Definition · Interviewing and assessment
Personality Test
Definition
Personality test, in hiring, means a questionnaire that measures a candidate's typical patterns of behavior, such as conscientiousness, sociability or emotional stability, by asking them to rate statements about themselves. Well-built work-focused tests add modest predictive value for some roles; type-based tests designed for team building should not be used for selection.
Also called: Personality assessment, Personality questionnaire, Big Five personality test, Work style assessment
How personality assessments work
Candidates answer 50 to 200 items such as "I finish tasks even when they are boring" on an agree-disagree scale, or choose between pairs of statements that sound equally positive (a forced-choice format that makes faking harder). Scores are compared with a norm group and reported as percentiles or bands on each trait.
Most hiring tests are built on the Big Five model, the framework with the strongest research base:
- Conscientiousness: organized, dependable, persistent.
- Emotional stability (the reverse of neuroticism): calm under pressure.
- Agreeableness: cooperative, considerate.
- Extraversion: sociable, assertive, energetic.
- Openness to experience: curious, open to new ideas.
Personality tests are a subset of psychometric tests. Unlike cognitive ability tests, there are no right answers, which is why faking and self-presentation are a bigger concern.
What they predict and what they do not
Of the Big Five traits, conscientiousness is the most consistent predictor of job performance across roles, though the relationship is modest. Emotional stability and agreeableness matter more in customer-facing and team-based jobs; extraversion matters somewhat for sales and leadership. None of these comes close to perfectly predicting performance on its own.
Where personality tests add the most value is in jobs with high attrition driven by fit with the work itself: a contact-center role with scripted, repetitive calls, or a field-sales role with daily rejection. A short, job-specific measure can flag people likely to find the work draining. For many hourly roles, though, a situational judgment test or a realistic job preview covers the same ground faster and is harder to fake.
Our practical opinion: if your funnel is already long, skip the generic personality test for entry-level roles. It adds 15 to 25 minutes, increases drop-off and usually predicts less than a well-run structured interview.
Type tests and DISC: not built for selection
Popular type-based tools, such as tests that sort people into one of 16 four-letter types, were designed for self-awareness and team development. Their publisher states they are not appropriate for hiring decisions, and type-based results are less stable than trait scores. The same caution applies to DISC assessments, which are widely used for communication training but have a thinner evidence base for predicting performance. Use them after hire, if at all, not as a screen.
Legal and fairness considerations
- ADA and medical exams. Tests designed to identify mental health conditions count as medical examinations under the ADA and cannot be given before a conditional job offer. In Karraker v. Rent-A-Center (2005), a federal appeals court found that using a clinical personality inventory in a promotion process violated the ADA. Use tests designed for the workplace, not clinical instruments.
- Accommodations. Some candidates may need extra time, a reader or another format.
- Adverse impact. Personality tests generally show smaller group differences than cognitive tests, but still monitor selection rates by group under the four-fifths guideline.
- Privacy and AI. Tools that infer personality from video, voice or social media raise added concerns and may fall under rules such as NYC Local Law 144 or the EU AI Act.
Rules vary by state and country, so check with counsel, especially for roles outside the US.
Using personality tests well
- Start with job analysis. Name the two or three traits that matter for this role and why.
- Pick a work-focused, validated tool with published reliability, validity and group-difference data.
- Use results as one input. Combine with interviews and job samples; never auto-reject on personality alone except for clear, validated cut points.
- Do not hire for one profile. Avoid using personality to judge culture fit, which can drift into hiring people like the existing team.
- Share results respectfully. Candidates increasingly ask what was measured. A short explanation builds trust.
- Check your own data. After a year, compare test scores with performance and retention for your hires.
Frequently asked questions
What is a personality test for hiring?
It is a self-report questionnaire that measures work-relevant traits, such as conscientiousness or emotional stability, to help predict how a candidate is likely to behave and fit the demands of a role.
What is the Big Five personality test?
It is any assessment based on the five-factor model: conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness, extraversion and openness. It is the most researched framework used in employment testing.
Are personality tests legal for employment?
Yes, in the US, when they are job-related and are not medical examinations. Clinical tests that can reveal mental health conditions cannot be used before a conditional offer under the ADA.
Can candidates fake personality tests?
To a degree. Candidates often present themselves favorably. Forced-choice formats, consistency checks and combining results with interviews reduce the effect.
Should I use a personality assessment for entry-level hiring?
Often not. For high-volume entry-level roles, short situational judgment tests, structured interviews and realistic job previews usually give more value for less candidate time.