Part of many career coaching, employment selection, and leadership development programs include psychological assessment. Psychological assessment is a systematic method of identifying personal characteristics and predicting behaviour. Typically, a psychological assessment involves a battery of tests that may include a personality test, a motives/values tests, a skills and interest test, a cognitive ability test, and/or an aptitude test. It may also include a lengthy in-depth interview with a qualified professional. As part of your program at Hazell & Associates, you may have been asked to complete any number of these instruments. Prior to doing so, let's answer a few questions you may have about assessment…

View our available assessments

Q. Why am I being asked to complete some questionnaires?

A. Psychological assessments are helpful in a variety of occupational situations:

If you are in career transition, an assessment will allow you to better understand yourself, your values and preferences, and what environments will suit you best. Decades of research suggests that people are most successful in occupational environments that they are best suited for. Therefore, using reliable and valid instruments, we are able to identify your best fit.

If you are applying for a job, you may have given details about your previous experience, interests, and accomplishments in a resume. Likewise, you may be asked to participate in an interview. Psychological tests provide additional information about your personality, preferences, and the way in which you approach various situations and tasks.

If you are in a development program, it will be of value to get a third-party assessment of your strengths and developmental needs. An assessment helps to identify what will energize and motivate you, how you will lead or manage others, how people will respond to you, how you will act under stress, what will enable you to reach your full potential, and provide a scientific prediction of leadership attributes.

Q. What psychological instruments do you use?

A. You may have heard about a certain test, or taken a psychological assessment previously, and you are wondering about the test itself. The measures we use adhere to the following standards:

Valid (they measure what they intend to measure and they are appropriate for their intended use)

Reliable (they are statistically stable and consistent over time)

Fair (they do not discriminate unfairly in terms of bias or procedure)

Normed (standardized for appropriate populations)

Require advanced (graduate-level) training to administer and interpret

Adhere to rigorous standards set by the Canadian Psychological Association, the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and the Association of Test Publishers

Q. What can I expect when I take the tests?

A. You will be completing your assessment online. You will be provided with a website, a username, and a password. Once you enter the login information, you will be asked to enter a few demographic questions about yourself (e.g. name, age, etc.) and then will be provided with specific instructions on how to complete the test. You will be provided with several statements and asked about the extent to which you agree or disagree with them. Although they are generally un-timed tests and you can take as long as you would like to complete them, you should anticipate that each instrument will take approximately 20-45 minutes each.

Q. What happens after I complete the test(s)?

A. After you complete the tests, your results will be sent securely to the psychologist. Your scores will be analyzed and interpreted, and a report will be prepared. One copy of the report will be given to you and one copy will be retained at our offices in a secure, confidential location. [In some instances (e.g. pre-employment selection), a report may be prepared for your employer if requested, however in such cases you will be asked to sign a release form prior to starting the assessment.] Once your report has been prepared, you will meet with the psychologist for a feedback session in which you will discuss the results of the assessment.

Q. How can I do my best when completing the instruments?
A. The following suggestions are recommended:

Get a good night sleep before completing the test and choose a time of day to complete the tests in which you are relaxed yet alert

Make sure that you are in a quiet, comfortable, and private location that will be free from distraction

Read all directions indicated on each test carefully.

There are no 'right' or 'wrong' answers - choose the most appropriate answer for you, not the answers you think are wanted.

Respond openly and freely, and try not to spend too much time on any one question

Check you have answered each question

If you are having either technical difficulties or have any questions at all, stop the test and contact us immediately

Are you ready to begin a test? If so, you will need the instructions provided to you by Hazell & Associates, and you may access our online tests at the following websites:

Jackson Personality Inventory
Motives, Values, and Preferences Inventory
Leadership Skills Profile
Hogan Personality Inventory
Campbell Interest and Skills Survey