To check the main personality traits of talents, at My CV Upgrade we use a well-known and widely adopted test in the field of assessing the main personality traits in a work context: the Big Five Personality Traits Test.

This test aims to investigate 5 of the main aspects of candidate behavior relevant in a clerical work context.

The traits assessed are:

  • openness to experience (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious)
  • conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. extravagant/careless)
  • extraversion (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved)
  • agreeableness (friendly/compassionate vs. critical/rational)
  • neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. resilient/confident)

It is necessary to emphasize that there are no good and bad traits, no absolute right or wrong personalities. The useful information drawn from the results of this test is for talents to reflect on their personalities and see if there are sides of their behavior or attitude that they wish to change and/or strengthen. It serves the hiring companies to get a broad understanding of what the candidates’ personality traits are and whether they are appropriate for their work context and/or the internal balance/mix of a specific team.

For example, a company that has many people on its team with marked extroversion traits might decide to balance the team with a more reserved person in order to test the team and challenge it to better integrate a person with different behavioral traits. If you want to know more about the history and areas of application of this test, we invite you to read the relevant page on Wikipedia.

How can I read and interpret the test results?

The following is a brief guide to quickly understand the results of the Big Five Personality test.

Extraversion

Extraversion is the primary dimension of positive emotion in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. It measures general sensitivity to positive emotions such as hope, joy, anticipation and approach, particularly in social situations.

Low scores: People that score low on Extraversion are more reserved and prefer to spend more time alone. They dislike making small talk and are more likely to feel exhausted when having to socialize a lot.

High scores: People that score high on Extraversion are outgoing and tend to gain energy in social situations. They are excitable, sociable, talkative, and gain energy in social situations.

Agreeableness

Agreeableness is the primary dimension of interpersonal interaction in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. People high in agreeableness are friendly: compliant, nurturing, kind, naively trusting and conciliatory.

Low scores: People that score low on Agreeableness are more competitive and less likely to trust others. They are less forgiving, care less about how other people feel and might even manipulate others to get what they want.

High scores: People that score high on Agreeableness are cooperative and show a great deal of interest in other people. They are empathic, trustful, kind, and assists others who are in need of help.

Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness is the primary dimension of dutiful achievement in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. It measures obligation, attention to detail, hard work, persistence, cleanliness, efficiency and adherence to rules, standards and processes.

Low scores: People that score low on Conscientiousness are often procrastinating and fail to complete necessary or assigned tasks. They dislikes structure and schedules and are more likely to engage in antisocial behavior.

High scores: People that score high on Conscientiousness are thoughtful and have good impulse control. They are organized, mindful of details, and show goal-directed behaviors.

Neuroticism

Neuroticism is the primary dimension of negative emotion in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. It measures general sensitivity to negative emotions such as pain, sadness, frustration or defensive anger, fear and anxiety.

Low scores: People that score low on Neuroticism are more stable and emotionally resilient. They deal well with stress and are less likely to experience negative emotions like fear, sadness, anxiety, and guilt.

High scores: People that score high on Neuroticism tend to experience mood swings and emotional instability. They are anxious, irritable, worry a lot, and struggle to bounce back after stressful events.

Openness to Experience/Intellect/Imagination

Intellect/Imagination, also known as Openness to experience, is the primary determinant of creativity, interest in the arts, and intelligence in the Big Five model. Openness to experience is a measure of interest in novelty, art, literature, abstract thinking, philosophy, and sensitivity to aesthetic emotions and beauty.

Low scores: People that score low on Openness are often much more traditional and may struggle with abstract thinking. They are more likely to be less imaginative and dislike change.

High scores: People that score high on Openness enjoy new experiences, are creative, and have a broad range of interests. They are curious about the world and eager to learn new things and are focused on tackling new challenges.