Overview and Practice for the Sigma Personality Assessment Tests

Sigma Assessment Systems is a test company that makes up and administers many different types of tests. Included in their battery of personality tests are the NEO, MEIA, Jackson, and other tests that are used for pre-employment personality testing. Sigma personality tests are popular pre-employment personality tests, and are widely used and distributed.

The NEO tests uses the Five Factor Model as its basis to measure the five main domains of personality. It can be taken online or by hand and takes 40 minutes to complete. The MEIA measures emotional intelligence, is administered online, and takes 20 minutes to complete. The test has 150 items measuring 10 aspects of emotional intelligence. The Jackson Personality test (JPI-R) measures personality traits that may predict one’s behavior in various settings. It has 300 true/false questions, is taken online or by hand and requires 45 minutes to complete.

Other Sigma personality tests include the Personality Research Form (PRF), the Six Factor Personality Questionnaire (SFPQ), the Five Factor Nonverbal Personality Questionnaire (FF-NPQ) and the Nonverbal Personality Questionnaire (NPQ).

Most questions on personality tests are really testing only a few different characteristics that are deemed important by the specific company and the job role. Once you can decipher what characteristics the test is actually testing, you can more easily determine how to approach the questions. Start studying with the Personality Assessment.

Below are sample reports for selected characteristics on each of the tests described above. These are sample reports from the Sigma website:

This personality exam evaluates several characteristics, including:

• Neuroticism (N): High scores will be given for those who tend to experience negative effects such as fear, sadness, embarrassment, anger, guilt, and disgust. They are also prone to irrational ideas, do not control their impulses, and tend to cope poorly with stress.
  Low scores are given for emotionally stable individuals, that are usually calm, even-tempered and able to face stressful situations without becoming upset or rattled.
• Extraversion (E): High scores are likely to be found among sociable people, which like people and prefer large groups and gatherings. Extraverts are assertive, active, and talkative. They like excitement and stimulation and tend to be cheerful. They are upbeat, energetic, and optimistic.
  Low scores are among those who are reserved, independent, and even-paced. Introverts prefer to be alone. Although they are not given to the exuberant high spirits of extraverts, introverts are not unhappy or pessimistic.
• Agreeableness (A): If you are usually very agreeableness, sympathetic to others and eager to help them - you are likely to receive a high score. Low scorers are typically disagreeable or antagonistic, egocentric, skeptical of others' intentions, and competitive rather than cooperative.
• Conscientiousness (C): Highly conscientiousness people are purposeful, strong-willed, determined, scrupulous, punctual, and reliable. They are typically involved in planning, organizing, and carrying out tasks. High conscientiousness is associated with academic and occupational achievement.
  Low scorers are less exacting in applying moral principles, and more lackadaisical in working toward their goals.

Test Tip #1: Think like a test-taker only

Sigma tests may seem to be daunting at first glance, but in reality, the test is only evaluating several characteristics, repeatedly. Once you identify these traits, you will understand what the purpose of each question is, making the test a breeze.

Test Tip #2: Time Yourself Right

Some of the tests are timed, while others are not, but even if you get nervous when taking timed tests, there is no need to worry. The tests are structured to give you more than enough time to finish. The goal of the timed aspect is to prevent test-takers from gaming the test.