How To Use The OCEAN Personality Test In Job Recruitment Process?

A personality check is crucial in evaluating candidates for a job role to determine which one is the most suitable for the job role you are hiring for. You can refine your selection criteria with the OCEAN Personality Test to get the best match for your company.

After all, not everyone is suitable for every type of job, not in the best possible manner at least! For example, a shy person who lacks confidence and good communication skills cannot be an ideal candidate for a salesperson’s job. Or someone who has anger management issues cannot be the best fit for a customer support position.

What is the OCEAN personality test?

The big 5 OCEAN personality test is one of the most accurate and reliable personality tests available to hiring managers and professionals today. It is a highly structured, self-administered assessment that measures 5 distinct dimensions of personality: Openness Conscientiousness Extroversion Agreeableness Neuroticism

Let’s have a deeper look at what each personality trait indicates about a candidate.

Openness

Openness to experience is a trait in the ocean model of personality that describes a person's attitude towards new experiences and ideas. It has been shown to be associated with higher levels of creativity, job satisfaction, stress management and well-being.

Candidates with a high score in the ‘openness’ category can handle changes at work effectively. They frequently use their imagination to make beneficial work environment changes but may struggle with monotonous, logical, repetitive activities. However, candidates who score poorly on openness are less likely to accept change and would rather keep their working habits the same.

Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness is the ability to organize and follow through with tasks. It is also called persistence or perseverance, which means being able to stick with a task for a long time until it’s complete. Candidates who receive a high score in this category are well organized and hard working. In contrast, the ones who score less in this category have a flexible work approach. They tend to have weaker organization and time management skills and struggle to meet deadlines.

Extraversion

The term “extraversion” is often used to describe people who are more outgoing, friendly, and talkative. They tend to seek out social situations, new experiences and stimulation. People who are high in extraversion tend to be perceived as more outgoing, friendly and talkative than those who are low on this trait.

This can help you determine how well your candidates will fit into the workplace environment you have created for yourself. If you need someone who has a lot of energy or enthusiasm for their job, then this should be an important aspect when hiring someone for your team.

Agreeableness

Agreeableness is a personality trait that measures how much you want to cooperate with others. Agreeable people tend to be friendly and helpful towards others, but they can also be selfish and self-centered.

Candidates with a high agreeableness score are good problem solvers and are more likely to assist others with challenging tasks. On the contrary, candidates with a low agreeableness score are more likely to struggle in working as a team with and understanding other people’s viewpoints.

Neuroticism

Neuroticism is the tendency to experience negative emotions. People who score high on neuroticism tend to experience more stress, anxiety, and depression. On the other hand, people who score low on neuroticism are more emotionally stable.

Which is the most important personality trait?

According to a study, scientists highlighted the most important OCEAN personality trait for better job performance out of all five of them, and that is “Agreeableness”. Candidates who score high on this trait are very optimistic and easy to get along with. They are highly cooperative and can be the best team players and even good team leaders.

How does the OCEAN personality test help you hire the right candidate?

Based on the results of the OCEAN personality test, you can choose the perfect candidate for any position. It’s a quick and easy way to get an idea of who you should be looking at when it comes time to fill your open position.

This test also helps you understand why people behave the way they do, which will be useful when dealing with difficult personalities or those who may need some extra attention from their managers.

Must read: Top 10 Remote Software Developers to Hire in 2025

What type of questions are included in the OCEAN personality test?

These are some of the questions you can include in OCEAN personality tests:

• I like to try new experiences.
• I am interested in people.
• I have a vivid imagination.
• I am not easily distracted.
• I usually concentrate on one thing at a time.
• I am more concerned with how things should be than with how they are.
• I usually feel weak after stressful circumstances.

Based on the answers to these types of questions, you can have a clear idea about the nature of the candidates and whether they are suitable for the job or not.

If you want to make your job recruitment process hassle-free, especially while hiring software developers, you can get in touch with Remotebase to get the top 1% of global developers within 24 hours. We offer thoroughly vetted developers who are ready to work on your projects immediately with a free 2-week trial.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the OCEAN personality test?

The Ocean Personality Test helps job recruiters determine if a candidate has the skills and experience required for the job by assessing their five personality traits, which are:

• Openness to experience
• Conscientiousness
• Extraversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism

How long is the Big 5 OCEAN personality test?

No more than ten minutes. The OCEAN test consists of statements that the candidate rates on a five-point scale where 1=Disagree, and 5=Agree. Hence, it doesn't take much time to complete.

Which is the most important OCEAN personality trait?

According to a study, the most important OCEAN personality trait for better job performance is “Agreeableness”.

Hire Top 1% Remote Developers in 24 Hours with Remotebase