In today’s competitive job market, personality tests are becoming a standard part of the hiring process. They give employers valuable insight into how candidates might behave, communicate, and fit within a team. If you’re on the job hunt, it’s important to understand what these tests are, why they’re used, and how you can use them to your advantage.
Whether you’ve taken one before or it’s completely new to you, here’s everything you need to know about personality tests, featuring a closer look at one of the most popular frameworks: the DISC assessment.
Personality tests are assessments designed to measure key traits, behaviours, and preferences that influence how people work. Employers use them to:
Better understand a candidate’s working style
Predict how someone may respond to specific workplace situations
Support team-building and role suitability decisions
Reduce hiring bias by offering more objective insights
These tests typically come into play after an initial screening or as part of the later interview stages. Some employers even use them in development or promotion processes.
Hiring isn’t just about skills and experience – it’s also about fit. A candidate might look great on paper but clash with the team culture or struggle with the pace of the role. That’s where personality tests can help.
Here’s what they help employers assess:
Communication style
Leadership potential
Conflict resolution approach
Decision-making style
Motivation and values
Stress response
And it’s not just about the employer. If used well, these assessments can help you reflect on your strengths and choose a role where you’ll thrive.
There are several personality assessments used in recruitment, including:
DISC Personality Profile
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
SHL Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ)
16 Personalities
Hogan Assessments
Let’s take a closer look at DISC, one of the most widely used personality tools in the workplace.
DISC stands for Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. It’s a behavioural assessment that helps identify how a person responds to challenges, works with others, handles pace, and follows rules.
Here’s a quick overview of the four DISC personality styles:
Traits: Direct, results-driven, competitive, confident
Strengths: Strong decision-makers, thrive under pressure
Watch-outs: May be perceived as aggressive or impatient
Traits: Enthusiastic, sociable, persuasive, optimistic
Strengths: Excellent communicators, great team players
Watch-outs: May struggle with attention to detail or follow-through
Traits: Calm, dependable, empathetic, supportive
Strengths: Great listeners, consistent workers, team-oriented
Watch-outs: May resist change or avoid confrontation
Traits: Analytical, precise, detail-focused, systematic
Strengths: High standards, strong problem-solvers
Watch-outs: May be overly critical or slow to act
Most people are a blend of two or more DISC styles, and the goal is to understand where your natural tendencies lie, not to label you. Employers use this information to assess how your style complements the team or aligns with the role.
Unlike skills assessments, personality tests are harder to “prepare” for in the traditional sense, but that doesn’t mean you should go in cold. Here are some helpful tips:
✅ Be honest: Don’t try to guess the “right” answer. Trying to game the test can lead to inconsistent results.
✅ Know what the employer values: Read the job description carefully and understand the company culture. This can help you identify what behaviours may be desirable (though you should still answer truthfully).
✅ Stay consistent: Many personality tests include questions that repeat in different forms. Answering consistently shows self-awareness and integrity.
✅ Reflect on your working style: Think about past roles, how you collaborate, and what conditions help you perform at your best. This will help you contextualise the results later.
Your results might:
Be used to support a hiring decision
Inform further interview questions (e.g. “Tell us about a time you managed conflict” if you score high on Dominance)
Feed into onboarding or team-building strategies
Some employers will share your results with you, which can be a great opportunity for personal development. You may even find that the insights help you make better career decisions going forward.
Personality tests are here to stay in modern recruitment. Far from being something to worry about, they can help employers understand your fit for a role and help you gain valuable insights into your own working style.
By understanding tools like the DISC assessment, you’ll walk into the process more confident and prepared, ready to show your true potential.
