Some airlines have always used personality profile questionnaires. Most haven’t. However, there have been recent developments in regulation which means this testing will be required of all candidates prior to commencing flying duties with an Operator. If interested in the regulation refer to UK CAP1938 and EASA CAT.GEN.MPA.175 mandating a Psychological Assessment.
SMT works in partnership with one of the UK’s leading clinical psychologists and accredited aviation psychologists. Assessors at SMT are trained and qualified Test Users in Occupational Personality and are registered and verified by the British Psychological Society.
As part of the SMT assessment process we use an Occupational Personality Test based on the “Big 5” which are demonstrated to be excellent predictors of behaviour and characteristics in the workplace.
The Big 5
Extraversion – Warmth, gregariousness, assertiveness, activity,
excitement seeking, positivity
Agreeableness – Trust, straightforwardness, altruism, compliance, modesty,
tender-mindedness
Conscientiousness – Competence, order, self-discipline, dutifulness,
deliberation, achievement striving
Neuroticism – Anxiety, angry hostility, depression, self-consciousness,
impulsiveness, vulnerability
Openness – Fantasy, aesthetics, ideas, open-mindedness, creativity
We also utilise a version of this test to conduct our Job Analysis & Cultural Survey when meeting with our clients.
Interviewing and Assessment Process
The Personality Test in conjunction with our structured interviewing and assessment process allows us to fully evaluate:
- Cognitive abilities
- Personality traits
- Operational and professional competencies
- Social competences in accordance with Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles
Not only does this ensure the SMT process is fully compliant with regulatory frameworks within the EU and UK but also offers additional benefits for candidates and operators alike.
In terms of guidance and preparation we would recommend the following:
It is best to answer these questions honestly and promptly. Try to avoid overthinking your answer as this generally leads to inconsistencies.
It is rarely used as a pass/fail test and rather, it is used to direct the assessment team towards certain areas for further evaluation.
An excellent practice resource is the 16 Personalities document that we have linked to the URL below. We recommend doing this free test! It takes approximately 10-15 minutes and provides a very detailed report on your personality type, character and competence along with associated strengths and weaknesses.
This is a simple and effective way to improve your self-awareness. It should enable you to more effectively articulate who you are and what you can bring to your future employer. Importantly, it may also empower you to answer questions about your weaknesses or areas of development more honestly and credibly.
Summary
Finally, it should give you an idea of how others may view you and this may then allow you to adapt your behaviors in team settings to have maximum benefit on team performance and relationship building.
Please note: The personality traits used in the 16 Personalities are different to those used in our assessment process.Give it a go using the link here: https://www.16personalities.com/
