Integrity Test: What It Measures and How to Prepare

An integrity test is a pre-employment questionnaire that tries to estimate how likely you are to behave honestly and dependably at work. Retailers, banks, security firms, healthcare providers, transport companies and public safety agencies use them, often early in the process, to screen large numbers of applicants. In the UK they are less common as stand-alone tests and more often built into wider personality questionnaires or situational judgment tests.

This page explains the two main types, what they measure, why consistency matters more than any single answer, and how to prepare without trying to game them. You will not find "correct answers" here, because there are none for most items. You will find worked examples of each item type and a few situational questions where one option is clearly best.

What an integrity test measures

The US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government's HR agency, describes an integrity test as a type of personality test that assesses how likely an applicant is to behave honestly and reliably. According to OPM:

  • Low integrity scores are associated with counterproductive work behaviors, such as theft, violence, sabotage, disciplinary problems and absenteeism.
  • Integrity tests overlap with standard personality measures, mainly conscientiousness, and to a lesser degree emotional stability and agreeableness.
  • They also predict overall job performance, largely because of that link with conscientiousness.
  • Combined with a cognitive ability test, they add substantial incremental validity, meaning the two together predict performance better than either alone.
  • Score differences between sex, racial and ethnic groups are generally small or absent, which is one reason employers use them alongside cognitive tests.

OPM also notes a correlation with age: younger applicants tend to score as slightly more likely to show counterproductive behavior. That does not mean young candidates fail, but it is a reason to take the test seriously.

Overt versus personality-based integrity tests

Overt (clear-purpose) tests

Overt tests measure attitudes toward dishonesty directly. They ask what you think about theft, rule breaking or drug use, how common you think it is, how it should be punished, and sometimes whether you have done it yourself. OPM points out that because the purpose is obvious, the socially desirable answer is easy to guess, and it advises that scores be interpreted with caution because of faking.

Typical content areas:

  • Attitudes to theft and its punishment
  • Beliefs about how common dishonesty is
  • Admissions of past behavior (taking items, lateness, substance use)
  • Rationalizations ("everyone does it", "the company can afford it")

Personality-based (disguised-purpose) tests

Personality-based tests do not mention honesty directly. They measure traits such as dependability, rule-following, self-control, conscientiousness and how you respond to frustration, using ordinary personality statements. The integrity score is derived from the pattern. Because the purpose is less obvious, they are harder to manipulate, but applicants can find some items irrelevant or intrusive; OPM notes that integrity tests in general can have low face validity.

Many modern tests mix both styles, and some vendors build integrity scales into longer workplace personality questionnaires. For background on how such questionnaires work, see our guide to understanding personality assessments.

Why consistency matters

Integrity tests rarely judge you on one item. They look at patterns:

  • Repeated content. The same idea is asked several times in different words. Answering "strongly agree" to one version and "disagree" to another suggests careless or strategic responding.
  • Virtue scales. Items such as "I have never taken anything that did not belong to me, not even a pen" are designed so that almost nobody can honestly agree. A string of perfect answers can flag the profile as unrealistically positive.
  • Comparison with norms. Scores are compared with a reference group of real applicants, not with an ideal person.

That is why "just give the right answer" is poor advice. A thoughtful, consistent, honest profile is what scores well.

Worked examples of item types

These are our own illustrative items with what they measure. They are not taken from any commercial test.

Example 1: attitude to theft (overt)

"Most people would take something from work if they were sure they would not be caught." Rated from strongly disagree to strongly agree.

What it measures: beliefs about how common dishonesty is. This is a classic overt-test theme: the idea is that people who see dishonesty as normal find it easier to rationalize. Answer what you actually believe.

Example 2: punishment (overt)

"An employee who takes $20 from the till once should be given a second chance." Agree or disagree.

What it measures: how seriously you view rule breaking. There is no automatic right answer; you will see several items on this theme and the pattern matters more than any one response.

Example 3: admission (overt)

"In the past three years, about how often have you arrived late for work or school without a good reason?" Never, once or twice, several times, often.

What it measures: past reliability. Choosing "never" is fine if true. If it is not, an honest "once or twice" is ordinary and far less risky than an implausible record across many such items.

Example 4: conscientiousness (personality-based)

"I finish tasks even when they become boring." Rated on a five-point scale.

What it measures: dependability and persistence. Most people do this most of the time, but not always. Middle-to-high honest answers are normal.

Example 5: rule orientation (personality-based)

"Rules are there to be broken if they slow you down." Rated on a five-point scale.

What it measures: rule orientation and impulse control.

Example 6: virtue item

"I have never said anything unkind about another person."

What it measures: socially desirable responding. Almost nobody can truthfully agree. Disagreeing here is honest and expected.

Practice questions with a best answer

Some integrity tests, and many interviews that follow them, include situational items. Here, one option is clearly best.

Practice question 1

You work in a store. A colleague you like regularly gives free drinks to friends. Your manager has not noticed. What is the most appropriate action?

A. Ignore it, as it is only drinks B. Raise it with the colleague and, if it continues, tell the manager C. Start doing the same for your own friends D. Post about it in the staff group chat

Answer: B. It addresses the problem fairly and gives the colleague a chance to stop, while still protecting the business. A tolerates theft, C joins it, and D is unprofessional and likely to make things worse.

Practice question 2

You notice you were paid for eight hours you did not work. What should you do?

A. Keep the money, since the error was the employer's B. Tell payroll or your manager and arrange to pay it back C. Wait to see if anyone notices D. Work eight unpaid hours later without saying anything

Answer: B. It is transparent and corrects the record. D may feel fair, but it hides the error and leaves the payroll records wrong.

Practice question 3

Your supervisor asks you to sign a safety checklist for equipment you did not inspect, because "it's always fine." What is the best response?

A. Sign it to keep the supervisor happy B. Inspect the equipment before signing, or explain you cannot sign for something you have not checked C. Sign it but write a smaller note saying you did not check D. Refuse and walk off the job

Answer: B. A signature is a statement of fact. Doing the inspection or declining politely protects people and you. A and C are falsification, and D is an overreaction.

Practice question 4

A customer accidentally leaves a wallet on the counter. What is the most appropriate action?

A. Keep it safe and follow the store's lost property procedure B. Take the cash and leave the wallet C. Leave it on the counter in case they come back D. Give it to the next customer who says it is theirs

Answer: A. It protects the owner's property and follows procedure. C risks theft by someone else, and D does not check ownership.

How to prepare honestly

  1. Read the instructions. Note whether you must answer every item and whether there is a time limit.
  2. Answer as you are at work, not as you are at your best moment. Think of a typical week.
  3. Avoid extremes unless they are true. Constant "strongly agree" on every positive statement looks unrealistic.
  4. Stay consistent. If an item looks familiar, it probably is. Answer it the same way you did before.
  5. Do not overthink. Your first honest reaction is usually more consistent than a calculated one.
  6. Rest. Fatigue causes careless, inconsistent answers.
  7. Expect follow-up. Some employers ask about your answers in the interview. Our guide to situational interview questions helps you prepare for scenario questions.

Integrity measures also show up in public safety selection. Police and corrections applicants often meet them as part of the wider screening process; see our guides to the police psychological exam and the correctional officer test.

Common mistakes

  • Trying to look flawless. Virtue items are built to catch this.
  • Answering differently to similar items. Inconsistency can invalidate your result.
  • Rushing. Many items are short, and careless reading leads to answers you did not intend.
  • Using "answer keys" found online. Commercial integrity tests are scored against norms and scale combinations that such lists cannot reproduce.
  • Ignoring the rest of the process. An integrity test is usually one step among several, alongside aptitude tests and interviews.

To prepare for the aptitude tests that often come in the same application, try the free practice tests on our main site.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an integrity test?

It is a pre-employment questionnaire that estimates how likely you are to behave honestly and reliably at work. The US Office of Personnel Management describes it as a type of personality test linked to counterproductive behaviors such as theft, absenteeism and rule breaking.

What is the difference between overt and personality-based integrity tests?

Overt or clear-purpose tests ask directly about attitudes to dishonesty and your own past behavior, such as theft. Personality-based tests measure broader traits like conscientiousness and do not make their purpose obvious.

Can you fail an integrity test?

Employers usually set a cutoff or use the score as one input alongside interviews and other tests. A low score or an inconsistent profile can end an application, so read every item carefully and answer honestly.

Can you fake an integrity test?

Faking is a known concern, especially on overt tests, and test designers respond with consistency checks and items that detect exaggerated virtue. Trying to look perfect often produces a profile that stands out for the wrong reasons.

How long does an integrity test take?

It depends on the test and the employer. Many are short online questionnaires, but there is no standard length. Your invitation or the start screen will tell you how long to allow.

About the author

Ingmar van Maurik is a specialist in test and interview preparation who helps candidates perform better in recruitment processes.

References