Personality tests can help hiring panels to determine what an applicant's temperament and personality are like.
For positions that rely on teamwork and leadership styles, these insights can tell recruiters far more about a candidate than a CV or resume ever could.
One of the leading personality tests is the McQuaig Word Survey Test.
What Is the McQuaig Word Survey Test?
The McQuaig Word Survey Test is a dedicated tool that is often used by recruiters to gain a deeper understanding of candidates.
It helps to showcase what their motivations are, what their personality is like and what their behavior could be like if they were offered a job role.
The McQuaig Word Survey Test is registered with the British Psychological Society and has been used for over 40 years.
Who Takes the McQuaig Word Survey Test?
The McQuaig Word Survey is used by employers to profile potential candidates as well as maintain the profiling of their existing staff members.
There are a variety of reasons why an employer may choose to implement McQuaig personality tests. These include:
When used effectively, McQuaig Word Survey Tests have been proven to improve the interview experience, speed up the recruitment process and boost confidence in hiring decisions.
What Does the McQuaig Word Survey Test Assess?
This survey test assesses an applicant’s personality traits. It seeks to find out:
The analysis looks at what the applicant is currently doing and makes predictions based on potential future behaviors, as well as providing hiring managers with insights into future employees, it can also be used by line managers to develop and manage teams more effectively.
What to Expect When Taking the McQuaig Word Survey Test in 2024
The McQuaig Word Survey Test consists of 42 questions, which are based around a set of words or phrases.
In the McQuaig Word Survey Test, you’ll be asked to honestly assess how those words or phrases relate to you by ranking them in preference from most descriptive to least descriptive.
This type of survey test is an ipsative assessment. This means that there are four choices that applicants must choose from.
The test will take place online, which means you can expect your prospective employer's HR department to send you a link to your word surveys. This link will be then sent through the McQuaig dashboard, meaning that results will be scored and assessed promptly.
The survey test will typically take between 10 to 20 minutes to complete, and there are no right or wrong answers. The test is merely seeking to identify your thought processes as well as your personality traits.
Responses to the McQuaig Word Survey Test can be used to assess whether the candidate is answering inconsistently and can determine whether they are being truthful.
It’s also possible to see if the respondent is answering questions differently to their natural behavior based on the results of the survey test.
This means that recruiters can be provided with comprehensive data to help them with their decision making processes.
Example McQuaig Word Survey Questions (2024)
In each group of four words, rank each based on the impression that other people have of you at work.
A = Strongly agree
B = Agree
C = Disagree
D = Strongly disagree
| conscientious |
| decisive |
| discreet |
| good-natured |
| ambitious |
| ethical |
| flexible |
| individualist |
Now rank these on the same scale based on how you see yourself:
| free |
| skilled |
| lazy |
| pliable |
| kind |
| grateful |
| extroverted |
| sociable |
Every candidate will have different responses, but here is how an answer sheet might look:
| free | A |
| skilled | D |
| relaxed | B |
| pliable | C |
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How Are the McQuaig Word Survey Tests Analyzed?
The McQuaig Word Survey Profiles will not provide you with a specific score. Instead, the data will be analyzed to find out more about your personality.
Ten distinct reports are available which are broken down into three sections:
This element of the report looks at how the candidate behaves. It provides an effective insight for hiring managers to learn more about their minds and personality.
The specific reports within this section include:
The report will give a list of characteristics (both positive and negative) relating to the respondent as well as specific interview questions that can be used to find out more information regarding these traits.
The specific report within this section is:
This section is about how the participant responds to management strategies. It provides detailed insights into how the company can work to shape that person’s behavior.
It looks at the candidate's motivations and thought processes.
This report allows the recruiter to make predictions on how that person would behave within the workplace.
Under this section of the report, you can expect to find the following sub-reports:
If you are asked to participate in a McQuaig Word Survey Profile, it’s important to know what to expect.
The trained assessors have conducted these survey tests for many years and will know how to spot the signs of those who are answering questions honestly and those who are providing the answers they think the employer wants to hear.
Therefore, here are a few hints and tips for success when taking the McQuaig Word Survey Test:
Step 1 . Read the Instructions and Trust Your Instincts
The first thing you should do with any question is to read it carefully and make sure you know what the question is asking.
If you are unsure, there will be a button at the bottom of the page for further advice.
Step 2 . There Are No Wrong Answers
It may be tempting to indicate an answer that you think they are looking for but with thousands of test results behind them, the assessors will know whether you are answering the questions consistently.
There are no right or wrong answers, so you should answer the questions in line with your thoughts.
Step 3 . Think About Your Timing
Although there is no specific time frame to complete the McQuaig Word Survey Profile, most candidates typically take between 10 to 20 minutes.
The assessors may lean towards those who complete quickly because it may indicate that the respondent has gone with their ‘gut’ feeling for the answers.
Step 4 . Be Honest About Your Potential
Many of the questions will relate to your capabilities and expertise. You may be asked to rate yourself based on certain adjectives.
You may have the options, ‘Strongly Agree’, ‘Agree’, ‘Disagree’, ‘Strongly Disagree’.
It is thought to be best to steer clear of the ‘strong’ answers. This is because prospective employers will be looking for someone aware of their weaknesses.
They know that no candidate can be perfect, so they want to find someone honest about their potential.
As you can see, the McQuaig Word Survey Tests provide effective and reliable insights into candidates. They can be used by employers as part of a recruitment strategy as well as within existing training and development plans to maintain team dynamics and check for capabilities.
The validity of the word surveys (borne through more than 40 years’ experience) means that it’s possible to trust the tests and spot the signs when respondents are dishonest or answer inconsistently. This validity means that the overall report (and each subsequent sub-report) can be used effectively to improve recruitment and retention practices.
The quick nature of the online word survey (at less than 20 minutes) means that it’s not time intensive or intrusive. However, respondents must trust their instincts and answer questions honestly.
If the analysis interpreters believe that you are answering your questions honestly, you will likely receive a higher score.
Employers know that there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ employee. They will be looking to see if you know your strengths and weaknesses, and they will use these insights to understand how you may fit in with the team and cultural ethos of the company.
The McQuaig Word Survey Test is incredibly powerful, and we can see how the data insights provided can make a huge difference in recruitment and retention campaigns.
