In today's workplace the value of soft skills has never been more pronounced. Employers increasingly recognize that technical expertise alone is insufficient for success; instead, they seek individuals who possess a diverse range of soft skills, from communication and collaboration to adaptability and emotional intelligence. 

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As organizations prioritize these attributes in their hiring processes, the need for effective tools to assess and enrich soft skills has become a must have. 

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However, if you're constantly relying on personality assessment tests and feeling that you are missing out on some profond details, particularly on soft skills, it may be time to adopt a new strategy!

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On this subject we've already explained why Rising Up doesn't use the MBTI. What's more, we've announced the creation of our top-notch training environment for testing people's core skills. 

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This is precisely why in this article, we compare two prominent assessment methodologies: the Eysenck personality inventory (EPI) , a widely recognized tool for measuring personality traits, with the Soft Skill Scan, our brand new soft skills assessment tools. 

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While both aim to evaluate an individual's readiness for the workforce, we explore why the Soft Skill Scan emerges as the best choice in today's dynamic professional environment on methods for assessing soft skills.

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What is the Eysenck personality inventory?

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The Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) is a personality questionnaire designed to assess personality traits, based on the psychological theories of Hans Eysenck (1964). 

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There are various versions of the Eysenck Personality Inventory, including the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), one of the most highly regarded. The EPQ consists of the following scales:

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• Extraversion-Introversion (E): extraversion is associated with extraversion, sociability and assertiveness, while introversion is associated with reflection and discretion. People with high Extraversion scores are often described as more energetic and sociable.

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• Neuroticism-Stability (N): Neuroticism reflects emotional stability or instability. People with high Neuroticism scores may experience emotional instability, anxiety and mood swings, while those with low scores tend to be calmer and more emotionally balanced.

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• Psychoticism-Superego (P): Originally, the P scale reflected the dimension of psychoticism, which included characteristics such as aggressiveness, impulsivity and rigidity. In later versions, this dimension was expanded to include a measure of superego, representing social conformity and conscientiousness.

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How Eysenck Personality Inventory works?

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The Eysenck Personality Inventory has been adapted and modified over the years, and several versions exist, such as the EPQ-R (revised) and the EPQ-R Short Form. 

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Respondents generally answer a series of questions or statements about themselves as this example below :

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The scores obtained on each scale give an indication of the individual's personality traits, according to Eysenck's theory.

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It covers three key traits: extraversion-introversion, neuroticism-stability and psychoticism-superego. But the catch is that it only offers “yes” or “no” answers, with 57 questions for each trait. Although it claims to give a complete picture of your personality, the simplicity of the choices doesn't always allow you to grasp its full complexity. 

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This approach risks overlooking the subtleties that make you a unique individual. It's a bit like trying to sum up your whole personality with a simple binary code - and when you want to stand out from the crowd, that's pretty annoying, don't you think? 

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The 4 main limitations of the Eysenck personality inventory

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Although it has been widely used in psychological research and clinical settings, it has also been the subject of criticism and controversy:

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1. Reliability

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Some criticism has focused on the statistical methods used in the development and validation of the test, in particular, as to the suitability of some of the statistical techniques used in its design.

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Although he identifies these factors, the fundamental reasons behind them are unclear. For example, there is no clear theoretical basis for why attributes such as carefreeness or talkativeness are associated with extraversion in this inventory.

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In addition, some of this work has recently come under critical scrutiny, particularly with regard to allegations of data rigging in his model of smoking and morbidity, produced between the 1960s and 1980s.

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2. The personality

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Personality is a complex, multi-faceted trait. Eysenck's personality inventory simplifies personality into three basic dimensions, but fails to take into account the complexities of human nature. 

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It may fail to capture the full spectrum of an individual's personality, neglecting other important aspects such as emotional intelligence, communication, leadership, innovation and operational effectiveness. 

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As a result, by making very little use of the individual values, professional or personal experiences that contribute to an individual's uniqueness, this inventory does not provide accurate access to his or her level of soft skill.

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3. Cross-cultural applicability

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The Eysenck Personality Inventory was originally developed and standardized in the UK, and some researchers have raised concerns about its applicability and validity in various cultural contexts. 

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Indeed, a number of studies have taught us that cultural differences can have a significant impact on the interpretation and applicability of these assessments. 

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For example, what is considered assertiveness in one culture may be perceived as aggressiveness in another. 

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For this reason, critics argue that the instrument may not be equally valid in all cultural contexts, or that it should include assessments sensitive to these cultural variations.

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4. Static evaluation 

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The Eysenck personality inventory generally offers a static snapshot of personality traits at a specific point in time. 

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Soft skills, on the other hand, are dynamic and can evolve over time with experience, learning and professional development. A static assessment may not accurately reflect the growth or changes in a person's soft skills. 

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Nor can one track the evolution of one's soft-skills over time.

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So what's the best way to identify and develop soft skills?

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The solution is…

The Soft Skill Scan!

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What is the Soft Skill Scan?

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The soft skills scan is a tool or assessment designed to evaluate a person's soft skills.

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These encompass the so-called "non-technical" skills that individuals develop throughout their lives and which impact their performance. This includes the quality of their interactions in various social contexts.

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Soft skills tests are developed in our R&D centre and are inspired by laboratory tests in cognitive sciences, covering a wide range of skills.

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Why should you use the Soft Skill Scan?

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Rising Up has created and integrated a soft skills analysis tool into an intelligent platform: THE LAB. This tool enables us to obtain crucial information by identifying soft skills at both an individual and group level.

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For higher education institutions, it allows: 

1. identify the soft-skills deficiencies of their students for a given degree, in order to adjust their teaching programs.
2. Promote student employability and better match the skills needs of companies and recruiters. 

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For companies:

1. Udentify the soft skills of their employees, so as to determine their strengths and areas for improvement, and thus enrich the skills of their talent.
2. Create more harmonious teams, as they complement each other not only on the technical side, but also on the more human side, thus contributing to overall performance.

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How does the Soft Skill Scan work?

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While the EPI is a personality assessment tool that categorizes individuals into 3 personality traits, the soft skills scan focuses on 25 crucial skills identified as indispensable for entering the job market.

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The soft skills scan analyzes whether an individual has the right level of soft skills for his or her sector and profession. The test measures personal attributes and interpersonal skills that influence productivity in the workplace and the quality of social relations.

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What's more, the tool not only provides a snapshot of a given state, but is already able to prompt individuals to change their behavior, offering personalized recommendations in 25 areas such as:

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3 main differences between EPI and The Soft Skill Scan

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When evaluating the best soft skills test, there are 3 main differences:

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1. Reliability and validity on soft skills

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The Soft Skill Scan has proven to be reliable and valid, unlike the Eysenck Personality Inventory, which is based solely on personality traits.

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After five years of research and development, Rising Up offers a precise solution for identifying and developing essential cognitive skills. 

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Our innovative digital learning platform, THE LAB., uses cognitive science knowledge to assess specific cognitive aspects such as attention span, flexibility, risk tolerance, communication, perseverance and innovation, and then works to improve it.

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2. A framework applicable to professional careers

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Eysenck's model tends to classify individuals into extreme binary categories (e.g. introvert or extrovert, stable or neurotic), which oversimplifies the complexity of the human personality and is far removed from the needs of professional skills. 

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The Soft Skill Scan, on the other hand, is designed to provide a more nuanced and granular analysis of soft skills, enabling a better understanding of the subtleties and strengths of each competency.  That's why the results you get after completing the Soft Skill Scan can be used to improve employability and increase career opportunities.  

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If you'd like to find out more about soft skills, you can find all the information here.

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‍3. A fun and engaging learning experience

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‍While the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) sticks to a basic yes/no format with 57 questions, Rising Up's Soft Skill Scan incorporates quizzes, GIFs and interactive videos for a more engaging and effective experience. 

This dynamic approach not only enrich engagement, but also transforms the assessment process into an enjoyable and immersive learning experience. The use of multimedia elements allows individuals to connect to the assessment on a more interactive level, fostering a deeper understanding of their soft skills. 

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And so much more!

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Discover the top 25 soft (fundamental) skills we need to master in 2024.

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And try out your 15-minute demo by simply sending us a message to hello@risinguparis.com

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Warning: The Soft Skill Scan is not intended to replicate or replace the EPI test, as the two tests follow different methodologies, while providing different value. Both tests help individuals become aware of their talents, strengths and what makes them unique. Rising Up does not question or diminish the value of these tests and encourages individuals to take both assessments. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at: hello@risinguparis.com

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