Predictive Success Blog

Personality Tests

Personality tests have been around for decades, used as a way to screen potential candidates during the interview process. So what’s changed? In recent years there has been an increase in more corporations utilizing these tests to help in their hiring process. Applicants have remarked that they in addition to applying for a position, they are now being handed personality tests during the rounds of interviews, many express how uneasy this can make them feel but are there benefits to using personality tests for hiring?

The Predictive Index Assessments

The Predictive Index™, as presented by Predictive Success Corporation, has two such assessments used for hiring. These assessments differ from the typical personality tests that companies use. The Behavioural assessment focuses on how an individual perceives themselves and also how they believe they are perceived by others at their workplace, by selecting adjectives for each questions, a unique result is generated for each individual, showcasing the candidates natural tendencies. The Behavioural assessment is quick and easy to use, with only two questions, it takes on average 4-6 minutes to complete, making it less stressful for candidates to complete. The second assessment offered is the Cognitive assessment, through a series of 50 questions and a 12 minute timer, an employer can learn at what pace does a candidate learn and grasp new concepts. So what are the benefits of using a personality test for hiring? 

Benefits of Using Personality Tests

By completing the Behavioural and Cognitive assessments, an employer gains insight on the job seekers natural behaviours, and the ability to explore if this individual will be a good fit for the team and company culture. The cognitive assessment will allow the employer to see if this candidate can keep up with the pace of work or not. When used together the assessment give the employer a picture of who they are hiring before sitting down for an interview. The Behavioural and Cognitive when answered truthfully and accurately gives the employer a true representation of who they could potentially be hiring. While a resume can showcase ones educational and professional background, it is harder to pick up on more abstract qualities of a candidate and this is where The Predictive Index can help.

There are many benefits to utilizing these types of assessments, unlike an IQ test, the Behavioural and Cognitive assessments do not discriminated against any candidates, as there are no identifiable information given, creating a level playing field for all candidates. When taking the assessments, it is always best to answer all questions honestly – this will help better determine if someone is the best fit for a role or not. When we see misalignment between an assessment and a role, this is where we have a candidate that is not well suited for the job. Overtime employers find that they save time and resources when using the assessments, only bringing in those that are well suited for the role in for an interview and hiring the candidate with the best fit for the role. For more information if using a personality test will benefit your company when it comes to hiring check out the resources on Predictive Success’ website.

Further Reading

Check out this article from Fortune that covers more benefits to using a personality test https://fortune.com/2025/02/23/job-seekers-personality-tests-winning-characteristics/