Qu'est-ce que Personality Assessment ?
Definition
A personality assessment is a standardised psychometric instrument designed to measure enduring psychological characteristics — traits, preferences, values and behavioural tendencies — that remain relatively stable across situations and time. In a professional context, they are used for employee selection, career development, leadership coaching, and team building.
In practice
Personality assessments range widely in scientific rigor. Evidence-based tools include the Big Five inventories, the Hogan suite, and SHL OPQ. More popular but less scientifically robust tools include the MBTI and DISC. Key considerations when choosing an assessment for selection include: criterion validity (does it predict job performance?), construct validity (does it actually measure what it claims to?), test-retest reliability, and adverse impact data (does it unfairly disadvantage protected groups?). In Belgium and the EU, personality data is sensitive personal data under GDPR — employers must obtain explicit consent and clearly state the purpose of collection. Results should always be interpreted by a qualified professional and combined with other selection methods.
Key takeaway
Not all personality tools are equal — before using any assessment in selection, verify its scientific validity credentials and ensure it complies with GDPR requirements.
Définitions connexes
Big Five — OCEAN Model
The most scientifically validated personality model, measuring five traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (OCEAN).
MBTI — Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
Personality typology model that classifies individuals into 16 types based on four preference dimensions (E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P).
DISC Assessment
Behavioural model that classifies individuals into four profiles — Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness — to understand communication and work styles.
Psychometrics
The science of measuring psychological attributes — abilities, personality, attitudes — through standardised, validated tests.
Assessment Centre
Standardised evaluation method combining multiple exercises (role plays, case studies, group exercises, psychometric tests) to assess candidates' competencies.