Have you ever applied for a job and had the hiring manager hand you a job assessment with tons of strongly agree, strongly disagree questions? It sounds simple enough; you just answer the questions, right?

The truth is that it can feel a lot more complicated at the moment. How are you supposed to reply to these types of questions? What do they mean in the grand scheme of hiring? Let’s go over the best way to handle a personality or situational judgment assessment that uses a strongly agree, strongly disagree format to help make hiring decisions.

How do strongly agree and strongly disagree questions help in hiring?

These questions are intended to help a potential employer get a feel for who you are deep down and how you handle challenges. The 2016 Talent Board Candidate Experience Research Report states that 82% of companies polled for the study use some type of pre-employment assessment test, meaning that you can expect to come across these screenings in your job search.

These pre-employment assessments are just one way for hiring managers to get to know you. This is helpful since many of the other ways they can get to know you are somewhat prone to bias or don’t reveal a lot of useful information.

There are a few examples of how the information on your application doesn’t always provide a wealth of information. For one, references are great and important to include, but potential new hires generally only list references who they know will say positive things. As such, they may not provide an accurate picture.

For another, past employers tend to skimp on the details when a company calls to ask about a candidate’s employment there. There have been countless lawsuits directed at former employers for giving bad references. For many companies, it’s simply not worth it to say something that could be interpreted as slanderous since it could result in a defamation lawsuit. It’s safer to say nothing at all. Large companies often only provide the dates of employment when a past employee’s potential new workplace calls.

How to answer these types of job assessment questions

So, what exactly are you supposed to say? It can be tempting to try to figure out what the employer would want someone they’d love to hire would say and answer the questions accordingly. Of course, you want to make a good impression, but it’s best if you don’t think too hard about what the employer would want to hear.

Be as honest as possible.

In this case (and most other cases, too), honesty is the best policy. The entire point is so that a potential employer can get to know who you are and if you’re well-suited for their culture and the position you’re applying for. Honesty means that the employer is learning what they want to know about you to ensure that you’re a good fit for the company and the position. Strongly agree, strongly disagree answers should reflect your genuine personality, skillset, and feelings.

By answering dishonestly, even if you’re awarded the position, you may find yourself unhappy in your new job. Our individual experiences, capabilities, personalities, and preferences help determine whether we’d enjoy a specific role or even be good at it. These types of questions are designed to help an employer determine, without knowing you well, where you’ll fit in.

Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Oftentimes we’re our own worst critics. While it’s important that you don’t answer in a way that is talking yourself up, it’s also important that you don’t let your insecurities and self-esteem issues push you to say you’re worse at certain tasks than you actually are or that you strongly display a negative personality trait when you don’t.

If you’re struggling to not paint yourself in an unnecessarily negative light, imagine how the people who love you would answer these questions for you. For example, if an assessment statement reads, “I am usually an honest person,” every lie you’ve ever told might flash before your eyes. It can be hard to be objective, especially if you’re struggling to see your worth. Keep in mind that the picture you have painted of yourself in your head isn’t necessarily the one that’s reflected on the outside.

What can you expect from this type of assessment?

When using personality assessment tools like this, some hiring managers will hand you a paper copy of the assessment and ask you to complete it, some might direct you to an online portal, and some may even ask you aloud during an interview.

Likely possible answers for these types of questions are strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree. You may even be provided with a neutral option like neither agree nor disagree.

There are several types of assessments that include strongly agree, disagree questions, including personality assessments, skills assessments, aptitude tests, emotional intelligence assessments, and situational judgment assessments.

Below, we’ll provide you with some sample questions from each type of assessment so you can have a good idea of what to expect. Remember, these questions are more like statements because you’re supposed to provide a strongly agree, strongly disagree answer.

Personality Assessment/Aptitude Test Sample Job Interview Questions

• When people are rude to me, I let it roll off my back.

• I would describe myself as a competent person.

• I work well under pressure.

• I enjoy being around other people.

• I would describe myself as introverted.

• I would say that I’m an organized person.

Emotional Intelligence Sample Test Questions

• People frequently tell me I’m a good listener or that I’m easy to talk to.

• I try to avoid conflict.

• I often ask for feedback to learn what I’m doing well and where I can improve.

• I’m aware of my weaknesses and my strengths.

• I have a hard time controlling my temper when I get frustrated.

Situational Judgment Assessment Sample Questions

• If two of my coworkers were arguing on the floor, the best idea would be to ask my manager to step in.

• If I witnessed harassment of a guest or coworker, it would be my responsibility to report it to HR.

• I believe that everyone in a company should be held to the same level of accountability.

Agree, disagree assessments can feel tricky, but the only real trick is to answer as honestly as possible. Once you’ve learned what to expect, prepare yourself, and you understand that these assessments aren’t intentionally tricky, you can feel confident in your ability to get through them and get hired.