it’s major move, so naturally everyone wants to make sure it’s going to work out well for all concerned. Transfers, too, are almost like starting from scratch, and screening methods are perfect for matching the right person to the right location, especially if the transfer involves a promotion, as is often the case.
On management levels, executives are using graphology to help them get ahead and remain productive in various ways. These include preparation for dealing with business people from other countries and backgrounds; negotiations, such as mergers and acquisitions; and strategic planning.
Outplacement is a relatively new area of business services. Outplacement departments of corporations or separate outplacement counseling agencies exist strictly to help terminated employees adjust to being fired. Although these services can deal with any strata of personnel, they’re generally geared to management levels. Many outplacement facilities have handwriting analysts on staff or on retainer. The function of the outplacement departments or agency is now to find jobs for people who have been fired but to help them cope and evaluate their present needs in terms of reentry.
Graphology is used extensively in Europe, particularly France where 90% of all recruiters turn to handwriting analysis to place the most compatible and suitable person. And now, according to The Wall Street Journal, Handwriting Analysis is being used by the big players in the US corporate world… a trend that can only grow as human resource managers have less and less time to assess the huge number of apparently similar applicants for each position.
More than five thousand U.S. companies now employ staff or consult graphologists in their personnel departments and use them on regular basis .The wall Street Journal reports that 80% of the corporations in countries such as France, Israel, & Germany employ handwriting analysis in their employment decisions.
Their functions include screening job applicants, evaluating candidates for their promotion and relocation, executive developments, colleague compatibility studies, partnership arrangements, mergers and acquisitions and outplacement – in short, any area dealing with people.All types of businesses avail themselves of handwriting analysis – manufacturing firms, financial houses, service organizations, marketing corporations, government agencies, and law enforcement bureaus.
Handwriting analysis also called graphology, is scientific .The pattern of characteristics – potentials, traits, talents, strengths, weaknesses, emotions, orientations, intellect, values, and physical well- being – that make up the complex human being are all encoded in handwriting every time pen is put to paper.
Handwriting is comprised of many diverse elements – various strokes, such as I dots, hooks, t-bars, and loops – connected together to form letters, words, and sentences. When analyzed, these strokes can be decoded to reveal any and all of the aspects of personality. While graphology does pinpoint behavioral traits, it can’t be used to deduce any information of a discriminatory nature, such as your age, sex, or national origin. Even the writing of handicapped individuals, who may use their teeth or toes to communicate, can’t be discerned as such.
Handwriting analysis is a psychological tool, a scientific assessment method that shouldn’t be confused with any of the so-called occult art such as astrology. Graphology is not predictive; it is a means to evaluate personality accurately as it exists in the present, not in the past or future.
Moreover graphology is a self -validating science. This means the credibility of the method can be proven immediately by the feedback you get from the graphologist. Validation of handwriting analysis has also come from the scientific community itself. Various comparisons have been made between psychological tests and graphology with the same caliber of information revealed by both. In many cases, in fact, handwriting analysis proved to be more thorough and effective in assessing behavioral patterns than slandered psychological tests.
An individual's physiological and psychological functions are depicted in a person's handwriting. The act of writing contains spontaneous actions for the purpose of communicating ideas. The examination of a written specimen is the legal basis for forensic identification of an individual. The consistency of script features with their graphometric measurements is repeatable and reliable. Writing is expressive behavior and communicates personality characteristics. The appearance of the written specimen and the tactile sensation of the written performance are the communication vehicles. Writing is a learned habit where the writer has refashioned basic forms. The look and feel of writing dictates our style of writing rather than our formal training. Your writing is the result of your perception of your pen-stroke's touch and visual images.
The act of handwriting uniquely fulfills the requirements for a projective personality test. The writer records responses to testing stimuli by writing. The writer spontaneously constructs random parts (strokes) to form known patterns (letters) into communicated ideas (words). Imposed organization to these ideas (sentences) in a limited area (page) conveys a conscious creative purpose (message). The physical data is recorded as a written specimen.
The conditions for a projective personality test are interpretative, constructive, cathartic, constitutive, and creative according to Lawrence K. Frank's grouping of projective techniques. Interpretative is to generate meaningless patterns. The writing equivalent of drawing strokes. Constructive is to place known parts into patterns. Linking letters to construct words is part of writing. Cathartic is to project and release emotions. The writing performance is an emotional release. Constitutive is to impose organization upon chaotic material. Maintaining sentence structure, filling in spaces with capitals and periods, keeping a written baseline, starting and finishing lines imposes structural organization. Creative is to generate a coherent message. The purpose of writing is to create a coherent message for the reader. The act of writing satisfies the test conditions for graphically depicting personality.
The act of writing contains human physiological and neural pathway requirements for extremely complex functions. The tactile manipulation of the writing instrument while composing a creative message involves a myriad of brain activities. Writing combines and uses elements of speaking, reading, composing, and eye-hand coordination. It is difficult to perform other tasks while writing such as exercising, holding a conversation, and operating a computer. The series execution of writing contains advanced prioritized planning and parallel cognition. Dynamically integrating perception, motion, and cognition is an involved task requiring your full attention. Writing is projecting a personality description. A particular graphic stroke-structure relates to a specific behavior or underlying disposition. The test process is the systematic observation of graphic signs or written indicators. Behavior, defined here as the observable compendium of traits, is measured while the subject is unaware of the test. The subject cannot significantly alter the test procedure or the findings. A graphic indicator is an expressive movement that is the connecting link to personality. The graphic indicator is a visible sign or symbol of an invisible behavioral attribute. Mathematical, engineering, and scientific principles can be applied to the graphic symbols to understand an individual. A pattern of behavior is determined from these graphic gestures and their inter-relationships.
In forensics, the routinely examined written specimen is used to identify a particular writer. Oriental ideograms are considered picture or symbolic writing and do not apply. When you are writing your hand and fingers are moving faster than you can consciously control them, but they are under control when you draw or paint. The majority of graphometric measurements are stable from test to retest and consistent with time. Another individual cannot duplicate a person’s writing rhythm. An individual's pen-strokes, their construction and their speed, are impossible to replicate without detection.
What makes handwriting analysis work is that handwriting is essentially brain writing . The pen is merely a tool, directed through the movement of your arm by impulses that originate in the cerebral cortex. The message is sent via the nervous system to your arm , hand , and even toe muscles , which motivate the pen to produce the symbols we call writing.
The process is often likened to the action of a seismograph, which picks up signals of earth movement and records them on the graph. Earthquakes can be detected and evaluated in this way. Handwriting records your personality as it is projected through the writing implement.
This has a significant implication – since personalities are unique, so are handwritings. No two, like fingerprints, are exactly the same. However, your handwriting can change to reflect your current personality and outlook on life. Yet the singularity of penmanship is always retained. On the surface, handwriting styles may appear to be the same, especially among family members. Generally, in such cases, the superficial resemblance is due to a commonality of traits, which are often reinforced in a family or communal structure. Conscious or unconscious attempts to emulate style can always cause a similarity in scripts. The significant differences of personality, however, will always be revealed by a detailed handwriting analysis.
Various human traits can be determined through graphology by analyzing a handwriting sample. There is a set criteria on the basis of which the research is done. By seeing certain strokes and using other different techniques many hidden personality traits can be easily determined. Along with the basic strokes like: slant, size, pressure, baselines, zones etc, various other techniques are also used.
Few traits and the method of determining them is explained below:
ANALYTICAL ABILITY:
Analytical ability is high in the people who have V formations in m’s and n’s, and medium size writing.
DYNAMISM:
people who have rightward slant, long, sweeping and heavy T-bars are very dynamic.
RESILIENCE:
resilience is present when the individual has upwards slope formations, sweeping T- bars and light pressure.
PRECISION:
people who have retraced lower p loops have precision trait.
ENTHUSIASM:
enthusiasm trait includes rightward slant and long, sweeping T bars.
PATIENCE:
the person who is patient has self control i.e., umbrella like T bars, tapering m’s and n’s, clear wide e’s and long finals of lower loops.
RESPONSIBILITY:
people who have large loops in their I’s and j’s are said to possess responsibility in their behavior.
CONCENTRATION:
small well formed writing with well placed i dots and t bars comprises good concentration ability.
METHODICAL THINKER:
persons having round m’s and n’s and clear writing are considered to be methodical thinkers.
ORGANISATIONAL ABILITY:
balanced and well -formed loops of letter f comprise good organizational ability.
EXTROVERT:
people having writing with rightward slant, with open a’s,& e’s and large upper loops are considered to be extroverts.
SELF-CONFIDENCE:
it includes large capital letters, and high t-bars.
DETERMINATION:
this trait includes long, straight downstrokes of the letters like, g, y, p.
INITIATIVE:
people having breakaway finals in their writing are supposed to have initiative taking ability.
PERSISTENCE:
It includes tie stroke formations in letters like, k, t, a, g, y etc.
DETAIL-MINDED:
people who are detail minded have their i-dots and t- bars in place and well formed writing.
LOYALTY:
loyalty trait includes round, well- formed i- dots.
OPTIMISM:
people having ascending baseline, upward slant of words, letters or lines are considered as optimistic.
BROAD-MINDED:
it includes open and
well formed a’s, e’s, and o’s.
DIGNITY:
this trait includes retraced t’s and d’s stems.
DIPLOMACY:
it includes tapering at ends of words, especially m’s and n’s.
ACQUISITIVE:
this trait is present in a person if initial hooks are present in words. Initial hooks mean hooks present in the beginning of the words.
EMPATHETIC:
to be empathetic means emotional responsiveness, which is considered to be present if the writing has rightward slant.
SELF-STARTER:
a person is termed as self-starter if certain strokes are present in the writing, like: high T bars, breakaway finals i.e., initiative taking ability and determination trait i.e., long straight lower loops.
PERSUASIVE:
for being persuasive one has to have open circle letters like, a’s, o’s etc and should be persistent i.e., have tie strokes in writing.
CONTROL OF IMPULSE:
by way of graphology it is considered that a person has control of impulse if he has convex T-bars.
POISE:
a person is considered to be poised if he has vertical/backward slant, long ending strokes of words and convex T- bars.
ACQUISITIVE:
initial hooks found at the start of a word, are a mark of of acquisitiveness i.e., the desire of acquiring something, which may be monetary or otherwise—for example, the acquisition of knowledge or friends.
FAIR:
a person is considered to be fair according to graphology if he has poise, broadmindedness i.e., open and well formed a’s, e’s, and o’s, and no signs of deceit in his/her handwriting.
AGREEABLE:
the agreeable individual is yielding i.e., has soft strokes in his handwriting and there is a lack of irritability i.e., lack of slashed i dots.
SINCERITY:
according to graphology and its underlying principles, a person is considered to be sincere if he has round, well formed i dots an does not have double loops in circle letters like o’s and a’s.
DILIGENT:
by way of graphology, a diligent person has persistence i.e., tie strokes and the ability to pay attention to details which is shown in the writing if the I dots and t bars are well placed.
Hence, the above mentioned are few of the traits that can be easily determined through the graphological analysis of a handwriting sample. Even a more comprehensive picture of the person concerned can be developed by the detailed study.
Not only positive traits can be determined through graphology, but certain potentially negative traits can be found out, which could otherwise prove detrimental. It is always better if one knows beforehand the harmful side of the person concerned, so that one is able to save himself from the negative consequences.
Dishonesty is probably the best researched area in graphology. Studies conducted throughout Europe, South America, Israel, and the Soviet Union have produced ample data correlating a variety of traits with different types of dishonesty.
There are few signs of dishonesty:
Overly slow writing.
Double or triple looped ovals.
Stabs in the ovals.
Wedging.
The felons claw.
There are few potentially negative traits or dishonest traits which can be determined with the help of graphological principles.
The traits are:
DECEIT:
according to graphology, a person who has double loops in his writing, and there is no trait present to counter it, then the person is considered to be deceitful.
STUBBORNNESS:
a person is considered to be stubborn if the t bars are tent like.
ARROGANCE:
this trait includes vanity i.e., long t and d stems, backward slant and dominating personality i.e., t bar that slants down to the right of the stem of the t.
HYSTERIA:
if the person concerned has extreme right slant, then the person is said to be prone to hysteria i.e., he is not able to control his emotions.
PROCRASTINATION:
this trait means delaying a work to the fullest and it is denoted by t-bars on the left side only.
TEMPER:
if proper controls are not present in the writing, and t-bars are made only on the right side, then the person is supposed to possess immense wrath or temper.
SARCASM:
if the t -bars are knife like, then it means the person is sarcastic.
ULTRACONSERVATIVE:
according to graphology, compressed letter -forms denote an ultraconservative nature.
UNREALISTIC IMAGINATION:
this trait can prove to be highly negative if proper controls are not present in the writing. This trait is denoted by exaggerated lower loops in the writing.
JEALOUSY:
as known by everyone this trait is really negative and can prove detrimental to one-self as well as others. This trait is supposed to be present in a person, if the person concerned has small initial loops in letter formations.
EVASIVENESS:
this trait means that the person tends to shun or avoid the situation rather than face it. If the circle letters of the writing have hooks.i.e., in letters like d, a, o, then the person is said to possess evasive trait.
FELONS CLAW:
the felon’s claw means subconscious guilt, bitterness, and bad instincts. The felon’s claw maker is someone who will pretend to have the best interests at heart. He will seem to be the nicest person on earth. No one would suspect this person of having an evil bone in his body. But then he is setting up only to stab in the back; he will end up clawing. This is the most frightening because one does not know the knife is coming.
GRAPHOLOGY AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN SELECTION
For many years the possibility of using handwriting in management has been discussed. Münsterberg back in 1913 wrote:
" A correlation, for instance, which the commercial world often presupposes, may exist between individual traits and the hand-writing. Graphologists are convinced that a certain loop or flourish, or the steepness or the length of the letters, or the position of the i dot, is a definite indication that the writer possesses certain qualities of personality; and if just these qualities are essential requirements for the position, the impression of the handwriting in a letter may be taken as a sufficient basis for appointment. The scientist has reason to look upon this particular case of graphological correlation with distrust. Yet even he may acknowledge that certain correlations exist between the neatness, carefulness, uniformity, energy, and similar features of the letter, and the general carefulness, steadiness, neatness, and energy of the personality."
During the 1970’s the business community found out what many individuals had known right along – that handwriting analysis is a very effective process . So graphology , long used in Europe , emerged as one of the most important and essential personality assessment methods available to American industry.
As of this writing , more than five thousand U.S. companies now employ staff or consult graphologists in their personnel departments and use them on regular basis .The wall Street Journal reports that 80% of the corporations in countries such as France , Israel , & Germany employ handwriting analysis in their employment decisions .
Their functions include screening job applicants , evaluating candidates for their promotion and relocation, executive developments , colleague compatibility studies , partnership arrangements , mergers and acquisitions and outplacement – in short , any area dealing with people.
All types of businesses avail themselves of handwriting analysis – manufacturing firms , financial houses , service organizations , marketing corporations , government agencies , and law enforcement bureaus.
The implication of all this is that whether you’re doing the hiring or being hired , handwriting analysis is more than likely to touch you in your career especially as more companies awaken to its benefits.
Lie detectors or polygraphs are a thing of the past; federal law has restricted the use of them for employee screening since the 80s. The best alternative is Handwriting Analysis or Graphology. More and more big businesses use Handwriting Analysis to screen applicants and potential business partners.
Loss Prevention is key in business today
Graphology is used extensively in Europe, particularly France where 90% of all recruiters turn to handwriting analysis to place the most compatible and suitable person. And now, according to The Wall Street Journal, Handwriting Analysis is being used by the big players in the US corporate world… a trend that can only grow as human resource managers have less and less time to assess the huge number of apparently similar applicants for each position.
The most important factor to any company's success is it's ability to hire the right people. The right people are not necessarily the most educated, the most experienced, the best looking, etc. They are individuals whose personalities and interests match those of the company's needs.
According to business experts, 95% of a company's success is hiring correctly. The end result of a hiring error results in employee turnover, which directly costs companies anywhere from $2,000 to replace a clerical position to $75,000 for a typical manager. And these are direct costs. The amount of indirect costs related to a mistake in the hiring process can be monumental.
There are a number of ways that companies typically screen prospective employees. Notice everything that employers rely upon in this chart is subjective based either on the interviewers' "impressions" or the applicants' "opinions" of themselves. Only handwriting analysis evaluates an applicant free of bias: it profiles the complete applicant (without their input!).
HIRING TOOLS AVAILABLE AND THEIR DRAWBACKS
There are various tools and techniques that are used in the selection procedure in any organization. The most famous being the interview, which is extensively used while selecting prospective employees by the employers. Various other tools are also used like psychological tests etc. No doubt these tools are effective and have been in constant use. But there are few drawbacks associated with them.
When used separately, each of these tools yields only a portion of information necessary to your decision. In combination, employers may find out important information about applicants. However, unless each process is carried out in such a way to totally eliminate bias on the part of the employer and the applicant, then it is impossible to ascertain the single most important factor in hiring correctly . . . that is the personality traits of the applicant.
In the following points, light is thrown on the drawbacks of the various tools of selection.
SELF -REPORTS AND QUESTIONNAIRES
Can be faked be test wise job candidates.
Designed to evaluate only a portion of one’s personality.
May ask invasive questions ( insulting or illegal)
Does not evaluate one’s behavior, just their reactions to questions.
Requires their co-operation, honesty, and self-awareness.
BACKGROUND CHECKS
Employers reluctant to disclose information for fear of lawsuit.
Unknown credibility of person disclosing information.
Nothing found (maybe applicant’s first employment or new to the industry)
INTERVIEWING
Subjective interpretations by interviewer, low validity.
Applicant may not perform well in the interview. ( anxiety, modesty)
Applicant’s appearance affects interviewer, discrimination inevitable.
Overburdens interviewer, time consuming.
You interview poor applicants as well as good.
POLYGRAPH
Inconsistent validity.
Restricted from use in most employment situation except in extreme cases.
CONSUMER CREDIT CHECKS
Invasive, non -job related.
Incomplete information or incorrect information not uncommon.
RESUMES
54% of all resumes are falsified, particularly previous earnings and education etc.
Often not prepared by applicant; therefore, quality is not reflective of applicant.
Doesn’t demonstrate performance or personality of applicant.
FINGERPRINTING
Only useful if prosecuted or convicted in a certain area that is being checked.
Many employers to avoid trouble and media attention do not prosecute criminals.
SKILL CHECK
Nothing is learned of personality of applicant.
Requires appointment time to “test” applicants.
USES OF GRAPHOLOGY IN BUSINESS
There are countless uses of graphology in business. The three most important areas are:
Hiring
Firing
Establishing who works well with whom and whom to promote.
HIRING
Immense information can be given about the person through his handwriting sample. This information about the person can be used to determine the right person for the right job, answering such questions as:
What’s this applicant’s intelligence level?
Is he honest?
Is he hardworking?
Should he work alone or with others?
Should he be in sales, or is he better suited to
working with small details over long periods of time?
The data overwhelmingly support graphology’s usefulness on the front end; it saves dollars for everybody. You can tell more about an applicant in a few minutes of looking at his handwriting than you can after administering a psychology test, running a credit check, giving a medical examination, giving a battery of aptitude tests, and interviewing him for an hour in person.
FIRING
People are fired from their jobs for many reasons, including incompetence, frequent tardiness, insubordination, lack of productivity, and difficulty in getting along with others. Where a graphologist is often instrumental in pointing out the guilty party when a crime has been committed within the company. This often leads to the firing of the “bad guy.”
This use of graphology overlaps the area of criminology, or investigative work, in several instances. Many companies sustain substantial losses due to employee theft. Actually, employee theft is one of the leading reasons for companies going out of business. The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that in 1988 $182 billion was lost by U.S. businesses due to crimes committed by their employees. Nearly $100 billion is spent annually on security measures designed to prevent these internal crimes.
Obviously, the thieves are being hired in first place ( the companies didn’t use graphology to start!), so the problem is that someone in the department is stealing, or embezzling, or coming in late at night and emptying out the warehouse. who’s doing it?
A skilled graphologist can take statements written by the suspects and know when they’re lying, when they’re feeling stressed or anxious. Very often, without costly investigation, a quick screening of the suspect’s handwriting will alert the investigators to the probable suspects in the case. The investigators can then narrow their focus and zero in on the people most likely to have perpetrated the crime.
ESTABLISHING WHO WORKS WELL WITH WHOM
An important job of the manager is to get subordinates to work as an effective team. Graphology can provide insights into worker’s character, helping managers to bring together compatible people or to understand and alleviate conflicts.
ESTABLISHING WHO SHOULD BE PROMOTED
Graphology is also useful when promotions are at hand. Suppose you know that a certain employee is good where he is, but now you want to promote him to an area where you don’t know if he’ll necessarily be as skilled. Let’s say he was taking orders where he is now working so efficiently, and you want to move him up to manage a department of fifty people. Is he as good a leader as he is a follower? These types of questions can be answered by a graphological screening.
STAFF SELECTION & RECRUITMENT:
Handwriting analysis gives you a cost-effective, short cut to getting to know a prospective employee and obtaining information not likely to be disclosed on application forms or an interview. Used alongside other selection procedures, handwriting analysis can help you select and place the right people in the most appropriate positions.
When you use handwriting analysis you:
Can prove you selected the best person for the job regardless age, sex or race prejudice (physical features such as these cannot be assessed from handwriting)
Do need not waste valuable time organizing tests and processing results.
Can quickly obtain information about candidates' strengths and potential.
Will be aware of undesirable characteristics such as procrastination and indecisiveness.
Can check attitude to authority and other factors that affect relationships and harmony in the workplace.
Will increase efficiency and reduce staff turnover by placing people where can develop personal skills and achieve job satisfaction.
WHY GRAPHOLOGY SHOULD BE USED AS SELECTION TOOL
OBJECTIVE
Not a self-report (doesn’t require honesty/self awareness)
Not threatening process (no invasive questions asked)
Prevents illegal discrimination (doesn’t reveal age, race, gender, religion, appearance)
JOB RELATED
Traits can be selected unique to each job position for a customized profile.
No personal questions asked like psychological self-reports.
Successful employees typically have personality commonalities.
Evaluates the total personality(not a portion of one’s personality like self-reports)
VALID AND RELIABLE
Has been studied and refined for hundreds of years.
Over 2,000 published studies in journals.
Used extensively in Europe and its use growing in the U.S.
INEXPENSIVE
Interview only quality applicants.
Requires little staff time.
Less costly than a battery of psychological tests.
Multiple uses- (self-improvement, career guidance, hiring, negotiations, compatibility, team-building, investigation)
Profile applicants before flying them in from out of town.
Gives interviewer immediate insight during interview, same time.
DIFFICULT TO TRICK
Can’t cheat on a psychological test.
Intimidates conmen and criminals from even showing up for a Job interview.
Analysis can be produced without one’s knowledge.
CREATES RAPPORT
New hires can learn more about themselves and perform better
With others.
Family members of key staff can be provided to improve Happiness.
Creative way to evaluate / understand people.
EASY/FAST
Takes only a few minutes to produce a handwriting sample.
Upgrade a lesser profile to more in-depth.
HOW MANY COMPANIES USE GRAPHOLOGY?
A 1991 study shows selection methods used in the UK. The data are from a survey of 173 organisations of different sizes in both public and private sectors.
Graphology was used by one per cent of these employers (IRS 1991). A 1993 article shows selection methods in six countries. The percentages for graphology are France = 52, NL = 24, UK=3, Israel=2, Norway=2. (Robertson and Makin 1993). A survey of 1419 undergraduates in the UK asked what was required in job searches. 18% underwent psycwwwtric/personality assessments, 11% attended an assessment centre, 4% provided handwriting for analysis. This was a representative sample of final year students at 49 British Universities in July 1994. (The Guardian 1995: pg22). This suggests that over 3500 analyses are made a year on graduates in the UK.
A 1995 survey by the University of Berne (Personnel Studies Dept.) and the Swiss Personnel Management Society gave results from 843 Swiss company human resources managers (3000 members). 68% of these specialists in Switzerland claim to use graphology as a selection tool. ( see Thom N & Zaugg R 1995). The European Union (1998) describes the use of graphology for recruitment in member countries. France: used in up to 50% of companies and by 80% of consultants. Belgium: common in pre-selection or to back up impressions. Portugal: sometimes used. Italy: may be used. Denmark: rarely used.
The Employment Agency H W Group says that graphology is used by 6pc of large and medium-sized companies in the UK. (Daily Telegraph Appointments 29/4/99 Pg. A1). The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development began an annual series of recruitment surveys in 1997. The sample is representative of establishments across the UK economy, but excludes any with below 50 employees. The telephone questionnaire is with the "most senior person responsible for recruitment in the organisation".
Graphology use in 1999 was 1.1 per cent; in 2000 it was 1.9 per cent and in 2001 it was 1.9 per cent.
HOW MANY COMPANIES BENEFIT FROM GRAPHOLOGY
Companies can save time and money (In sales there was an 85% turnover of employees in 90 days!)
Detect honesty and dishonesty
Find out if the candidate is capable of performing the job. Do they have characteristics that will make them suitable or not suitable for the position
Identify mental or health problems such as suicidal tendencies, drug dependence
Identify any troublemaking tendencies; prevent union problems, back-stabbing, stealing
Find out if the person is compatible with the rest of the office team
The results are close to the truthful personality of the applicant.
RESEARCH
A 16-year study by psychologist Herb Greenberg asked the question, "What is the most important factor in job success?" After gathering data from more than 7,000 companies and 350,000 employees, the study determined that, "Personality is the single most important factor in job success - not education, not experience, not age, gender, race." Other reports have revealed that, "Employers hire for job skills, and fire for personality faults."
While each of the traditional methods described above has specific strengths, none can provide an employer with accurate, timely and revealing information about an applicant's personality . . . information that may never be learned, or at the very least, information that would take a great deal of time and money to acquire.
From India, Madras
Hi Huma,
Thanks for sharing this information and fully endorse this method as one of the selection tools - as i have been using it for the last one year.
It has a high success rate in terms of assessing the candidate's traits & personality which of course which needs to be validated during the interview process.
A must tool or rather "skill set" for all the HR professionals if not get the experts to assist you.
Thanks,
Rajat Joshi
From India, Pune
101Thanks for sharing this information and fully endorse this method as one of the selection tools - as i have been using it for the last one year.
It has a high success rate in terms of assessing the candidate's traits & personality which of course which needs to be validated during the interview process.
A must tool or rather "skill set" for all the HR professionals if not get the experts to assist you.
Thanks,
Rajat Joshi
From India, Pune
HI HUMA, I AM ALSO INTO USING GRAPHOLOGY & AM VERY FOND OF IT. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO SHARE SOME MORE ARTICLES & INFO ON THIS TOPIC. BYE FAUZIA
From India, Gurgaon
From India, Gurgaon
hello, thnx a lot for this information, i am a BBA student, & a graphologist (although not yet certified), & i am given a topic "Graphology & Physiognomy as tools for HRM" for presentation.....
ur article will really help me a lot, thank you........
From India, Vadodara
ur article will really help me a lot, thank you........
From India, Vadodara
Hi That was a great post.
I would love to assess people behavious using such kind of articles n am fond of psychology as well. Can somebody help me how can get good n simple psychology books as i have few exercises while learning Managing interpersonal effectiveness as a subject.
From India, Madras
I would love to assess people behavious using such kind of articles n am fond of psychology as well. Can somebody help me how can get good n simple psychology books as i have few exercises while learning Managing interpersonal effectiveness as a subject.
From India, Madras
Dear Huma,
I liked the contribution you made for our knowledge.
If do'nt mind ,can I ask few querries related to triats which you have mentioned .
eg:
what is retracing of letter T and D stems (can you give me example /sample)
And in case of loyalty, round dot on i is t just round dot or like 0 (zero) on i
looking forward to your reply.
Thankyou in advance.
Regards
Nidhhi pathak
9870440973
From India, Mumbai
I liked the contribution you made for our knowledge.
If do'nt mind ,can I ask few querries related to triats which you have mentioned .
eg:
what is retracing of letter T and D stems (can you give me example /sample)
And in case of loyalty, round dot on i is t just round dot or like 0 (zero) on i
looking forward to your reply.
Thankyou in advance.
Regards
Nidhhi pathak
9870440973
From India, Mumbai
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