How DISC Helps You Hire the Right People (and Where It Can’t Tell the Whole Story)
If you’re hiring in Shirley or nearby towns like Mastic, Patchogue, Medford, Coram, or Centereach, you know what a challenge it is to find the right fit for your team. You want someone who not only brings the right skills but also clicks with your workplace culture. DISC assessments can give you a leg up, but they’re not a crystal ball. Here’s how DISC can help you hire with more confidence-and what you should keep in mind about its limits.
What DISC Tells You About Candidates
DISC is a personality assessment that helps you understand how someone prefers to communicate, solve problems, and work with others. When hiring, this information can help you:
- See how a candidate might fit into your existing team
- Spot potential strengths and challenges in their work style
- Anticipate how they’ll handle feedback, deadlines, or customer interactions
- Match candidates to roles that suit their natural style
For example, if your team in Patchogue needs someone who’s great with details and steady under pressure, a DISC profile can help you spot those traits early. Or if your office in Coram is looking for a team leader who can energize a group, you’ll know what to look for in the results.
Tip: Before the interview, review the DISC results alongside the job description. Think about where a candidate’s natural style lines up-or doesn’t line up-with what the role really needs.
What DISC Can’t Tell You in Hiring
It’s easy to get excited about the insights from a DISC profile. Still, it’s important to remember what this assessment can’t show:
- It doesn’t measure skills or technical knowledge
- It won’t tell you if someone shares your company’s values
- It can’t predict future job performance or motivation
- It doesn’t reveal how someone will grow or respond to change
Think of DISC as one tool in your hiring toolbox. If you’re interviewing someone from Medford, for example, DISC can help you understand how they might approach teamwork, but you still need to ask about their experience, check references, and look for a genuine interest in your mission.
Takeaway: Use DISC to guide your conversations-not to make the whole hiring decision. Combine it with interviews, skill assessments, and reference checks for a fuller picture.
DISC in Action: Making Interviews and Onboarding Smoother
Using DISC in your hiring process isn’t just about picking the “right” person. It can also help you:
- Ask better interview questions that dig into real work scenarios
- Reduce misunderstandings during onboarding
- Personalize feedback and support for new hires
- Spot early signs of communication gaps before they become bigger problems
If your team in Centereach has had issues with new hires feeling out of place, DISC can give you language to talk about differences in work styles up front. That way, people from all backgrounds-whether they’re from Shirley or just moved in from Coram-feel seen and understood from day one.
Next Step: After hiring, share each team member’s DISC style in a team meeting. Use it to start a conversation about how you can all work better together.
Keeping DISC in Perspective for Better Hires
DISC is a great way to get people talking about how they work, but it’s not a substitute for good judgment. Here’s how you can use DISC responsibly:
- Be careful not to “label” people or make assumptions based on their style
- Remember that everyone can stretch and adapt outside their comfort zone
- Always combine DISC results with a full review of skills, experience, and references
- Use DISC as a way to start conversations, not end them
Whether you’re hiring for a fast-paced office in Patchogue or a quieter team in Mastic, the best hires come from seeing the whole person-not just their DISC results.
Tip: If you’re new to using DISC in hiring, start by using it with your current team first. See how people respond, then roll it out as part of your interview process.
Bringing It All Together
Hiring with care means looking at the full person-skills, values, personality, and how they fit your team. DISC can help you spot potential strengths and avoid common missteps, but it’s just one part of the bigger picture. As you meet candidates from Shirley, Medford, Coram, Patchogue, and Centereach, use DISC to open up honest conversations and set everyone up for success from the start.