OFF-THE-SHELFPERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRES

GUIDE

Our off-the-shelf suite of personality questionnaires

1

OUR CRITERION CORE AND ENHANCED PQS

These two questionnaires were designed to act as our standard,

off the shelf questionnaires, to be used by clients who did not have the appetite to create a

bespoke questionnaire. They also ensure compatibility with some of our model-based

reports.

The Criterion Core (21 Scales)

Comprehensive insight into the typical preferences and tendencies for behaviours, feelings,

values and motivations that are important in the workplace. This questionnaire takes about

20 minutes for the candidate to complete. Alongside all of our standard reports, using the

Core questionnaire will give you access to the Team Strengths Report and the Sales Report.

The Criterion Enhanced (30 Scales)

Builds on the Criterion Core, offering a deeper insight across a breadth of elements of

personality in an occupational setting. This questionnaire will take candidates approximately

30 minutes to complete. The Enhanced questionnaire is compatible with all Psycruit profile

reports, including our Leadership Report.

Criterion Core & Enhanced Scale Selection (Blue scales only appear in Enhanced PQ)

Interpersonal Style

Thinking Style Emotional Style Motivations Culture Fit

Assertive Rational Optimistic Striving Competition

Listening Decisive Self-esteem Variety Order

Gregarious Creative Stress management

Friendship Humour

Influential Strategic Calm Status Change

Poised Rigorous Internal Control Self-development Profit

Adaptable Caring Ethics

+ Social Desirability

Why were these scales chosen?

● The scales encompass some of the most commonly used and popular scales from

our Criterion Personality Questionnaire (CPQ) scales library

● The scale combination is applicable across a wide range of contexts and is not

specific to a certain role type or level

● Both questionnaires only use the strongest scales with good reliabilities

● They work with our off the shelf, type-based reports (Team Strengths, Sales and

Leadership Reports (Enhanced only))

● The scales are great for use with the Onboarding report, delivering a profile that

gives the individual and manager a good overview of preferences and style at work

2

● An even number of scales across the five core headings

helps to give a well-rounded view of the individual

When to use one of these questionnaires:

● If the role/placement does not fit with any of the industry/role specific questionnaires

● If you want a good, general overview of the candidate’s preferences and tendencies

at work

● If you want to use the Sales Strengths, Team or Leadership report

● If you do not have a person specification, competency framework or values

framework to work with

● If you are using it solely for development purpose - e.g. helping to build a candidate's

self-awareness/offer feedback

● If you’re used to working with other tools such as OPQ or Saville Wave (the headings

are similar in these questionnaires, without Motivations or Culture Fit)

3

INDUSTRY SPECIFIC QUESTIONNAIRES

Our industry specific questionnaires have been put together as a

first step in the creation of the Psycruit "marketplace", which is designed to give clients the

opportunity to select a pre-designed personality questionnaire, aligned to some common

industry/role profiles. These have been developed through role research and the expert

knowledge and experience of our Business Psychologists.

Our current offering:

1. Remote Working

2. Sales

3. Call Centre

4. Customer Service

5. Graduates

6. Recruitment Industry

7. Project Manager

8. Legal Sector

9. IT Professionals

10. Engineering

11. Workforce

12. Human Resources

13. Administrative Role

14. Marketing

15. Education Role

16. Hospitality

How were the headings/scales chosen?

Every personality questionnaire is based on extensive research into the typical role and

person profile for the role type. This process includes:

● Reviewing a large number of job specifications for similar roles, to then collate

together the most common competencies organisations look for. Thematic analysis is

then carried out to group these together into the headings you see

● Reviewing our own 25 years of experience of working on these role profiles and what

role profiles we have found to link highly with job performance

● Literature reviews of research which links certain personality traits to job performance

in certain role types

When to use one of these questionnaires:

● If it fits the placement you are recruiting for. For example, if the role type is the same,

and if, looking at the scales/headings, it feels like a good fit to your needs and

expectations

● If you are unsure of exactly what you’re looking for in a candidate, and need some

guidance

● If you do not have a person specification, competency framework or values

framework to work with

Below is a description of each of our off the shelf personality questionnaire offerings,

alongside heading descriptions, the scales used and example job roles you may wish to

utilise the questionnaire for. Note that all off the shelf Personality Questionnaires also

include a social desirability scale to highlight any candidate who may have tried to positively

manage their impression with the answers they give.

For a well-rounded overview of a candidate’s suitability for a role, we recommend combining

a personality questionnaire with cognitive ability tests such as a verbal, numerical, abstract,

mechanical or checking test. These assessments are available at three levels and you can

find more information here.

4

Industry Specific Personality Questionnaire Library

Remote Working

This personality questionnaire is designed to assess a candidate's behavioural suitability

and attitudes towards working independently from home or away from a formal office

environment.

Adaptability Autonomy Confidence Self-management

Positively adjusting to

changing

circumstances.

Ability to work and

achieve independently.

Feeling sure of

themselves and their

ability to work alone.

Taking responsibility

for their workload and

personal wellbeing.

Adaptable

Optimistic

Creative

Change

Gregarious

Self-sufficiency

Internal control

Praise

Self-esteem

Stress management

Decisive

Independent

Rigorous

Structured

Tenacious

Striving

Use this questionnaire for roles where the candidate will be based entirely from home.

Sales

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure four key personality areas that are

shared by successful salespeople. These four areas cover the work styles and preferences

that contribute to effective sales at each stage of the sales process.

Our Sales questionnaire maps onto the quadrant model used in our Sales Report so ensures

compatibility with this report which is of particular relevance for evaluating potential Sales

staff.

Focus Empathy Grit Appetite

Preference to creating

unique and intelligent

sales solutions.

Ability to build and

maintain good

relationships with

clients.

Thriving under

pressure and resilient

in the face of adversity.

Effective influencing

skills and a sense of

competition.

Calm

Rigorous

Creative

Strategic

Rational

Variety

Gregarious

Poised

Adaptable

Listening

Self-esteem

Humour

Resilient

Optimistic

Stress management

Internal control

Self-development

Change

Influential

Decisive

Striving

Profit

Competition

Assertive

Status

Use this questionnaire for sales based roles e.g. high volume Sales Representatives, Sales

Solution Consultants and Sales Directors.

5

Call Centre

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure

personality characteristics which may lend themselves to good performance in a phone or

web based support role within a call centre environment.

Empathetic Solving customer complaints Resilience

Ability to understand and share the feelings of a customer to quickly build relationships.

Effectively finding solutions to customer queries to ensure high customer satisfaction.

Ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult situations or calls.

Approachable Listening Cooperation Caring Ethics

Tenacious Detail focused Order Decisive Adaptable

Calm Resilient Optimism Cautious Self-sufficiency

Use this questionnaire for Call Centre based roles e.g. Customer Service Call Centre

Representatives.

You may also wish to consider Psycruit’s Call Centre Scenarios assessments alongside this

personality questionnaire as part of your recruitment battery.

Customer Service

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure a candidate’s aptitude for Customer

Service, incorporating personality characteristics that are often indicative of capacity to

provide customer satisfaction.

Making customers happy Delivering great service Bouncing back

Ability to put customers first,

increasing customer

satisfaction and engagement.

Dedication to customers with

the goal of surpassing their

expectations.

Resilience and positivity when

faced with difficult situations

and learning from experiences.

Poised

Approachable

Adaptable

Listening

Humour

Rigorous

Tenacious

Decisive

Striving

Order

Calm

Resilient

Internal control

Optimistic

Use this questionnaire for roles with a heavy reliance on Customer Services e.g. Customer

Service Advisors and Customer Support Representatives.

6

Graduates

This personality questionnaire is designed to assess a

candidate's characteristics and potential in four key areas key to most graduate roles.

Initiative Motivation Commercial Awareness Interpersonal Skills

Ability to assess,

decide and initiate

positive actions

independently.

A strong desire to

succeed and surpass

expectations for the

job.

Ability to understand what

makes a company

successful.

Communicates

positively and

effectively with others.

Originality

Self-development

Variety

Tenacious

Internal control

Stress management

Competition

Authority

Listening

Strategic

Adaptable

Approachable

Poised

Gregarious

Resilient

Use this questionnaire for Graduate programmes or roles.

Recruitment Industry

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure a candidate's personality profile

against characteristics seen as important in the recruitment industry.

Empathy Focus Results Orientation Resilience

Ability to build and

maintain good

relationships with

clients.

Determined, structured

and detail focused

approach to tasks.

Eager to succeed,

consistently setting

and achieving high

standards.

Calm, composed and

positive in the face of

challenge and difficult

situations.

Adaptable

Approachable

Listening

Detail focused

Structured

Tenacious

Striving

Stress management

Competition

Calm

Resilient

Optimistic

Use this questionnaire for predominantly recruitment roles e.g. Recruitment Consultants.

You may also wish to consider other Recruitment Industry assessments Psycruit have to

offer including a Recruitment Industry Scenarios Assessment, Numerical Test and Verbal

Test.

7

Project Manager

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure key

personality attributes that provide the base for effective project management.

Relationship management Planning Delivery

Builds and maintains good

relationships with all

stakeholders.

Plans, organises and manages

resources for successful

project completion.

Capacity to get things done

and deliver against

expectations or responsibilities.

Assertive

Influential

Diplomatic

Approachable

Calm

Structured

Strategic

Decisive

Creative

Rigorous

Resilient

Variety

Striving

Internal control

Use this questionnaire for project management roles within any industry or sector.

Legal Sector

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure personality areas key to success

within the legal sector.

Interpersonal Style Thinking Style Environment

Communicates clearly and

effectively with others, using

influence when suitable.

Determined, structured and

detail focused approach to

tasks.

Is prepared to take risks and

remains calm and composed

when challenged.

Influential

Listening

Direct

Intelligence

Poised

Detail focused

Rational

Rigorous

Structured

Tenacious

Considered

Risky

Resilient

Calm

Self-development

Order

Use this questionnaire for roles based within the legal sector e.g. Solicitor, Barrister,

Paralegal and Legal Secretary.

8

IT Professionals

This personality questionnaire is designed to incorporate

personality characteristics of particular relevance to a role within the IT sector.

Problem Solving Analytical Communication

Ability to think systematically

and analyse and consider the

broader context.

Able to think analytically and

use an ordered approach to

draw insights.

Communicates positively and

effectively with others, taking

time to listen as well as talk.

Tenacious

Rational

Rigorous

Independent

Detail focused

Order

Approachable

Direct

Listening

Use this questionnaire for IT professional roles e.g. Technical Support, Software Analyst,

Technical Consultants, Web Developers and Software Engineers.

Engineering

This personality questionnaire is designed to assess a candidate's personality and

behavioural tendencies in four key areas when recruiting for an engineering sector role.

Creativity Commitment Analytical Teamworking

Tendency to generate

alternative solutions to

a task or problem.

Strong sense of

responsibility to the

job, remaining calm

when challenged.

Ability to think

analytically and use an

ordered approach to

develop solutions.

Works collaboratively

by building and

maintaining good

working relationships.

Originality

Creative

Change

Tenacious

Resilient

Stress management

Calm

Structured

Detail focused

Rigorous

Concrete

Listening

Adaptable

Intelligence

Direct

Use this questionnaire for roles within the Engineering Industry e.g. Mechanical Design

Engineers, Technical Engineers, Manufacturing Engineers and Civil Engineers.

9

Workforce

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure 9 scales

which reflect the personality and motivational requirements of people working in operative,

apprenticeship and team-leader/supervisory positions.

Interacting with people Approach to tasks Self

Comfortable working with

people and machines.

Methodological and systematic

approach to work with an aim

for perfection.

Optimistic and resilient with a

high level of physical energy.

Team membership

Leadership

Mechanical empathy

Structured

Quality

Energy

Self-development

Cheerful

Resilience

Use this questionnaire for job roles within operative, apprenticeship and team-

leader/supervisory positions in more manual, blue collar roles.

Human Resources

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure personality areas we have found

relate to high performance within a HR role.

Communication Leadership Self-discipline Integrity

Communicates

positively and

effectively with others,

taking time to listen.

Ability to effectively

and positively lead

others, remaining calm

under pressure.

Strong personal drive

to perform well and

produce quality

outputs.

Holds a strong moral

principle and cares

about making a

difference.

Adaptable

Approachable

Listening

Calm

Resilient

Creative

Stress management

Low praise orientation

Change

Detail focused

Decisive

Tenacious

Variety

Caring

Ethics

Authority

Use this questionnaire for Human Resources roles.

10

Administrative Role

This questionnaire is designed to measure a candidate’s

personality and behavioural tendencies related to an administration-based role.

Support Quality Process driven

Supportive communication

style, taking the time to listen to

others.

Rigorous and detail focused

approach to tasks.

Strong drive and enthusiasm

for a structured, orderly

environment.

Supporting

Listening

Adaptable

Approachable

Detail focused

Rigorous

Tenacious

Calm

Structured

Striving

Order

Use this questionnaire for Administrative roles e.g. Admin Assistants, Secretaries, Personal

Assistants, Receptionists and Payroll Assistant.

Marketing

This personality questionnaire was designed to assess a candidate's personality and

behavioural suitability for roles in marketing.

Communication Innovation Project Management

Communicates positively and

effectively with others, taking

time to listen.

Tendency to generate creative

alternative solutions to a task

or problem.

Plans, organises and manages

resources for successful

completion of a project.

Adaptable

Influential

Listening

Gregarious

Poised

Calm

Creative

Originality

Spontaneous

Rational

Detail focused

Rigorous

Resilient

Striving

Strategic

Stress management

Use this questionnaire for roles within the marketing industry e.g. Marketing Managers,

Marketing Executives and Marketing Assistants.

11

Education Role

This personality questionnaire is designed to measure four key

personality areas deemed essential for success within the education sector.

Dedication Conflict Management Approachability Task Style

Commitment to helping

others through

education.

Effectively solves

conflicts between third

parties.

Makes an effort to be

friendly and easy to

talk to.

Rigorous but creative

approach to tasks and

problems.

Caring

Ethics

Intelligence

Assertive

Optimistic

Resilient

Stress management

Adaptable

Approachable

Listening

Poised

Tenacious

Detail focused

Creative

Rigorous

Calm

Use this questionnaire for roles within Education e.g. Teachers, Lecturers, Professors, Head

teachers, Teaching Assistants, Mentors, Tutors, Education Officers, Librarians, Careers

Advisors and Nursery Workers.

Hospitality

This personality questionnaire is designed to assess a candidate's personality and

behavioural suitability for roles in Hospitality.

Commitment Teamwork Customer Orientation Adaptable

Dedication to helping

others and attending to

every detail.

Works collaboratively

by building and

maintaining good

working relationships.

Enthusiasm for

delivering excellent

customer service.

Positively and quickly

adjusting to changing

circumstances.

Detail focused

Tenacious

Variety

Caring

Authority

Cooperation

Friendship

Approachable

Gregarious

Listening

Humour

Calm

Resilient

Stress management

Use this questionnaire for roles within the hospitality sector eg. Waiting Staff, Bar Staff, Hotel

Receptionists, Restaurant Managers, Chefs, Hotel Managers, Housekeepers, Porters, and

Baristas.