If you've landed here because you've been asked to complete the OPQ as part of a job application, welcome. This page is written mainly for employers, but the short version is: answer honestly, there are no right answers, and it's not a test you pass or fail.
What it is
The Occupational Personality Questionnaire, usually called the OPQ32, is published by SHL, one of the world's largest workplace assessment companies. It measures 32 characteristics in three areas:
- Relationships with people. How someone tends to influence, persuade and work with others.
- Thinking style. How they approach problems, information, planning and change.
- Feelings and emotions. How they handle pressure, setbacks and competing demands.
It uses a forced-choice format: people choose between statements that are similarly desirable, which makes it much harder to simply present the ideal candidate. It typically takes 15 to 25 minutes and isn't timed.
Why employers use it
An interview tells you how well someone interviews. The OPQ adds a structured, consistent measure of how someone is likely to work, which can be mapped against the specific competencies a role demands.
It doesn't replace the interview or the reference checks. It answers a different question, and that's the point of using it.
How we use it
Recruitment and selection
For senior, specialist or hard-to-replace roles, we map the OPQ to the competencies in the position description before anyone applies, then use the results to sharpen the final interview. It shows where to probe, not who to pick.
Onboarding
The report gives a new manager a head start on how this person is likely to work, which makes the first 90 days far more deliberate.
Leadership development
For current and emerging leaders, the OPQ gives a detailed, workplace-specific picture of strengths and blind spots to build a development plan around.
Team building
Across a leadership team, the profiles show where the team is deep, where it's thin, and where people are likely to clash.
Who runs it
Bonnie Mohan is an SHL accredited OPQ consultant. She interprets every report personally and provides the debrief, so the results are used properly rather than filed.
Related: Recruitment
Hiring for a role you can't afford to get wrong?
Book a free consultation, or email hello@happyhumans.com.au.
Disclaimer
This article is general information only. It doesn't take into account your specific circumstances and isn't a substitute for professional legal or HR advice. We make every effort to keep our Insights accurate and current, but award rates and Fair Work Commission decisions can change, and we can't guarantee this information is complete or up to date at the time you're reading it. Nothing on this page should be relied on as legal advice, and nothing here forms part of a professional engagement with happy humans.