> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.equip.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Why Psychometric Tests Don't Have a Score

> Psychometric results describe personality, not skill, so they are deliberately unscored. Here is how to read them instead.

Equip offers two standardized psychometric evaluations: **DISC** and **OCEAN (Big Five)**. Unlike a quiz or coding test, a psychometric test does not produce a percentage or a pass mark. This page explains why, and how to interpret the results instead.

## Why There Is No Score

Psychometric tests are **subjective tests**: they measure personality traits, not skills. There are no correct answers, so there is nothing to grade.

Consider a typical question: "Do you agree that you are more creative than analytical?" Neither answer is right or wrong. The answer you prefer depends entirely on the role you are hiring for.

| Role needs                                       | Preferred answer |
| ------------------------------------------------ | ---------------- |
| Creative thinking (design, content, marketing)   | Yes              |
| Analytical thinking (data, finance, engineering) | No               |

Because there are no points to award, psychometric tests behave differently from every other test type:

* They carry **no numerical score** on the results page.
* You cannot assign them a **weightage**, so they are excluded from the [Overall Assessment Score](/test-scores-and-overall-score).
* They have **no time limit** for candidates.

<Note>
  Psychometric tests are standardized: you cannot add, edit, or select their questions, and the questions are not randomized. If you want a scored personality-style questionnaire with your own questions and points, build a [Custom Test](/custom-tests) instead.
</Note>

## Reading Psychometric Results

Instead of a score, each candidate's results page shows a **personality graph** summarizing where they fall on each trait.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the candidate's results">
    From the assessment results page, open the candidate whose psychometric results you want to review.
  </Step>

  <Step title="View the personality graph">
    The psychometric test shows a graph of the candidate's traits rather than a score.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Hover over each trait">
    Hover on the graph to see a description of each trait and how to interpret the candidate's position on it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The traits shown depend on which test the assessment includes:

| Test                 | Traits measured                                                       | Length                         |
| -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------ |
| **DISC**             | Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness                   | 24 questions, about 12 minutes |
| **OCEAN (Big Five)** | Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism | 50 questions, about 25 minutes |

<Tip>
  Read psychometric results against the role, not against other candidates. Decide first which traits matter for the position, then look for candidates whose profile matches. A sample full report is available on [Equip's psychometric test page](https://equip.co/test-types/psychometric-personality-tests-disc-and-ocean-for-hiring-and-recruitment).
</Tip>

<Warning>
  Do not use psychometric results as an automatic filter or cutoff. They describe working style and temperament; combine them with skill tests and interviews before making a decision.
</Warning>

## Testing Shortlisted Candidates Separately

Many teams run skill tests first and reserve the psychometric test for candidates who clear that bar. You can do this by inviting your shortlist to a second assessment.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Export your shortlist">
    On the results page of your skills assessment, open the **Shortlisted** tab and use **Export Results** to get the candidates' details.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a psychometric assessment">
    Create a new assessment containing only the psychometric test (DISC or OCEAN).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Invite the shortlisted candidates">
    Invite them by pasting comma-separated email addresses or uploading a CSV.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Related Resources

* [Psychometric Tests](/psychometric-tests) - What DISC and OCEAN are and how to add them to an assessment
* [Test Scores and Overall Score](/test-scores-and-overall-score) - How weightages combine scored tests into one number
* [Grading Tests](/grading-tests) - Which test types are auto-graded, manually graded, or unscored
* [Custom Tests](/custom-tests) - Build your own questions when standardized content does not fit