OCEAN Big Five Personality Test
The OCEAN (Big Five) assessment reveals key personality traits so you can better understand, hire and manage your people.
What is the OCEAN personality test?
People work at their best when their natural strengths align with the demands of their role. The OCEAN (often called the “Big Five”) personality test helps you understand your candidates and employees on a deeper level, so you can match them to the right job, improve engagement, and reduce costly turnover.
The OCEAN assessment can be completed by candidates through our online portal, contains 55 questions and takes about 11 minutes to complete.
Measures:
- Openness
- Conscientiousness
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Non-negativity
Recommended for:
- Can be used for any role as a general personality test, to better align people with the right jobs, improve teamwork, or tailor development and management strategies.
Reduce the guesswork in your people decisions
The OCEAN test reveals what interviews alone often can’t, giving you a deeper, more accurate understanding of each person, so you can place them in the right roles or teams and manage them in ways that help them thrive.
Reduce staff turnover, and retain your top talent
Poor management drives up to 70% of employee turnover — a significant cost in time, money, and resources. OCEAN gives you a practical strategy to motivate and retain each person more effectively.
Build productive and engaged teams
The right mix of personalities can dramatically improve collaboration, reduce conflict, and boost productivity. OCEAN helps you predict how people will work together, so you can build more effective and motivated teams.
How our assessment process works
Candidates complete the assessment online in around 11 minutes, answering questions about their own preferences and behaviours. There are no right or wrong answers, it’s untimed, low-pressure, and designed simply to reflect how someone naturally thinks and acts.
You’ll receive a detailed report showing the candidate’s scores in each trait, key strengths or development areas, expected workplace behaviours, management strategies and recommended interview questions for the individual. Our experienced team can also provide deeper feedback sessions.
Our team can work closely with you to embed assessment insights into your everyday people decisions and HR processes, build benchmarks tailored to your specific roles and teams, or equip your team with the skills and confidence to run the process independently.
Reports that respect your time. Clear, practical, actionable.
The OCEAN results report displays an individual’s results across each of the five personality dimensions, with a clear breakdown of what each score means in a practical workplace context.Â
The report also includes expected workplace behaviours, tailored management strategies, and recommended interview questions based on the individual’s unique profile. Where job-specific benchmarks have been built, results can be compared directly against the traits and trait levels that have been identified as markers of success in that role, giving you a clear, objective measure of person-job fit.
We ensure assessments are accurate, reliable and fair
Validated against international assessment standards
The OCEAN assessment has been built by expert industrial psychologists and based on well-established psychological frameworks, undergoing rigorous scientific development to ensure accuracy, consistency, and real-world relevance. It has been validated through extensive research, statistical testing, and ongoing refinement to ensure it measures what it’s designed to measure, reliably and repeatedly. It is aligned with International Test Commission guidelines for fair and ethical test use.
Norms
Scores are calculated against a broad normative sample, meaning each individual’s results reflect where they sit relative to the general population rather than an absolute scale. A “high” or “low” result is only meaningful when measured against how others typically respond, ensuring results are consistent, comparable, and grounded in real data.
Security & Anticheat
The OCEAN assessment includes built-in consistency checks that flag irregular response patterns, rushed answers, or attempts to manipulate results, including the use of AI-assisted responses, giving you confidence that every profile accurately reflects the real person completing it.
“The amount of psychometric tests and how much it reveals on people is phenomenal. Blown away the detail and what it has taught me about myself and my team. Highly recommend.”
Edward Chin
CZM Finance
Contact our team today to start using OCEAN
Speak with our team of experts to request a quote, free demo, or get assessment advice for your organisation’s unique needs. We have a quick turn around time, and can arrange assessments promptly within the day.
Common questions
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact our team.
How much does the OCEAN test cost?
The cost of an OCEAN Big 5 personality test depends on how it’s being used, for example assessing a single candidate or running large-scale recruitment or employee development programs. At InterACT-Global, we provide some of the most cost-effective packages available for organisations, with flexible options (and no lock in contracts) whether you need to assess one person or thousands.
We work with organisations of all different sizes, and can offer large discounters on larger assessment orders, making them an extremely affordable solution.
Is the OCEAN test reliable?
Yes. The Big Five personality framework is considered one of the most reliable and scientifically supported personality models. Unlike many generic personality quizzes, it has decades of research backing its validity across different cultures and industries.
What's the difference between OCEAN and DISC?
Both are popular workplace personality assessments but serve different purposes:
OCEAN (Big 5) provides a detailed, scientific measure of five personality dimensions.
DISC focuses more on communication and behavioural styles at work.
Many organisations use both to build a complete picture of an employee’s strengths.
How can OCEAN improve team development?
The test helps teams understand each member’s natural strengths and working style. For instance, a team with high extraversion may excel in brainstorming and client-facing roles, while those high in conscientiousness ensure structure and follow-through.
Can OCEAN be used for leadership development?
Yes. The OCEAN test is widely used in leadership training and executive coaching. It helps leaders understand their natural management style, improve emotional intelligence, and adapt their approach to better support their teams.
The reports will be just as useful for individuals, managers and small teams, as they are for the needs of larger organisations.
Can the OCEAN test be faked?
Since the OCEAN Big 5 measures broad behavioural traits, it is harder to fake than other personality tests. Most assessments also include built-in checks to detect inconsistent or biased responses.
Can OCEAN be used for high-volume recruitment?
Yes. The OCEAN test is highly effective in screening large candidate pools. Recruiters can quickly identify applicants who align with role requirements and company culture, saving time and resources.
Is OCEAN suitable for all job levels?
Yes. From entry-level roles to executive leadership, the OCEAN model provides valuable insights into workplace behaviour. It is particularly useful in leadership development, succession planning, and team alignment.