Resources · Personality assessments
Personality assessments in IT recruitment
6 assessments compared on factual criteria — scientific reliability, cost, certification required — to know which to use for the context: recruitment, one-to-one coaching, or team management.
Overview
Comparison table
The one indicator that genuinely separates these 6 assessments isn't their popularity, but their scientific validity — a demonstrated ability to predict real behaviour rather than simply describe a stated preference. A widely used test (MBTI) isn't necessarily the most reliable one.
| Assessment | Category | Average cost | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Big Five / OCEAN | Psychometric traits | Free (IPIP) to paid (NEO PI-R) | No (IPIP) / recommended (NEO PI-R) |
| EQ-i (Emotional Intelligence) | Emotional intelligence | Paid (MHS licence, subscription) | Yes — 2-day MHS-accredited course |
| SOSIE | Psychometric (values/traits/interests) | Paid (Pearson licence) | Yes — ~2-day accreditation |
| DISC / Colour Method | Behavioural | Paid (publisher licence, varies) | Yes — practitioner training recommended |
| MBTI / 16Personalities | Typological | Paid (licence) / unofficial free version | Yes — Myers-Briggs Company accreditation |
| Enneagram | Deep motivations | Free (self-assessment) to paid | Not mandatory — recommended |
The 6 sheets
Explore each assessment
Big Five / OCEAN 5 scientifically validated traits, the academic standard in recruitment and coaching. MBTI / 16Personalities 16 personality types, widely used in team-building, not recommended for selection. DISC / Colour Method 4 behavioural profiles, a standard in sales and team management. SOSIE An inventory crossing values and interests, the French standard for senior IT executives. Enneagram 9 profiles based on deep motivations, better suited to coaching than to selection. EQ-i (Emotional Intelligence) Measures emotional intelligence, the standard for assessing leadership potential.
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