Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI): Study Guide and Sample Questions

Last updated 06/2021

Taking the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) can be demanding. You may not know what your potential employer expects of you. Our Hogan HPI study guide will help you know how to answer the Hogan personality test correctly, and show you how to provide your employer with the answers that they are looking for without lying about yourself.

Key Features of the Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)

The HPI test or Hogan Personality Inventory is a personality assessment that employers use to gauge your normal or “bright-side” characteristics of your personality. Employers make use of assessments like the HPI to see whether you have the required traits to fulfill the job role, and fit in with the culture and standards of the company. The HPI features 220 questions, which are based on a 4-point Likert scale. The exam is founded on the Five-Factor Model of Personalities and is typically completed within 15-20 minutes.

What Is the Normal (Bright-Side) Personality?

The Hogan Personality Inventory is a flexible tool that is focused on the normal or “bright side” personality traits – characteristics that detail how we interact with others when we are performing at our best. The HPI is connected to on-the-job performance and offers in-depth insight into how individuals lead and act when on the job. The test can be used for hiring and selection and personal and leadership growth and development.

What is the Hogan Personality Inventory Comprised of?

The Hogan Personality Inventory is made up of seven primary scales, six occupational scales, and 42 subscales.

Your normal personality is measured according to the following seven (7) scales:

Adjustment: This scale evaluates your self-esteem, self-confidence, and ability to work when under pressure.
Ambition: This scale indicates your desire to lead, initiative, and overall level of competitiveness.
Sociability: This scale assesses just how much you require social interaction and how extraverted you are.
Interpersonal Sensitivity: This scale evaluates your tact, likeability, and relationship maintenance ability.
Prudence: This scale assesses your levels of self-discipline, responsibility, and how thorough you are.
Inquisitive: This scale evaluates your aptitude for curiosity, creativity, and imagination.
Learning Approach: This scale assesses your level of benefit and happiness when it comes to learning and your drive to keep up with current information.

The Hogan Personality Inventory also seeks to predict your work performance by measuring six (6) occupational scales:

Service Orientation
Stress Tolerance
Reliability
Clerical Potential
Sales Potential
Managerial Potential

The optimal score for each personality trait varies from job to job.

HPI Sample Questions

Statement: I make friends easily

Responses:

True
Uncertain
False

SEE THE CORRECT ANSWER AND EXPLANATION

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

While this may seem nonsensical, the trait being measured here is that of an applicant’s ‘sociability’ according to the Hogan Personality Inventory, and if you want to highlight your ability to socialize with customers or coworkers, you must answer positively to this statement. However, if the statement is an ‘extreme’ like ‘I am considered to be everyone’s best friend back at school’, then it will be understandable to pick B or C as this will show you as someone that’s being honest and not just an applicant that’s forging their personality profile to make themselves look better.

Statement: There is always room for improvement in everyone

Responses:

True
Uncertain
False

SEE THE CORRECT ANSWER AND EXPLANATION

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

This statement aims to measure your trait of ‘ambition’, if you think that being ambitious is important to the job position that you are applying for, then you must answer positively. In general, having a good level of ambitiousness is seen as a plus in most industries/companies.

Statement: I am the type of employee that finishes their work as soon as possible

Responses:

True
Uncertain
False

SEE THE CORRECT ANSWER AND EXPLANATION

Correct Answer: Either A or C

Explanation:

The ‘correct’ answer will depend on the nature of the industry that you are entering. If you are applying in a position where getting everything done as fast as possible is needed, then choosing A will be the best choice. However, if you are entering an industry where you have to be scrutinous as possible in your work and make sure that NOTHING wrong can happen or that no mistakes should go through, then you should answer C as this will prove that you are someone that takes their time and is meticulous with their work so that the quality of their products or services is not questioned.

Prepare for the Hogan HPI with Prepterminal’s Course

The HPI assessment is no simple questionnaire and despite what some people may think, there are correct and incorrect answers on this test. By studying the characteristics assessed by the exam and revising practice questions in advance, you will be able to present a professional and genuine image of yourself to your prospective employer.

Prepterminal’s Hogan Personality test prep is a module-based course that features video and text. Our Hogan Personality Inventory prep course also includes mock HPI tests and quizzes so you can maximize your chance of HPI test success.

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