How Personality Tests Are Used in Hiring and What to Expect

Personality tests have become a common part of recruitment because they help employers understand not just what you can do, but how you are likely to behave in a work environment. These assessments look at your preferences, motivations, teamwork style, decision behaviour, and how you might fit into a company’s culture.

Instead of right or wrong answers, personality tests measure patterns in your responses that reflect qualities, such as:

• Leadership potential
• Teamwork
• Resilience
• Communication style.

Employers use these insights to compare candidates beyond technical skills or academic achievements, with the goal of finding someone whose natural style aligns with the demands of the role and the organisation’s values.

Taking a Personality Test

Top Types of Personality Tests Used in Hiring

Big Five Personality Tests

Also known as the OCEAN model or Five-Factor model, this widely used personality test model examines five broad traits:

• Openness
• Conscientiousness
• Extroversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism

Employers use this model to understand general behavioural tendencies and predict workplace behaviour.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

MBTI categorises individuals into personality types based on preferences like how you focus your attention, absorb information, make decisions, and structure your world. It helps recruiters see how you relate to teamwork, problem-solving, and communication.

DISC Personality Assessments

DISC personality tests focus on four main behavioural styles: dominance, influence, steadiness, and compliance. It can show how you might approach challenges, influence others, respond to rules, and maintain consistency.

Occupational Personality Questionnaires (OPQ)

OPQ tests are job-relevant personality assessments that measure personal style in relation to workplace demands. They are structured to give employers a profile linked directly to competencies needed for success in a role. One of the most popular is SHL’s OPQ test.

Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)

HPI looks at normal personality traits and how they influence workplace behaviour. It is often used to predict managerial effectiveness, leadership style, and interpersonal strengths.

Other worthy personality test mentions include HEXACO personality tests, 16 personality factor, AON Adept-15, and the Caliper Profile.

Each of these tests looks at personality from a different angle, but all aim to give employers a deeper picture of how you work, how you think, and how you interact with others.

Common Mistakes Candidates Make When Taking Personality Tests

Personality tests are not quizzes that you can “study” for in the traditional sense, but many candidates fall into predictable traps, such as:

• Trying to guess what the employer wants. Rather than answering honestly, some candidates try to tailor their answers based on what they think is desirable. Most employers use sophisticated scoring that detects inconsistent or “faked” responses.
• Overthinking the questions. Personality questions are often simple on the surface and designed to capture instinctive tendencies. Over-analysing can lead to unnatural answers that do not reflect your true personality and preferences.
• Answering inconsistently. Personality tests often include similar questions asked in different ways. Inconsistency can signal unreliability.
• Rushing through the test. Seeing as most candidates would simply approach this as a test, they may believe that they need to finish this ASAP. However, most personality tests are untimed.
• Seeing it as irrelevant. Dismissing personality tests as less important than skills evaluations can lead to careless answers. Employers genuinely use these results to make hiring decisions.

The purpose of these assessments is to capture your natural tendencies, so the best approach is honesty paired with awareness of the behaviours valued for the job you are pursuing.

5 Practical Tips for Approaching Personality Tests

1. Know the traits employers value. Before taking a test, research the role and company culture. Understanding the qualities most relevant to success in that environment can help you frame how you reflect on questions.
2. Be honest and consistent. Answering truthfully gives the most accurate reflection of your style. Recruiters prefer genuine profiles that can be compared reliably across candidates.
3. Watch for repetition. When similar questions appear in different formats, use them as a check on your earlier answers and aim to be consistent.
4. Take your time, but stay natural. Don’t rush, but also don’t overthink. Personality tests are designed to capture instinctive preferences, so trust your natural responses. You should take a minute after reading the statements and options to ensure that you’re choosing the right options that represent you properly.
5. Stay relaxed and focused. A calm mindset produces steadier answers. If you feel pressured, take a breath and reset before continuing.

Final Takeaway For You

Personality tests are tools recruiters use to see beyond your CV and interview performance. They help predict how you are likely to get work done in the workplace. When approached with honesty and awareness, they become an opportunity to show your best professional self to potential employers.

For a more detailed guide and personality test practice, check out **GF’s full personality tests guide for explanation and [GF’s personality test practice package](https://www.graduatesfirst.com/product/take-a-work-personality-questionnaire)**.