The Hogan assessment is a widely used psychometric tool in the UK for evaluating personality, cognitive abilities, and job fit. It is commonly administered by employers during the hiring process for roles in various sectors. The assessment comprises several components, including the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI), the Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI), and the Hogan Judgment test. For UK job seekers preparing for these assessments, understanding the format and practicing with sample questions is a key step. While official, full-length practice tests are typically not provided for free by the test publisher, a range of free sample questions and preparation resources are available online to help candidates familiarise themselves with the test structure.
Understanding the Hogan Assessment Components
The Hogan assessment is not a single test but a suite of evaluations designed to measure different aspects of a candidate's suitability for a role. According to the provided source material, the main components include:
- Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): This tool measures normal personality traits, focusing on how individuals behave and interact when performing at their best. It is widely used in hiring, leadership development, and talent management to identify strengths and predict team or organisational contribution. The HPI is very common and is often administered alongside the Hogan Development Survey (HDS) questionnaire as part of the overall Hogan assessment.
- Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI): This exam tests the ability to identify and solve business-related problems. It consists of 24 challenging questions to be completed within 30 minutes. The HBRI assesses reasoning skills across three key areas and requires candidates to analyse and interpret data, reports, graphs, and diagrams.
- Hogan Judgment: Described as one of the most abstract and least common of the Hogan assessments, the Hogan Judgment aims to evaluate aptitudes toward new things, such as learning new concepts and adapting to new environments. It also measures the decision-making process, which encompasses both pre- and post-decision stages, even in scenarios involving negative feedback. This provides companies with insights into a candidate's capacity to learn, adapt, and make decisions.
The overall Hogan assessment is designed to build a picture of a candidate as a potential employee. The goal is to match—or not match—the individual to the job they have applied for, with the belief that a good match strengthens the chance of an employee performing well, progressing in their career, and being retained by the company.
The Format and Scoring of Hogan Assessments
A consistent theme across the Hogan assessments is their structured format. The personality-based tests, such as the HPI, typically use a forced-choice format. Candidates are presented with statements and must rate their level of agreement on a scale, often from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree." Examples of such statements from free sample questions include: * "I thrive in high-stress environments." * "I tend to be the life of the party." * "I am always meticulous and careful about the details of my work." * "I prefer to follow a plan rather than acting spontaneously." * "I enjoy exploring new ideas and concepts." * "I feel at ease when interacting with people." * "I have a strong desire to continually learn and grow."
Other statements found in free samples might include, "My mom always tells me that I had a vivid imagination" and "I generally have a dramatic mood." These questions are designed to assess specific personality traits, such as Adjustment, which measures calmness under pressure.
The HBRI, in contrast, involves problem-solving questions where there are obvious right and wrong answers. It is scored using a normative system, meaning a candidate's performance is ranked in comparison to other applicants.
The average time to complete the Hogan assessments is about 15-20 minutes, though the HBRI has a specific time limit of 30 minutes for its 24 questions. The tests are designed to be completed online.
Free Sample Questions and Preparation Resources
For UK job seekers looking to prepare, several online platforms offer free sample questions. These resources are designed to help candidates understand the types of questions asked, the test structure, and the pace required for answering.
Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) Sample Questions: Free samples typically present a statement and ask candidates to rate their agreement on a 1 to 5 scale (where 1 is "strongly disagree" and 5 is "strongly agree"). The purpose of practicing with these questions is to become familiar with the test's unique format, which may differ from other personality tests. By understanding the traits being assessed, such as Adjustment, candidates can better comprehend how their responses might be interpreted. For instance, in the statement "I thrive in high-stress environments," agreeing might be viewed as a positive attribute for certain leadership roles.
Hogan Business Reasoning Inventory (HBRI) Sample Questions: While specific free sample questions for the HBRI are not detailed in the source material, the preparation resources indicate that practice tests are available. These resources help candidates prepare for the challenge of interpreting data, reports, graphs, and diagrams within the 30-minute time constraint. The HBRI tests cognitive and problem-solving skills, evaluating a candidate's ability to reason with verbal, spatial, and visual information.
Hogan Judgment Sample Information: Given that the Hogan Judgment is less common, specific free sample questions for this component are not readily available in the provided source material. However, preparation advice suggests that candidates should be ready to demonstrate their aptitude for learning new concepts and adapting to new environments, as well as their decision-making process in various scenarios.
Key Considerations for UK Candidates
When using free online resources to prepare for the Hogan assessment, it is important for UK job seekers to evaluate the reliability of the information. The source material suggests that some online Hogan assessment practice tests and resources are free, while others require payment. It is advisable to prioritise resources that offer detailed answers and tips, as these can provide more effective preparation.
One critical piece of advice emphasised in the source material is the importance of authenticity. The purpose of the personality test is to discover a candidate's true personality, strengths, motivations, and preferences. The Hogan assessment has measures in place to identify candidates who provide false answers to present themselves more favourably. Therefore, candidates are encouraged to answer the personality questions as truthfully and authentically as possible to achieve a genuine match with the job role.
For the HBRI, the focus is on correct problem-solving. Since there are right and wrong answers, preparation should involve practising analytical and data interpretation skills.
Regarding preparation timing, the source material recommends practicing about three days before the test and reading the test instructions carefully. A "good" score on the Hogan assessments is not universally defined; instead, it is determined by the specific requirements of the job position for which the candidate is applying.
Conclusion
The Hogan assessment is a structured and widely used tool for UK employers to evaluate job candidates. It consists of distinct components like the HPI, HBRI, and Hogan Judgment, each measuring different traits and abilities. For preparation, UK job seekers can access free sample questions online, particularly for the personality inventory and business reasoning sections. These resources help familiarise candidates with the test format, question types, and time pressures. However, it is crucial to rely on these samples for preparation purposes and to approach the actual test with authenticity, as the assessments are designed to identify genuine personality traits and cognitive abilities. Success in the Hogan assessment is less about finding a universal "good score" and more about demonstrating a fit between one's inherent profile and the specific demands of the role in question.