What is a Hogan test?
Hogan was founded in 1987 by Joyce and Robert Hogan. Since then, the company has grown to operate in over 50 countries and 47 different languages. And perhaps most notably, Hogan serves over half of the Fortune 500 companies.
Hogan was instrumental in showcasing the impact personality can have on an employee’s performance in the workplace, and how important it is for employers to factor this into their recruitment process.
The Hogan tests are used by potential employers to determine whether you are a good fit for a position.
Hogan runs three different types of personality assessments:
- Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI). This test assesses how you work with others, and which sides of your personality could really benefit the business you’re applying to.
- Hogan Development Survey (HDS). This probes the darker side of your personality to look for potential pitfalls.
- The Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory (MVPI). This examines your core motivations and what inspires you day-to-day.
Hogan has also developed two different cognitive ability tests:
- Hogan Judgement Test (HJT). This assesses your information processing style.
- Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI). This looks at your reasoning ability.
All of the Hogan tests are tailored to the role and business you’re applying to. They can help to ensure during the hiring process that you end up in the right role for you and your prospective employer, so it’s important to answer as honestly as you can.
However, it doesn’t hurt to look into the values and objectives of the company, if you want to ensure your motives are aligned.
Hogan cognitive ability tests
The Hogan cognitive ability tests are more focused on how your skills, strengths and problem-solving skills can benefit the business you’re applying to.
Hogan Judgment Test
Similar to a situational judgement test, the Hogan Judgment Test is designed to look at how a candidate ticks.
The test examines problem-solving skills, decision-making style, how you take feedback, and how open you are to being coached.
All of these things help to build a clearer picture of how you’re likely to work with a wider team, and whether you’d be a good fit.
Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory
Your reasoning style is a good indication of how you’re likely to cope with common workplace issues and challenges.
In this test, you’ll be assessed on how you evaluate data, solve problems, make decisions, and learn from past mistakes.
As well as helping employers to identify your strengths in these areas, the test also highlights areas that may need developing to get the most out of someone.
Hogan personality tests
The Hogan personality tests assess different areas of your personality, with the intention of being viewed holistically for a bigger picture insight into each candidate.
Overall, it helps to paint a picture of an individual’s strengths, weaknesses and motivations, as well as the darker and lighter sides of their personality.
Hogan Personality Inventory
HPI looks at how people perform at their best.
The test takes around 15–20 minutes to complete and asks questions about your personality, how you work with others and how successful you can be in different types of jobs.
You’ll be given 206 different statements such as ‘I work well with others’ and asked to mark them as ‘true’ or ‘false’, depending on how you relate to them.
All of the statements are designed to probe the ‘bright’ side of your personality. Or in other words, how you act when you feel confident, positive and in control.
Hogan Development Survey
While HPI is about the brighter aspects of our personality, HDS is designed to look at the darker areas.
When we feel under pressure or strain (as is common at points throughout our working life) these darker sides of our personality can start to emerge.
The point of this assessment is to identify how you’re likely to react in challenging situations, to try and mitigate such instances. In turn, this helps to optimise people’s performance, and means your employer can put measures in place to relieve your stress triggers.
Just like in the HPI, you’ll be given descriptive statements (168 this time) and asked to answer them with ‘true’ or ‘false’.
Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory
MVPI looks at what inspires, motivates and propels you to succeed.
This information is highly valuable to employers, since it can be used to help get the best out of you in the workplace, and indicates which positions you’re likely to excel in based on your drivers.
The 200-question test also uses statements that you’ll mark as ‘true’ or ‘false.’ It will require you to answer questions such as whether you value money or success more, what a good work-life balance is, and whether you feel your team’s success benefits you.
