What Is the McQuaig Word Survey?
The McQuaig Word Survey is an increasingly popular tool for selection processes and screenings. This survey aids companies by detailing every aspect of a candidate’s personality as well as predicting their future behaviour. It specifically measures the following traits and influences:
->Authority
->Impact
->Obedience
->Stability
The Survey has a total of forty-two questions and is completed, on average, in fifteen minutes. Each question is structured as a brief statement. This statement must be evaluated, then ranked on how relatable it is. There is a five-point scale with “Strongly Agree” at one end and “Strongly Disagree” at the other.
The McQuaig Word Survey is recommended to those who want to manage their employees and understand them in the most effective way possible. This personality test goes beyond the others by providing management strategies and outlining an interview based on the answers.
How Is the McQuaig Word Survey Scored?
The McQuaig Word Survey doesn’t offer a definitive number as a score, but rather details multiple aspects of someone’s personality. Therefore, you cannot pass or fail this personality test. The report is broken down into three sections; each with their respective purposes. These three sections, described below, can be further segmented into ten total parts.
Understanding
The Understanding part of the score report is entirely focused on the candidate and their behaviour. It is meant to provide the administrator of the survey with insight into the mind and personality of the candidate. The information can be used at the discretion of the administrator whether it be for a job, training, or management. There are four sections making up the Understanding portion:
->Interpretation Report
The interpretation report details the strengths and weaknesses of the candidate. It will share some areas that need improvement and some suggestions to do so.
->Leadership Profile
A leadership profile is determined by the amount of authority someone may exert, how they communicate, and what they prioritise in a given situation. McQuaig identifies two types of leaders: the pioneer and the generalist. In the report, McQuaig will categorise which qualities the candidate possess aligns with these profiles.
->Profile
The profile section sits on a behaviour graph detailing a candidate’s reaction to situations and their equilibrium. It also describes the natural dispositions of candidates.
->Salesmanship
As the title discloses, this section is only applicable to salespeople. The Salesmanship section is focused on the candidate’s ability to bond with clients and influence their points of view.
Recruiting
The recruiting aspect of the score report was developed to be actively used by the administrators during interviews or other parts of the hiring process. There’s only one section of the recruiting section:
->Interview Questions
The Interview Questions section lists prominent characteristic traits and what questions will properly address these traits. This section also separates the positive and negative instances of these traits.
Management
The Management portion of the score report pays attention to how they respond to authority and effective supervision strategies. This section is essentially detailing the company’s role in their behaviour. Subsections of this segment include:
->Development
Here you will find tactics for cultivating the performance of a candidate based on their personality and profile. McQuaig also sets some expectations that the administrator should have of the candidate.
->Learning Approach
This is a guide for how to train a candidate during their initial couple of weeks. It demonstrates how to optimise time with the candidate to create and foster a productive environment.
->Motivate
These specify the driving factors of a candidate. This helps a supervisor understand how to incentivise their workers and determine how to fulfil their needs.
->Overview
This is the sum of the profile, graphs, and reports. McQuaig recommends referring to this part of the report frequently to effectively oversee a team and the individuals that make up that team.
->Teamwork
This is how a candidate works with his coworkers, in teams, and how they cooperate and contribute to projects.
Tips for the McQuaig Word Survey
The McQuaig Word Survey doesn’t have any right or wrong answers. However, because it can act as a deciding factor in the hiring or promotion process, it’s worth setting aside some time to prepare.
The most beneficial way to prepare for the Survey is by reviewing the company values. These can usually be located on the company website as pinnacles for their operation and success. By aligning yourself to these values you present yourself as a favorable candidate.
Another method of preparation that is strongly recommended is working through some of the statements and scenarios with friends or colleagues. Viewing certain qualities and situations from other’s perspectives may help you approach a problem more reasonably.
Finally, thinking of personal or professional examples of times when you have related to the company’s values. These examples resemble the themes present on the McQuaig Word Survey and will offer you the best insight. Best of luck!
