How to use the picOCEAN personality test in hiring?

When it comes to hiring, it’s essential to focus on more than just a candidate’s expertise and technical abilities. Often, the importance of their attitude and behavior is underestimated, but these qualities are key to how they’ll perform in the workplace. 

According to SHRM using personality assessments in hiring reduces turnover by 20-25%.

The PicOCEAN personality test offers valuable insights into a candidate’s potential behaviors on the job, shedding light on how they might respond in various scenarios, collaborate with others, and adjust to new challenges. Gaining this deeper perspective can empower you to make more informed and effective hiring choices. 

In this blog, we’ll talk about how HR professionals can use the picOCEAN personality test in the hiring process to make smarter, more informed decisions. This simple yet effective tool can help you understand how candidates’ personalities align with the current demands.

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What is the picOCEAN personality test?

The picOCEAN Personality Test is a modern, picture-based assessment developed by Testlify to evaluate the Big 5 personality traits.

Unlike traditional text-based personality tests, picOCEAN uses interactive images to assess key traits. It’s mobile-friendly, quick to complete, and provides valuable insights into the qualities that matter most for success in workplaces.

The five core traits the picOCEAN personality test measures are:

• PicO: Openness to Experience
• PicC: Conscientiousness
• PicE: Extraversion
• PicA: Agreeableness
• PicN: Navigability

Each of these traits provides valuable insight into how a candidate will behave, adapt, and interact in the workplace.

Why is using personality assessments important in hiring?

We all know that hiring is more than just reading through resumes. Sure, a candidate’s qualifications matter, but their personality and behavioral competencies will determine whether they’ll thrive in your organization. That’s where assessments like picOCEAN personality test come in handy. Here’s why they’re so important:

Better cultural fit: When employees’ personalities align with the company culture, they tend to be happier, more engaged, and more productive.

Predicting job performance: Personality traits like conscientiousness and openness to experience are strong indicators of job performance. These traits help you predict how candidates will handle challenges, work under pressure, and interact with others.

Reducing bias: Relying on personality tests helps reduce unconscious bias in hiring, providing a fairer and more objective way to evaluate candidates.

Team compatibility: Understanding a candidate’s personality helps ensure they’ll work well with the existing team, preventing potential conflicts and promoting better collaboration.

How does the picOCEAN personality test work?

The picOCEAN Personality Test is designed to be simple, quick, and engaging. Here’s how it works:

1. Picture-based questions: Instead of traditional, text-heavy questions, picOCEAN uses interactive images. Candidates select images that resonate with them, and these choices help reveal their personality traits.
2. Fast and easy: The test takes approximately 70 seconds to complete, and it’s mobile-friendly, so candidates can take it on their phone, tablet, or computer—whatever works best for them.
3. Actionable results: After completing the test, you receive a detailed personality report that breaks down the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses across the five core traits, mapped to 15 sub-factors. This provides a comprehensive view of their personality, which can be incredibly helpful in making hiring decisions.
4. Data-driven insights: The results are are grounded in scientific theory and meta analysis, so you can be confident you’re getting accurate insights into a candidate’s personality.

Key personality traits measured by picOCEAN

So, what exactly does the picOCEAN Personality Test measure? Here’s a breakdown of the five core traits:

PicO: Openness to Experience

This trait reflects how willing someone is to explore new ideas, embrace change, and approach challenges creatively. Employees high in openness are often more adaptable and curious.

Openness is important in roles that require problem-solving, creativity, or innovation. People with high openness are more likely to think outside the box and come up with new solutions to challenges.

If you’re hiring for roles in research, development, marketing, or other creative fields, you’ll want to look for candidates who score high in Openness to Experience.

PicC: Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness measures how responsible, organized, and goal-driven someone is. People with high conscientiousness are dependable, detail-oriented, and hardworking.

Conscientious employees tend to perform well in structured roles that require attention to detail, time management, and follow-through. They’re also known for being reliable and focused.

If the role requires project management, multitasking, or meeting deadlines, conscientiousness is a key trait to look for in candidates.

PicE: Extraversion

Extraversion is about how outgoing and energetic a person is. Extraverts are sociable, enthusiastic, and energized by social interactions.

Extraverts are typically better at networking, collaborating in teams, and taking leadership roles. They can motivate others and keep the energy high in social settings.

For customer-facing roles, leadership positions, or jobs where teamwork is crucial, extraversion is an important trait to consider.

PicA: Agreeableness

Agreeableness reflects a person’s tendency to be cooperative, empathetic, and considerate in their interactions. Agreeable people are often team players who are focused on maintaining positive relationships.

In team-oriented environments, high agreeableness is important for collaboration and conflict resolution. These employees are more likely to work well with others and contribute to a positive work culture.

If the job requires collaboration, client interaction, or customer service, agreeableness is a key trait to prioritize.

PicN: Navigability

Navigability is a newer trait that measures a person’s ability to navigate complexity, uncertainty, and fast-paced environments. People with high navigability can adapt to change quickly and thrive in dynamic conditions.

Employees need to be able to think on their feet and handle uncertainty without becoming overwhelmed.

For roles in leadership, crisis management, or any position requiring flexibility in a fast-paced environment, navigability is a must-have trait.

How to use the picOCEAN personality test in hiring

Now that you understand the traits the picOCEAN personality test measures, let’s talk about how you can integrate it into your hiring process.

1. Pre-screening tool

You can use picOCEAN as a pre-screening tool to filter out candidates who may not be the right fit for the role or your company culture. The test is quick and easy, making it a great way to streamline your hiring process and focus on the candidates who align best with the job.

Use picOCEAN results to evaluate how well a candidate’s personality matches the requirements of the role. For example, if you’re hiring for a creative position, prioritize candidates with high Openness to Experience.

2. Complement to interviews

While interviews are essential for evaluating skills and experience, they don’t always give a complete picture of a candidate’s personality. The picOCEAN persoanlity test adds an extra layer of insight that can complement your interview process.

After the interview, compare the candidate’s responses with their picOCEAN results. If you notice any inconsistencies, dig deeper into those areas to better understand the candidate’s behavior and preferences.

3. Team compatibility

Understanding how a candidate’s personality will fit with the existing team is crucial for smooth collaboration and overall team success. picOCEAN can help you identify whether a candidate’s traits will complement or clash with the team dynamic.

Look at the personality traits of your existing team members and see how they align with the traits of potential candidates. For example, if your team is more introverted, you might want to balance it out with a candidate who is more extraverted.

4. Long-term potential

Hiring isn’t just about filling a position, it’s about finding someone who can grow with your company. picOCEAN gives you insights into a candidate’s potential for long-term success based on their personality traits.

Use picOCEAN results to identify areas where a candidate might need development. For example, if they score low in conscientiousness, they may need additional support with time management and organization.

Conclusion

The picOCEAN Personality Test offers a modern, engaging, and effective way to assess candidates’ personalities in the hiring process. By measuring key traits like Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Navigability, picOCEAN personality test helps you identify candidates who are the best fit for your organization and the role.

By integrating the picOCEAN personality test into your hiring process, you can make more informed decisions, improve team dynamics, and ultimately hire individuals who will thrive in your company culture. It’s time to add a new layer to your hiring process with this innovative personality assessment!