Accountability Test

Accountability tests are designed to assess how connected a candidate is to the requirements of the role they're applying for, and how likely they are to show discipline, ownership and integrity.

  • What is an accountability test?

    Accountability tests look at a series of different skills, beliefs and attributes in a bid to see how responsible a prospective employee is likely to be.

    Tests vary by provider, but typically candidates will be given a series of hypothetical scenarios and asked to select the answer options which, in their opinion, are most or least likely to resolve the issue at hand. This gives employers a good sense of the candidates' overall character, and how well their answers align with the vision, ethos and objectives of the company.

    Accountability tests are increasingly used as part of the recruitment process as they can be a really good indicator of an individual's character, and can help employers to determine whether they're likely to fit well into the role, team and overall business.

    To do well on an accountability test, a candidate needs to demonstrate how aligned they are to the vision of the company. They need to show evidence that they are comfortable with the responsibilities of the role, that they respect the overall ethos of the company, and that they understand what it takes to work with integrity and discipline.

Jump to a section on this page:

  1. What is an accountability test?
  2. Why should you use an accountability test for recruiting?
  3. How our test assesses accountability skills
  4. Accountability Test FAQs

About the Accountability Test

In an accountability test, a candidate may be assessed on how they handle mistakes, make difficult decisions when they are liable for results, and hold themselves accountable to a company’s mission and goals.

An accountability test can be a useful addition to the hiring process. Not only will it give richer insights about the candidates being considered, but it also helps prospective employers to assess people in a more objective way, and can bolster knowledge of different candidates' strengths and skills.

Try for free

  • Why should you use an accountability test for recruiting?

    Being accountable means being responsible for your decisions, behaviour and actions. An accountability test can help employers and recruiters to see whether a candidate is likely to deliver tangible results and take ownership of the decisions they make.

    These soft skills can be hard to effectively evaluate through more traditional recruitment processes such as reviewing resumes or interviews. By asking candidates to take an accountability test, employers get additional information that can aid the decision-making process.

    Accountable staff are responsible for their actions; they take constructive criticism, learn from their mistakes and are committed to achieving excellent results. So it really is an important characteristic to look for in prospective employees.

    Accountability tests can be used in a huge variety of roles, including:

    Accountability is so important, but it's often forgotten in the hiring process. Businesses with accountable staff are likely to have higher employee morale, progressive culture and better levels of productivity.

More Soft Skills Tests

Sample Accountability Test question

You are working in a product development team. Some of the team members are focused on developing ‘product X’ quickly, as they believe it is unnecessary to spend too much time on a product that has many successful competitors in the market.

You know that this lack of attention to detail will later lead to quality issues and unsatisfied customers, creating problems that can be easily avoided now if the team takes time to develop the project properly. You worry a rushed product will hurt both the reputation of your team and the company.

What would you do?

  • Share your concerns with the product team leader and propose a clear action plan for moving forward with the development of ‘product X’.

  • Track the decisions made by the team members that you disagree with and then monitor relevant metrics when the product is live to see if your predictions were accurate.

  • Talk to some of the team members, outlining the pros and cons of the actions taken so far, trying to persuade them to develop a better quality product.

  • Request a meeting with the product development director and suggest the product be reassigned.

Picked Sample Report

View a sample report

Results for the Accountability Test along with other assessments the candidate takes will be compiled to produce a candidate report. The report is automatically generated and available both online and as a downloadable pdf so they can be shared with other team members and employees alike.

Download sample report

How our test assesses accountability skills

In Picked's accountability test, candidates will need to answer a range of situational judgment questions that challenge a candidate’s competency in accountability. The test is designed to indicate how accountable the decisions a candidate makes are, which can then be compared to the scores of other applicants.

The test presents a scenario for the candidates to review before selecting what they believe to be the most and least effective actions to take in response. The other available options are mostly generic mistakes or misconceptions, which makes the test challenging and helps measure a candidate's ability more accurately.

During the development process, the test was rigorously analyzed to maximize reliability and validity in line with industry best practices. It was created and tested by psychometric experts, and designed to assess accountability in a sample of job applicants who have varying professional experience.

Each test is reviewed by a panel of individuals representing diverse backgrounds to check for any sensitivity, fairness, face validity and accessibility issues. This ensures each candidate has a fair chance of demonstrating their true level of expertise.

Our accountability test is monitored to ensure it is up-to-date and optimised for performance.

Try for free

Validated

Predictor of job success

Picked provides evidence-based recommendations for tests to use for over 750 jobs. Our recommendation engine leverages data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA).

Start

Access real assessments

Instant access to our full testing suite.

  • safebox icon

    Fully accredited

    All our Accountability tests are written by accredited psychologists and fully validated.

  • geometry icon

    For all levels

    We offer Accountability tests for all levels so you can assess all roles within your organisation.

Automate

Energize selection process

Streamline hiring with our out-of-the-box tools.

  • patent icon

    Smart automations

    Automated actions such as alerts and reminders ensure a smooth candidate experience.

  • bulb icon

    Instant results

    Receive candidate results in real-time so you can make decisions in hours, not days.

Hire

Make better hires

Improve hiring with bias-free, data-driven decisions.

  • notebook icon

    Analytics dashboard

    Our full array of candidate performance metrics will provide actionable data on each of your candidates.

  • laptop icon

    Candidate comparison

    Simple, easy-to-use candidate comparison reports mean you don’t need to be a psychologist to interpret them.

“We used Picked as part of our Finance Graduate Scheme recruitment and it was just what we needed – really simple to send candidates the link to complete and clear to see how they all compared. And great value for money!”
Christina, HR Director, Cancer Research, UK
Christina, HR Director, Cancer Research, UK
Accountability Test expert

Written by an Accountability Test expert

Our team of assessment experts is made up of I/O psychologists and psychometricians who are dedicated to making all of our tests as reliable, valid and fair as possible. They strictly adhere to best practices in the industry and stay on top of the latest innovations to ensure job candidates’ unique profiles of characteristics, abilities and knowledge are being measured accurately while minimising bias. They leverage decades of research and advanced predictive analytics to build assessments that link to outcomes that matter, such as job performance, turnover, engagement, culture fit and more.

“Personality profiling allowed us to perform lookalike modelling of our most successful employees and use this as a blueprint for new hires.”
Nick, HR Operations, Airbus, Spain
Nick, HR Operations, Airbus, Spain

Accountability Test FAQs

Is accountability a quality or skill?

Accountability can be viewed as both a quality and a skill. For many people it's intrinsic; for other people it takes work. But by demonstrating accountability, you show your employer that you're committed to the overall vision of your company or the company you're seeking to work for.

What's the difference between accountability and responsibility?

Accountability is about taking ownership of something, whether good or bad. Whereas responsibility can refer to a more defined set of objectives or requirements that you need to fulfil to meet the requirements of your role.

Can I try the test for free?

Yes. Simply sign up (no credit card is required) and we'll give you unlimited access for seven days. Create as many jobs and test as many candidates as you want; you won't be charged a penny.

What is the cost for Picked's accountability test?

Picked offers monthly or annual subscriptions for businesses of all sizes, so choose one that best fits your needs. You can also contact us to discuss the possibility of a custom plan suited to your specific needs. You can check out our subscription plans here.

“Focusing on data reduced the subjective decision making from our hiring process and allowed us to reduce bias and make better hiring decisions.”
Izzie, Head of HR, iZettle, Sweden
Izzie, Head of HR, iZettle, Sweden

Ready to try Picked?

Start building your dream team

Try for free