Comparison

Polaris Profile and Hogan, compared objectively

Hogan is an assessment suite from occupational psychology, sold through certified practitioners and usually commissioned by employers. Polaris is a written profile bought direct and read by the person it describes. This page compares the two factually.

Try Polaris for A$19.99
One-off payment. No subscription. Around 15 minutes.

Why look for an alternative to Hogan?

People searching for a Hogan alternative have often taken a Hogan assessment for a job application and never seen the full results, or have found that Hogan is sold through certified practitioners, with reports usually commissioned by employers rather than bought by the person assessed. Polaris Profile is a direct alternative: a written behavioural profile bought online for A$19.99, with no practitioner or certification involved, and a full sample profile to read first.

Side by side

The practical differences are about how each is bought and how the results reach you.

Hogan Assessments
The practitioner-sold suite

A three inventory suite

The Hogan Personality Inventory measures everyday strengths, the Hogan Development Survey measures derailment risks under pressure, and the Motives, Values, Preferences Inventory measures core drivers. Together they cover the bright side, the dark side and the inside of personality.

Selection focus

Designed and validated for employer selection and assessment programs rather than for the person being assessed.

Certified interpretation

Results are interpreted and fed back by certified practitioners. Certification programs typically cost several thousand dollars, and reports are ordered through certified users and consultancies.

Commissioned, not bought

Assessments are usually commissioned by an employer or consultancy rather than purchased by the person being assessed, and the reports may go to the organization first.

Polaris Profile
The individually written profile

One report about your working self

A single questionnaire of 25 sets of four statements produces a percentage mix of four colours, a precise map position, and a written profile covering strengths, blind spots and pressure patterns.

Written to be read by you

The report is generated from your answers and written to be fully understood by the person it describes, with no practitioner or debrief required to understand it.

Both sides included

Polaris describes how you come across at your best and where your preferences can work against you, in one rounded profile rather than separate instruments.

Public pricing

A$19.99, one-off, at launch, published on this site. Around 3,000 individually generated words, a PDF download, and a complete sample profile to read before you buy.

The design difference is simple: Hogan is commissioned to assess people and reported back through practitioners. Polaris is written for the person who answered, bought direct and read by them. A Polaris Profile gives you a document that belongs to you, whether or not you have been assessed elsewhere.

The details

Hogan Assessments Polaris Profile
Foundation Socioanalytic theory and decades of predictive validity research Jungian type theory, behavioural dimension theory and modern trait psychology
Model Three inventories: seven HPI scales, eleven HDS derailers, ten MVPI values Four colours, percentage mix and exact map coordinates
How you buy Through certified practitioners and consultancies, usually commissioned by an employer Directly online, today
Delivery Interpreted and fed back by a certified professional Self contained written report, read directly by you
Price Via certified users; individual reports typically run to hundreds of dollars, with certification in the thousands. See their website A$19.99 launch price, reduced from A$69.00, published openly
Report Scale scores with interpretive reports for selection, development or coaching Around 3,000 words generated from your answers, plus colour mix, facet detail and map position
Best suited to Selection programs run through certified practitioners Anyone who wants a written profile of how they work, individually or across a team

An honest guide to choosing

Choose Hogan if you

  • Need an assessment administered through a certified practitioner
  • Are prepared for results to be delivered through a certified practitioner rather than read yourself
  • Are prepared for reports to be commissioned by, and delivered to, the employer

Choose Polaris if you

  • Want a profile now, bought direct and read by you
  • Prefer a published price and a sample you can read before buying
  • Want a self contained report plus DISC, Big Five and Learning Styles cross-references in your online profile

Questions

Is Polaris connected to Hogan Assessments?
No. Polaris Profile is a completely independent product with its own model, questionnaire, scoring and report structure. There is no affiliation between Polaris and Hogan Assessment Systems.
I took a Hogan assessment for a job application. What would Polaris add?
Ownership, primarily. When Hogan is used in hiring or development, the reports are typically commissioned by and delivered to the organization, and what you see depends on the program. A Polaris Profile is bought by you, belongs to you, and is written to be read by you, with around 3,000 words generated from your answers and a PDF download.
Does Polaris measure derailers like the Hogan Development Survey?
Not in the same way. The HDS is a validated selection and development instrument measuring eleven specific derailment patterns, interpreted by certified professionals. Polaris covers your blind spots and pressure patterns as part of a rounded personal profile, which is useful self knowledge but not a substitute for a validated occupational derailment instrument in a hiring context.
Which one is better?
They are built differently. Hogan is a selection instrument administered through certified practitioners. Polaris is a written profile you buy direct, read yourself, and can share with colleagues or a team.

More comparisons

Polaris vs DISC Polaris vs MBTI Polaris vs CliftonStrengths Polaris vs 16personalities Polaris vs the Enneagram Polaris vs Big Five Polaris vs Eysenck All comparisons

So, what's your colour?

One questionnaire. Fifteen minutes. Around 3,000 words written from your answers.

Start the questionnaire