Aaron Wallis offers the RPQ, or Rapid Personality Questionnaire, as an excellent
psychometric tool for use in both sales and non-sales roles. RPQ is one of the most
rigorously validated and respected psychometric tools available for both employee
development in the form of RPQ1 and for selection in the form of RPQ2. Published
by the world’s second largest psychometric testing publisher, Kenexa, the tool was
released in 1997 and upgraded in 2003.
The RPQ is an accurate and quick tool that forms an excellent backbone to any robust
recruitment process and uses Karl Jung’s ‘big 5’ personality traits to detail preferred
working styles and behaviours together with a Belbin team type.
The RPQ series of psychometrics also offer the RPQ3 version aimed at school leavers
and the RPQ360° to collate results from peers and colleagues and aimed solely at
employee and management development. The technical manual for RPQ defines the purpose
of the questionnaire as follows: ‘The RPQs are designed to give a reliable, valid,
quick and simple-to-use general purpose profile of a subjects operational personality
within a work setting’.
The Rapid Personality Questionnaire (RPQ) is completed online (though can also be
completed with pencil and paper) and is a self-report personality questionnaire,
which means that the candidate completes the questionnaire themselves. The RPQ consists
of 80 adjectives and asks how the candidate themselves feels the word is relevant
to them at work. They score themselves on a Likert scale of 1 to 5 from 1 being
‘Not at all like me’, to 5 being, ‘Very much like me.
There is no time limit but the test provider recommends a maximum of fifteen minutes
(though most complete the questionnaire in less than eight). This questionnaire
is completed online and typically in an environment where the candidate isn’t going
to be disturbed, i.e. at home or in a private office.
The questionnaire results in three reports:
- The Administrator report is for the interviewer and consists of a wide variety of
questions to probe together with a preferred working style and a Belbin team type.
The interview summary provided by the report has helped to radically increase both
the quality and appropriateness of many of our client’s interviews.
- The Feedback report is to be given to the candidate after the interview for their
own development and personal interest
- The Graph report is typically held on the successful candidate’s personnel record
and the 'raw' scores can be used to benchmark against other candidates. The ‘raw’
scores can also be used to compare against future RPQ questionnaires, undertaken
as part of an employees development scheme,
The reports of the RPQ looks at five major personality traits and scores on a scale
of 1 to 19 with 10 being the average. The scores are derived from one of the most
validated standardisation UK working population samples available. The traits are:
- Extraversion/Introversion
- Confidence/Caution
- Structural/Non-Structural
- Tough mindedness/Benevolence
- Conformity/Non-Conformity
The RPQ can also be reported compared to other standardisation samples such as ‘graduate’,
‘sales’ and ‘senior management’
In RPQ1, used solely for employee development, the report also indicates two additional
‘Difference Indicators’ these are ‘How you feel you are at work’ and ‘How you think
others see you at work’. These can only be contrasted with the UK working population
standardisation samples.
The RPQ also has a compatible tool, the JAQ or Job Analysis Questionnaire, which
is used by employers to draw up the required traits required by a successful employee.
This is then used in conjunction with the RPQ for bespoke reporting.
Example RPQ Reports
RPQ Administrator Report - Example
RPQ Feedback Report - Example
RPQ Example Graph Report
How Valid is RPQ
Kenexa’s RPQ is considered to be the quickest highly validated psychometric available
to the UK commercial marketplace. It’s reliability is benchmarked against 16PF and
the OPQ which are the most established and validated normative occupational personality
questionnaires that are used in the UK. Despite it’s speed - taking under 15 minutes
to complete - it is a valid psychometric questionnaire for the personality traits
which are considered important in an occupational environment. See the linked RPQ
Reliability and Validity Study for full information.
For Aaron Wallis employer clients recruiting in partnership with Aaron Wallis are
able to upgrade their included PIP to the RPQ2 used for selection) at a supplement
of:
COST TO UPGRADE TO RPQ2: £40+VAT per candidate payable upon agreement to assignment
These includes:
- Thorough briefing session with each candidate with a BPS Level A qualified consultant
prior to taking the questionnaire
- Full administration of the questionnaire
- Feedback to both client and candidate from a BPS level A accredited consultant
- Full administrator's report and candidate feedback report
Payment is required in full (by BACS, credit card, IBAN or similar bank transfer)
prior to setting up the RPQ questionnaires.
