JobEQ - The best tool to know people
Why “good on paper” isn’t enough anymore
In business, leadership, or career development, we often try to answer the same question in different forms:
Who is this person?
What drives them?
Why do they act this way?
Can they grow, lead, or change?
Traditional tools rarely give reliable answers.
CVs show presentation, not reality — and today there are countless articles, templates, and AI tools that help candidates tailor a CV perfectly to a job post. The result: a polished match on paper that makes it hard to see what’s true and what’s just good packaging.
Interviews don’t go deep enough. First impressions, likeability, and well‑rehearsed answers can blur judgement.
Generic personality tests oversimplify complex behaviour, put people into boxes, and often miss how someone actually performs in specific work contexts.
What we need is a way to see how a person thinks, decides, and takes action in real situations — the patterns that predict fit, motivation, and performance over time.
JobEQ is a diagnostic system designed to answer those questions precisely and objectively, with real business value. It doesn’t label people or offer vague typologies. Instead, it maps the cognitive and motivational patterns that drive behaviour at work — the underlying logic behind decisions, stress responses, engagement, and growth.
Who is this person?
What drives them?
Why do they act this way?
Can they grow, lead, or change?
Traditional tools rarely give reliable answers.
CVs show presentation, not reality — and today there are countless articles, templates, and AI tools that help candidates tailor a CV perfectly to a job post. The result: a polished match on paper that makes it hard to see what’s true and what’s just good packaging.
Interviews don’t go deep enough. First impressions, likeability, and well‑rehearsed answers can blur judgement.
Generic personality tests oversimplify complex behaviour, put people into boxes, and often miss how someone actually performs in specific work contexts.
What we need is a way to see how a person thinks, decides, and takes action in real situations — the patterns that predict fit, motivation, and performance over time.
JobEQ is a diagnostic system designed to answer those questions precisely and objectively, with real business value. It doesn’t label people or offer vague typologies. Instead, it maps the cognitive and motivational patterns that drive behaviour at work — the underlying logic behind decisions, stress responses, engagement, and growth.
What is JobEQ?
JobEQ is a set of online psychometric assessments that go beyond surface impressions to measure how people think, evaluate situations, and take action in real work settings.
It’s not a personality test — there are no simplistic labels or “types.” Instead, JobEQ maps the cognitive patterns (how we process information) and motivational patterns (what drives us to act) that influence performance, relationships, and decision-making at work.
First introduced in Belgium in 2000, JobEQ is now available in more than 17 languages and is one of the few assessments that adapts results to cultural differences between countries.
The JobEQ system combines three complementary tools:
It’s not a personality test — there are no simplistic labels or “types.” Instead, JobEQ maps the cognitive patterns (how we process information) and motivational patterns (what drives us to act) that influence performance, relationships, and decision-making at work.
First introduced in Belgium in 2000, JobEQ is now available in more than 17 languages and is one of the few assessments that adapts results to cultural differences between countries.
The JobEQ system combines three complementary tools:
iWAM — Inventory of Work Attitude and Motivation
- Measures 48 metaprograms that shape how a person perceives situations, communicates, and stays motivated.
- Identifies what energises someone and what drains them.
- Reveals how they approach problems, goals, and collaboration.
VSQ — Values Systems Questionnaire
- Identifies a person’s core values and preferred work culture.
- Highlights what keeps them committed and engaged in the long term.
- Shows potential alignment — or misalignment — with a company’s culture and mission.
COMET — Competency Motivation Evaluation Tool (optional)
- Evaluates the likelihood of applying specific competencies in real workplace situations.
- Predicts whether a skill seen in training or an interview will show up consistently on the job.
We’ll cover each of these tools in depth in a separate guide. For now, let’s look at where JobEQ makes the biggest difference
Used together, these tools create a multi-layered profile of how a person functions — not just what they know or how they present themselves, but how they actually operate in a work environment.JobEQ is a set of online psychometric tools that measure how people think, evaluate situations, and take action. It’s not a personality test. It doesn’t label people. It maps out the cognitive and motivational patterns that influence behavior in real work settings.
Used together, these tools create a multi-layered profile of how a person functions — not just what they know or how they present themselves, but how they actually operate in a work environment.JobEQ is a set of online psychometric tools that measure how people think, evaluate situations, and take action. It’s not a personality test. It doesn’t label people. It maps out the cognitive and motivational patterns that influence behavior in real work settings.
What Is It Used For?
JobEQ is applied in any situation where surface-level understanding isn’t enough and decisions need to be based on clear, objective insights into how people think, decide, and stay motivated.
Here are the main areas where it delivers measurable value:
Here are the main areas where it delivers measurable value:
1. Recruiting — Hire for Attitude, Not Just Skills
Selecting the wrong person can be costly for both results and team morale. Traditional interviews and CV reviews can’t reliably reveal a person’s motivational drivers or thinking style — and yet these are often the factors that determine long-term success.
By integrating iWAM and VSQ into your hiring process, you can:
This approach moves hiring away from guesswork and towards evidence-based decisions that save time, money, and reduce turnover.
By integrating iWAM and VSQ into your hiring process, you can:
- Identify candidates whose mindset and values align with the role and company culture.
- Predict how they will approach problems, relationships, and change.
- Build a Model of Excellence based on your top performers and compare candidates against it.
This approach moves hiring away from guesswork and towards evidence-based decisions that save time, money, and reduce turnover.
2. Management — Lead With Precision
Managing people effectively means understanding not just their skills, but how they’re wired to work.
With JobEQ insights, managers can:
With JobEQ insights, managers can:
- Use the exact language and triggers that motivate each person.
- Assign tasks that align with natural strengths.
- Anticipate and address performance challenges before they escalate.
3. Cultural Management — Navigating Change and Integration
When two companies merge, or when cultural transformation is needed, hidden differences in values and thinking styles can derail success.
The iWAM and VSQ questionnaires can:
With the COMET tool, you can also measure whether employees are demonstrating the behaviours needed for the new environment.
The iWAM and VSQ questionnaires can:
- Detect cultural differences within and between teams.
- Assess how consistent your current culture is with the desired one.
- Highlight where adjustments in leadership or communication will make change smoother.
With the COMET tool, you can also measure whether employees are demonstrating the behaviours needed for the new environment.
4. Teambuilding — Turning Differences Into Strengths
High-performing teams are rarely made of identical people. Success comes from complementary differences — if they are understood and managed well.
JobEQ helps:
JobEQ helps:
- Map out the motivational and cognitive diversity within a team.
- Spot where people’s natural styles complement or conflict.
- Provide tailored coaching to strengthen collaboration and resolve tensions.
5. Job Seeking — Find the Role That Truly Fits
For individuals, JobEQ can be a compass for making better career choices.
It helps job seekers:
It helps job seekers:
- Avoid roles that will lead to boredom or frustration.
- Identify opportunities aligned with current career goals and future aspirations.
- Understand their own motivators and decision-making patterns to choose environments where they can thrive.
Metaprograms: How JobEQ Reads the Mind
At the core of the iWAM tool are metaprograms — cognitive filters first identified in the 1970s within NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) by Richard Bandler and John Grinder. Originally used to study how people process information and communicate, these patterns were later adapted and refined for workplace assessment. They shape how we see the world, what we pay attention to, and how we respond.
These patterns influence everything from decision-making to motivation. For example:
The iWAM assessment measures 48 distinct metaprograms — not through vague self-reporting, but through linguistic modelling and structured ranking, based on the LAB Profile method and refined with modern cognitive science.
Unlike many tests, JobEQ doesn’t label patterns as good or bad. It simply shows what is present, how strong each pattern is, and how those patterns interact with the surrounding environment.
This makes it possible to understand not only what someone can do, but also how they are most likely to approach their work and relationships.
These patterns influence everything from decision-making to motivation. For example:
- Do you focus more on problems to solve or goals to achieve?
- Do you prefer clear rules or flexibility?
- Do you act immediately or take time to reflect first?
- Are you energised by people, tools, systems, or ideas?
- Do you look for many options or follow established procedures?
The iWAM assessment measures 48 distinct metaprograms — not through vague self-reporting, but through linguistic modelling and structured ranking, based on the LAB Profile method and refined with modern cognitive science.
Unlike many tests, JobEQ doesn’t label patterns as good or bad. It simply shows what is present, how strong each pattern is, and how those patterns interact with the surrounding environment.
This makes it possible to understand not only what someone can do, but also how they are most likely to approach their work and relationships.
One unique feature of JobEQ is that it can also reveal a person’s “alarm of change” — the inner need for transformation. For some people it rings after only a year, for others only after decades. Knowing your own “alarm” can prevent serious career mistakes and help recognise burnout long before others notice it.
By uncovering these deeper motivational and thinking patterns, JobEQ turns what is often guesswork into clear, practical insight. It allows you to see not only what a person can do, but how they are likely to approach challenges, relationships, and opportunities in their work.
Whether used for hiring, coaching, or developing teams, this understanding becomes a powerful tool for building workplaces where people can truly perform at their best.
