5 Personality Tests Useful for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Reliable Personality Tests Favored by Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

DiSC Assessment
Hogan Personality Inventory
Occupational Personality Questionnaire
Caliper Profile
16 Personality Factor Questionnaire

Thanks to the personality tests endorsed by industrial-organizational psychologists, employers are streamlining their staffing processes. Character assessments reveal a person’s inherent traits. Since these qualities influence job performance, personality profiles aid employers with staff selection.

Among the plethora of tests available, not all are scientifically sound or applicable to business settings. Here are five reputable personality tests, yielding insightful results.

DiSC Assessment

This questionnaire evaluates an individual’s personality in four behavior categories:

dominance
influence
steadiness
conscientiousness

Each type of conduct is recognized by specific traits, as follows:

Dominance – firm, strong-willed, results-driven, direct
Influence – optimistic, energetic, enthusiastic, outgoing
Steadiness – composed, patient, accommodating, tactful
Conscientiousness – analytical, logical, precise, reserved

The first letters of these behaviors form the acronym “DiSC.” Its underlying premise is that each person embodies all four behavior styles, but one is most operative, as revealed by this test.

DiSC helps employers in three ways:

hiring
training
resolving interpersonal conflicts

For instance, when interviewing a candidate, their personality profile can suggest whether they’re suited to a given job. When training a staff member, teaching can be customized to their learning style. If issues arise among employees, understanding their behavioral dynamics facilitates negotiation.

The DiSC format is simple, consisting of 28 statements. For each sentence, a person selects two adjectives, one best describing them and one least portraying them. Completing the evaluation takes just 20 minutes. Industrial-organizational psychologists value this personality test for its easy administration and concise results. Here, Business News Daily further explains the behavior styles identified by DiSC.

Hogan Personality Inventory

Known as HPI, this is the brainchild of Drs. Robert and Joyce Hogan, the first psychologists to prove the link between personality and job performance. HPI identifies talented individuals using two criteria — their bright demeanor and occupational strengths.

First, HPI highlights seven winning qualities:

ambition
adaptability
sociability
empathy
discretion
curiosity
openness to learning

Secondly, it examines professional abilities. These include being:

reliable
levelheaded
service-minded

These go along with having clerical, sales, or managerial skills. Occupational scores distinguish leaders from followers.

Using HPI, interviews are more efficient, matching candidates to roles where their skills can shine. By onboarding people suiting the company culture, teamwork is likely down the road. Plus, training programs can target the needs of staff, advancing their careers.

HPI poses 206 questions, requiring true or false answers. Although the test is lengthy, it takes just 20 minutes to complete. Since the Hogan name is legendary among industrial-organizational psychologists, this personality test leads the pack. Here, Business Wire announces HPI’s endorsement by the British Psychological Society.

Occupational Personality Questionnaire

This tool gauges suitability for a specific:

job
team
work environment

Of several test versions available, OPQ32 is the most thorough. Questions are crafted to assess 32 personality traits relevant to employment settings. Answers reveal one’s work style in three areas:

thinking
feelings
relationships

OPQ32 consists of 104 questions, taking 45 minutes to an hour to complete. Each question presents four statements concerning workplace behavior. The job applicant chooses which trait is most and least like them. Here’s a sample question:

“Which of these adjectives describes you most and least — friendly, confident, team player, leader.” Industrial-psychologists refer to this test design as “ipsative,” forcing specific choices rather than a ranking on a scale. Employers use the questionnaire for:

hiring
team building
grooming future leaders

With a golden track record, spanning 25 years, OPQ is highly popular with industrial-organizational psychologists.

Caliper Profile

Currently, this is among the most comprehensive personality tests available. The Caliper Profile finds candidates for leadership roles using 22 attributes, such as:

assertiveness
empathy
discernment
flexibility

Since the test highlights managerial strengths, it accurately predicts job success in supervisory and executive positions.

The Caliper Profile presents 180 multiple-choice and true/false questions, organized into five sections. The majority entail choosing statements that either most or least reflect one’s work orientation. Also included are puzzles and problem-solving tasks. Generally, candidates complete the assessment in 1½ hours. After data analysis, industrial-organizational psychologists interpret the findings for employers. Profiles are updated continually, placing ideal candidates at the top of the job pool.

The Caliper Profile has immense value for recruitment, team development, and succession planning. To optimize job matching, employers can customize the test, targeting key qualities needed for specific jobs.

16 Personality Factor Questionnaire

This assessment forecasts how people will react to certain job situations. Abbreviated 16PF, its ideology is that we each possess 16 traits or “personality factors,” such as:

boldness
sensitivity
warmth

However, our dominant personality factors govern our work styles. While 16PF resembles DiSC in theory, its design is longer, generating more detailed profiles.

Compared to DiSC’s 28 statements, 16PF has 185 multiple-choice sections, taking an average of 30 minutes to complete. Each section contains several statements, requiring a person to state their level of agreement on a five-point scale. Test analysis then ranks each trait at a low or high range. Here’s a sample section, reflecting the overall test format:

I enjoy solving complex problems.
If people need motivation to act, I usually provide the incentive.
I’m thoughtful and generous.
When it comes to work, I’m a perfectionist.

Among industrial-organizational psychologists, this personality test gets high marks for its realistic and practical application. Employers use 16PF to identify strong job candidates with promising advancement potential.

Job Heaven

With the personality tests approved by industrial-organizational psychologists, employers can expedite staff selection. Five study-proven instruments are:

the DiSC Assessment
Hogan Personality Inventory
Occupational Personality Questionnaire
Caliper Profile
the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire

To join this exciting field at the entry level, you need a master’s degree.

Then, with your expertise in behavioral dynamics, staff members will become unified. Employers will praise your role in boosting employee productivity. Just envision the smiles of happy staff, enjoying their work and collaborating as team players. As an industrial-organizational psychologist, you’ll help people love their jobs!

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