Frequently Asked Questions about PREP™ Personality Profiles and CORE™ Reports

myCORE Personality

PREP Personality Profile Systems has developed one of the most accurate and cross-culturally non-biased personality tests available, and you can help us to keep it that way! Our personality tests are based on research and surveys conducted over a span of twenty-five + years, but the work is never done. In order to stay current, we continually administer surveys to confirm the accuracy of our tests and better understand the personality factor across our globe.

• Who matches what kind of job best?
• How does stress impact personality?
• Does personality change with age?
• Do people from different cultures have substantially different personality traits and factors?
• Is the language in the personality test positive and not a culturally biased set of words or phrases?

When it comes to understanding your personality, we’ll never settle for outdated methods. You shouldn’t either.

Yes! Absolutely free. There is no charge to you. All we are asking is that you spend 5-7 minutes of your time to complete the survey. Your personal data is confidential. We are serious about being respectful and grateful for your time and won’t fill your email boxes with unwanted marketing.

The PREP survey is a simple, non-threatening questionnaire that is quick to complete. There are no right or wrong answers. You cannot fail!

No! We understand and appreciate your right to privacy. The PREP Research Team will protect your data, not sell to another party, nor identify any individual responses in the analysis of the study. For further details check out our Privacy Policy or contact us.

The survey was designed for the Internet Explorer browser. If you are using a different browser we apologize for any variations of screen displays. We are constantly are working to improve browser compatibility.

The survey is available in English - Chinese - German - Spanish -French or Thai. The reports are in English and have been translated fully into Mandarin Chinese and German. The professional version offers key charts in Spanish, French and Thai, as well.

General Questions about the PREP™ Personality Profile System

A common-language personality system offers groups and companies comprehensive programs that takes full advantage of developing peoples' strengths and talents: from training to team development to career promotion to organizational planning and customer service--in the end, building greater trust and rapport and understanding each other both day-to-day and our potentials.

No other system available today offers you more insight, better value or an easier avenue to understand people. Call us today to talk to our PREP professional team to see how we can help resolve your people issues.

• Assessing individual styles for current and prospective employees, teams, supervisors and succession planning.
• Helps managers, team members and HR professionals understand behavioral styles.
• An integrated recruitment system—from benchmarking positions and roles to hiring the best-match, then coaching the difficult situations.
• Increase customer satisfaction through placing your people in positions that will best be able to handle your various customer situations: by matching round pegs to round holes, your customers will recognize they are important enough for you to do things 'right'.
• Build the leadership pipeline, as well as strengthen the team interactions: trust, improve communications and productivity.

The myCORE series allows ice-breaker and introductory level assessment and interaction, measuring your native or Natural Style personality. The Personal Strengths Profile offers the subscale version for CORE and PREP's full Personlaity style plus your current motivation, first impression, long-term stress and energy measurements.

When the PSP is administered properly the chances of the survey being manipulated are greatly reduced. It would be virtually impossible for a psychological or behavioral profile to be completely foolproof.

However, PSP has taken several steps to safeguard against such a situation:

• Surveys are administered by certified professionals.
• Eighth grade and simpler words are used, leading to less difficulty and stress in the process.
• The adjectives were chosen specifically for their subtle measurement of their associated traits. There are also counter trait words that provide a "check" for the survey.
• The survey results are validated or corrected by the individual immediately for appropriate and accurate interpretation of the PSP. This helps reduce the temptation to "cheat".
• The greatest chance of manipulation on any test occurs during low-trust situations -- a hiring interview, a promotion interview, a probation interview, etc. We recommend that the PSP be used in the final stages of interviewing when the candidate typically has a stronger confidence level, and will probably answer more honestly.

If the testing environment is disruptive in any way, there is a high probability the responses will not be as duplicable as when the testing environment is calm and unpressured. Additionally, there are individuals who are more environmentally sensitive than others. These people may note some variation on their profiles that is environment dependent. However, there will in all likelihood be consistencies within their profiles. Example: The adaptive personality type is often environmentally responsive. The profile width usually remains within one inch or less, even though the traits may fluctuate.

Yes! While there are many more natural talents than just those linked to personality, PREP’s assessments and reports help you understand how you can make the most of your natural talents and gifts. See our notes on your Personality Traits and take the free survey to experience the myCORE Introductory Self report for yourself!

By knowing what your people’s styles are, you'll be able to do a better job of:

• Probing for insight into applicants in interviewing and reference checking.
• Reinforcing team building on a daily basis.
• Enriching inter- and intra-departmental team communications.
• Matching customer needs.
• Evaluating current employees for alternate and leadership responsibilities.
• Monitoring ongoing employee morale, energy levels and stress levels.

Depending on your goals and needs, next steps could be:

• Continue to evaluate whether our service is a fit for your organization.
• Reserve a seat in the next regularly schedule training in your area.
• Schedule a consultation or training program for your company.
• Become a certified administrator for your company.
• Become a Licensed PREP Consultant for the PREP Profile System. Since every situation is different, the best approach is to contact us. In one conversation we can review your needs and assist in establishing your next step!

Research

The cost of turnover is an elusive figure that can sabotage your bottom line without you ever seeing it. Calculating its dollars-and-cents impact isn't that exact, but those who have analyzed the effects of turnover say that as much as 80% of its cost is hidden.

There are a variety of estimates about the cost of turnover and its effect on various industries. Some studies indicate that labor turnover costs are between $10,000 and $20,000. A study of upper-level managers and executives estimated the average cost of turnover at 1.5 times the annual salary of the job. It also said that it took an average of 13.5 months for new employees to maximize their efficiency.

Other studies indicate that within the first 6 months of employment an organization will spend between $5,000 and $50,000 on every new employee.

What are the direct costs?

• Cost to advertise
• Cost of recruiting
• Salary or unrecoverable draw
• Employer tax contribution
• Insurance and benefits
• Cost of training programs

Additionally, the cost of your time...

• Writing employment ads
• Reviewing resumes
• Screening candidates
• Interviewing
• New employee orientation
• One on one training
• Time away from existing employees and other responsibilities

If the wrong people are hired...

• Cost of lost sales
• Missed opportunities
• Dissatisfied customers
• Low employee morale
• Having to go through the hiring process again

Using the PREP Job Benchmarking statistical process, a number of positions have been extensively analyzed over the past sixteen years. The following is a sampling:

• Accounting:  Bookkeeping, CPA’s, payroll
• Athletic Clubs:  Front desk, sales, aerobics instructors, general managers, back office, fitness instructors
• Banking:  Tellers, new accounts, branch managers, credit administrators, marketing, trust
• Car Dealerships:  Sales, sales managers, service, parts, administration
• Education:  Teachers, principals, special education, librarians, counselors
• High Tech - R & D:  Scientists, bench chemists, test engineers, design engineers, PhD’s, analytical chemists, programmers, computer specialists; both entrepreneurial and multinational firms represented
• Hotel - Restaurant:  Front desk, housekeeping, general managers, human resource directors, food servers, cooks, host staff, reservations, concierge, sales & catering
• Human Resources:  Directors, benefits administrators, interviewing specialists, generalists
• Land - Developers:  Contractors, land developers, real estate transactions, public relations, recreation specialists
• Legal:  Corporate attorneys, trail attorneys, legal assistants
• Manufacturing:  Supervisors, entry , leads, computerized systems, manual processes
• Medical Offices:  Front office staff, back office staff (clinics); hospital nurses, physical therapy, physicians, physician assistants, hospital and private clinic staffing, collections, filing
• Office:  Clerical, reception, customer service, filing, administrators
• Radio Media:  Sales, programming, sales managers, office managers
• Real Estate:  Sales, brokers, clerical
• Ski Resorts:  Lift operators, ticket collectors, information and guest services, cafeteria staff, managers, sales
• Social Services:  Counselors, social service staff, fund raisers, clerical
• Stock & Financial:  Brokers, office administrators, assistants
• Utilities:  Managers, line workers, night supervisors, office staff, engineers

Myers-Briggs: Of all the personality assessment instruments, The CORE Profile is most like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. The cross correlations in the initial validation and norming of the PSP were done with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Other than PSP's Natural Style Profile, there is not a great deal that is duplicated in the M-B instrument. The Stress profiles and overall stress to energy reserve (responsiveness) measurements are unique, as well as the First Impression Profile.

M-Bs scoring is not as simple; the words have not been normed for the eighth grade reading level. Statistically, PSP tests stronger internally and has fewer internal correlations than the M-B Type Indicator.

DiSC: The DiSC is a popular profile measuring the same four basic traits (quadrant model) that PREP does with its CORE traits. The DiSC survey words are from a college-level or greater vocabulary. The DiSC takes about twice as long to complete as the PREP does. The views of self measured in DiSC are covered by PREP with greater statistical reliability and more detail. The motivation, energy reserve, stress level measures are unique to PREP and are not covered in the DiSC instrument.

Birkman: The Birkman offers a color quadrant (corresponding to Implementer/Controlling, Administrator/Exacting, Planner/Relaxed, Communicator/Outgoing) with a “motivation” analysis, using 11 factors (empathy, change, etc). PREP uses color to highlight traits and counter traits, using opposite colors and reinforcing the key combinations by the appropriate color. Birkman colors do not correlate to PREP or to opposite traits. The Birkman is used in business for team building, coaching and some hiring, much like the PREP Personal Strengths Profile. The Birkman is significantly more complicated to administer, complete and interpret. Both the instrument and the certification training are substantially more expensive than PREP and require a greater time investment to become accomplished as an Administrator. Feedback from those who work with both the Birkman and PREP indicate that the PREP is much more practical, simpler to use and more straightforward in analysis than the Birkman. The PREP stress analysis and current motivation are unique and not covered in the Birkman instrument. The Birkman has unique measurements that PREP does not have, so both instruments may be used as complements to in-depth understanding of personality and motivation.

MMPI: The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is an extensive psychological profile that measures abnormalities within the personality. It is a clinical instrument that has high validity in detecting a great number of personality abnormalities. The instrument was normed for the abnormal population. The PSP should not be used in place of the MMPI in detecting abnormal personalities or behavioral preferences. The PSP was normed on a normal population and therefore should be used with individuals in the normal population range.

Strong Campbell: The Strong Campbell Interest Inventory indicates career preferences according to interests of individuals within those careers. The instrument has a strong database and gives a wide variety of careers to consider, but without regard to a person's specific personality type. Combining the Strong-Campbell with the PSP can give a strong picture of the optimal careers by superimposing the PSP career data base and matrix onto the Strong-Campbell results. Regardless of how sophisticated or comprehensive, no career inventory can take into account specific personal values an individual may have that may be key in job satisfaction and success!

Other Personality Profiles: The PSP's Natural Style will usually correlate strongly with other personality instruments based on either the Jungian or Hippocratic (Quadrant) personality trait preference models. PSP specifically combines these two models into one with the combination of traits along with problem-solving and communication styles.

Legal

EEOC sets clear guidelines for skills-based testing. Personality profiles do not have such specific standards. A personality profile is considered validated when statistical studies for internal correlations, cross correlations, reliability and other test constructs prove the instrument measures what it intends to measure. The PSP has met all those requirements with strong test reliability, consistency and validity in test/re-test situations.

When using PSP as a hiring tool, the instrument must be validated for the specific position by a relatively simple process of measuring and comparing top and lower performers' PSP scores and using the data that shows to be statistically significant.

The PREP Profile Systems Personal Strengths Profile has never been challenged in court. There have been cases of abnormal personality instruments (e.g. MMPI not PSP type surveys) being challenged in court. (e.g., 1989 California vs. state employees.)

The chances of the PSP being challenged in court are decreased when an administrator follows certain guidelines:

• Offers survey feedback to all those completing the survey
• Reassures those taking the survey that this is one of several tools used to evaluate them and will be considered valid only when the test-taker validates the results.

These measurements were not designed for evaluating psychological stress for court cases, but rather to be a tool for professionals that signal barriers to optimal personal productivity. PREP Profile Systems, Inc. does not recommend the use of PSP as an applied court test. Administrators are advised to use the stress indicators and subsequent interpretations as red-flag discussion areas and pursue further analysis using other instruments with substantial legal and medical documentation that would be specifically diagnostic for apparent symptoms.

When combined with other medical findings, the PSP appears to have a strong correlation in identifying depression and predicting the most successful approach to communicating treatment to patients. Medical validation studies are in progress currently and will continue to be conducted in the future.

Tech Support

There are 2 ways to take the survey: For individuals who have not been certified or are not taking the profile through a PREP Certified Administrator, you can click here to take myCORE reports. This allows you to take the PREP Survey and receive simple, easy-to-understand reports to improve your personal communcations and career decisions.

Through our Professional Certification program, email links are sent out to clients and staff. It is easy! They simply click and take the survey. Your Certified PREP Administrator manages the report selection and distribution system. To become a Certified PREP Administrator, click here to contact PREP.

For questions regarding profiles, you can contact your Certified PREP Administrator or Licensed Professional Consultant directly or you can reach us at (541) 382-1401. You can also email your inquiry.

Our Professional Certified Administrators can reach our technical support at (541) 382-1401 or via email to resolve Technical Support issues. We are prompt! And no issue is unimportant to us.