Personality test as preparation for your job interview - Assessment Tests Training

Why you should practise a personality test as preparation for your job interview

Unlike logical tests, you cannot train yourself to achieve a better score in a personality test. However, you can prepare by taking a test, reflecting on your results, and being well prepared for the interview.

Put differently, if you do not relate your personality/personality test to the specific job you are applying for, you may appear unprepared and uninterested when this aspect is discussed during the interview.

Remember that different preferences are emphasised depending on the specific job, and there may be particular perspectives you need to be aware of, for example if you are applying for a leadership role.

How the company uses the personality test

Personality tests are very often used in job interviews to find the best match. Some companies use them alone, while others combine them with a logical test. Unlike a logical test, which focuses on abilities, correct answers and is time-limited, a personality test is a more “fluid” assessment. It requires that you familiarise yourself thoroughly with what such a test involves and what types of questions you might face so that you can be fully prepared.

In a personality test, companies can obtain a more data-based, objective insight into a candidate’s personality, strengths, motivation and behavioural style in a work-related context. The purpose is to assess whether, as a candidate with your personality traits and preferences, you are suited to the job – i.e. the specific requirements of the role, the company culture, the team, and your potential manager.

The personality test serves as a supplement to the interview, where the results are used as a starting point for dialogue. The test can help reduce bias (i.e. minimise the impact of first impressions or possible prejudices) and thereby lower the risk of hiring mistakes. In a personality test, those assessing you gain deeper insight into your values, attitudes, motivation and areas for development in a professional context.

Based on several psychological type theories, from which personality tests derive, people always have a natural preference in different situations – a priority in their psyche. However, these preferences are not always easy to recognise or explain to others, for example in an interview. This is why preparing for a personality test can be very useful. You might start by asking yourself:

Where do you draw your energy from?
How do you perceive the world?
How do you make decisions?

During the job interview itself

At the interview, you will receive thorough feedback on your personality test. The results are primarily used to focus the conversation on the particular qualities that are important for the job you are seeking, but they are also used as a tool for dialogue about how the results align with how you see yourself, what you are particularly good at, or what preferences you may have in specific situations. In other words, you and the interviewer can discuss and reflect on the results together, after which it is up to the interviewer to assess whether they fit the job. Of course, everyone wants to appear positive and capable, but sometimes even the things you are less good at can form the basis for being strong in another area, which can still be relevant for the position in question.

Prepare for the questions

As preparation for the interview, you can expect the following types of questions, which require some self-reflection: Think of specific examples in different work-related situations. How do you react in those situations? What do you do?

Here are some examples you can reflect on, which may lead to even more questions and dialogue:
What motivates you most: Power, recognition, a stable environment, procedures for your work?
How do you prefer to communicate: Speaking, listening, or writing?
What do you try to avoid: Failure, rejection, uncertainty, or conflict?
What are your main strengths: Result orientation, building relationships, service/specialist expertise, quality awareness?
How do you make decisions: Hesitant (taking time to decide), reflective (focusing on facts/evidence), quick (restless, demonstrative), seeking autonomy for yourself (persistent, strong-willed)?
Are you detail-oriented or do you focus on the bigger picture?
Do you prefer to develop ideas alone or together with others?

Is the company looking for a particular personality type?

Which personality types are emphasised depends on the specific job – i.e. whether it is an engineer/developer role, a sales role, or a leadership role. It is therefore important to consider which personality types thrive best with the specific requirements and tasks of the role. For example:

For engineers and developers, there is often a focus on analytical and detail-oriented traits. These may be specialist qualities with a focus on processes and in-depth knowledge within a specific field.

For salespeople, the emphasis is often on result-oriented and competitive traits, typically reflected in the ability to handle several tasks at once, combined with a direct manner and assertiveness.

Particularly for leaders

For leaders, there may be entirely different requirements depending on the industry, but in general it demands strong communication, reflection, and collaboration skills, as well as an understanding of people and problem-solving. Generally, a leader is expected to go a layer deeper – not only having insight into their own individual strengths and areas for development but also understanding other people, how to motivate them, and how to foster a positive work environment. Here you might ask yourself questions such as:

What has been your greatest leadership success?
What has been the toughest leadership decision you have had to make?
What is the biggest obstacle to building a successful team?
What have been your greatest leadership challenges and how did you handle them?

Good advice before taking a personality test

There are no right or wrong answers. Always answer a personality test honestly and intuitively.
See the personality test as a great opportunity to get to know yourself better, particularly your preferences in a professional context.
Remember that it is about a work-related/professional context, not how you would act in your private life.
The best preparation is to try out some tests here, so that you get a sense of how the test is structured and what types of questions may be asked – as a starting point for dialogue about how you fit into the role you are applying for!