Why might Firefighters have to complete the FACET5 test?

You may have heard of the FACET5 test in recent Firefighter recruitment, but why might Firefighters have to complete the FACET5 test?

In short, the FACET5 test is one of the most modern and advanced personality tests around today. It provides a straightforward framework for assessors to measure your personality.

Similar to other psychometric tests it’s a multiple choice format, and you’ll have 15-20 minutes to complete it. You’ll be asked to indicate how much you agree, or disagree, with a statement.

Through this, your behaviours, motivations and attitudes can be examined, and the recruitment panel can get a clear view of how you would fit into and cope with the Firefighter role, and what your potential as  a Firefighter could be.

Why do Firefighters have to complete the Faucet 5 Tests? Or any Personality Test?

The number of Firefighters experiencing stress and mental health issues has increased exponentially in recent years. This is understandable, as it’s an incredibly challenging job, and you will inevitably have to deal with difficult situations which affect you mentally.

However, although the Fire Service is supportive of mental health and stress issues, the fact remains that having a Firefighter panic in the middle of a dangerous situation, or refuse to co-operate with their team, could be a disaster. It could be incredibly dangerous both to the rest of their crew and the safety of the public.

This is where personality tests can help in determining a candidate’s mental resilience and character.

In addition, there are far, far more applicants than roles available, and the selection process is lengthy and intense. Putting the wrong candidate through this process, only for them to decide that the career isn’t right for them, is not only a waste of time and resources, but can deny another, more suitable candidate the opportunity.

What does the FACET5 involve?

FACET5 is based on five ‘dimensions’ of personality – your openness to experience, how conscientious you are, whether you’re extroverted or introverted, how agreeable you are and how ‘neurotic’ or highly-strung you are!

The test looks at looks at how much of a trait you possess, as opposed to other kinds of test who tend to label you as a ‘type’.

FACET5 measures people on these five factors, or ‘facets’! Everyone has some of each of the factors in their personality, and the pattern of scores in each area builds an overall picture of your personality for the assessors.

The areas you’ll be measured in are:

Your profile will show a score of 1-10 on each FACET factor, as well as providing other useful insights into your personality and what this shows about your suitability for the role.

These can include:

Family Portrait

The test divides the possible patterns into 17 ‘families’ of similar profiles. For instance, your traits could point to you being more of a ‘Supporter’, a ‘Chameleon’’ or a ‘Controller’. This can be really helpful in showing how you might interact with others, or the role you would naturally play in a team situation.

Review of Competence

This shows where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and will be measured against a list of behaviours that can affect your performance on the job. These could include your communication style, leadership qualities and initiative.

Guide to Leading

This section is useful for those who will be managing you in your new role. It can help your manager see how they can best motivate and inspire you, and how to get the best out of you to ensure you’re engaged and invested in your job.

Work Preferences

This report identifies what drives a person, showing which elements of the role are most likely to appeal to them, and vice versa! It also looks at how much you want to influence those around you, whether you’re process-oriented, and how much feedback and praise you might need to feel valued as an employee.

Remember, with personality tests there aren’t any right or wrong answers as such – they’re there to help you and the recruitment team establish your suitability for the role.

It’s best to be honest, and try to go with your first instinct when answering the questions!