A 3-part assessment that includes cognitive ability and behavioral profile testing, as well as a simulated call center.
With its baffling personality profiling section, hidden timer in the cognitive section, and a unique, interactive call center simulation, the Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment provides a unique, tailored test experience.
What Is the Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment?
The Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment is a test used as the initial screening stage for service positions in Progressive. With 3 unique sections – cognitive, behavioral, and call center simulation, it is intended to create a comprehensive candidate profile and see whether you fit the requirements of the job.
The test is designed and administered by FurstPerson (part of the test provider Harver).
The Progressive Assessment 3-Minute Video Guide
Test Structure and Question Format
The Progressive Assessment contains 3 sections:
On-the-Job Scenarios
Personality Profiling Questionnaire
Call Center Simulation
Let’s go over each section in detail. You can try solving some sample questions in the Free Practice section.
Section #1 – On-the-Job Scenarios
This section contains 42 numerical and verbal multiple-choice questions. These questions are aimed to assess your ability to perform accurate calculations (numerical) and your vocabulary and reading comprehension (verbal).
Each question is formed as a sentence you are required to complete or respond to. You will have 5 answer options. Here are two examples:
Numerical Sample Question
Verbal Sample Question
Pro Tip
The cognitive section of the assessment will not show you either how many questions you have solved, or the time. However, your time is measured behind the scenes and will be taken into consideration in your scoring – the faster, the better.
The Personality Profiling section of the Progressive Assessment is probably the most challenging one, and the one in which most candidates fail.
This section contains 54 questions designed to measure various aspects of your personality, and whether they fit the desired traits of the job at Progressive.
These questions are structured in a way that is challenging for most candidates. Check out this example:
As you can see, there are only two options – Agree and Disagree. So, what do you do? Agree with every positive statement and disagree with every negative one? That will create an unrealistic profile that is unlikely to pass.
Pro Tip
To succeed in the Personality Profiling section of the Progressive Assessment, you need an understanding of the various Dimensions and Scales measured, and the proper balance between them.
Show Dimensions and Scales
The Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment is conducted by FurstPerson, now a part of the testing provider Harver. Harver’s Personality Model measures 6 Dimensions and 24 Scales:
The third and last section is the most complex section of the assessment and includes a call center simulation. Through the drill, you will hear audio calls from customers, look for the relevant information in various tabs on an interactive database, and respond accordingly.
Pro Tip
The simulated interface of section 3 of the Progressive Assessment includes a Knowledge Bank, to which you will need to refer in order to give your customers the correct information.
Taken from the Progressive Call Simulation Guide in the Preparation Course.
What Does the Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment Measure?
The Progressive Assessment measures 3 major aspects of your potential fit for the job at Progressive Insurance:
Cognitive abilities, specifically your numerical and verbal ability.
Your personality profile and how well it suits the desired profile of
The practical job skills required – namely browsing information, data entry, and multitasking.
Test Invitation
The test invitation will be sent to you via email from Progressive’s HR department, about 3-4 hours after your initial application.
The invitation contains several basic details on the assessment but does not disclose its structure or content.
Progressive Pre-Employment Free Practice Test
This free practice test is designed to get you familiar with sections 1 (cognitive) and 2 (personality) of the Progressive Pre-Employment Assessment – the content, structure, and level of difficulty.
The free practice does not currently cover the call center simulation. For full-length practice tests and guides, check out the Preparation section.
Good luck!
Section 1 – Cognitive (Numerical + Verbal)
Question 1
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is D.
Amicable means friendly.
Question 2
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is B.
After 1 month: 100 x 0.9 = 90 customers.
After 2 months: 90 x 0.9 = 81 customers.
Note that the calculation 100 x 0.9 x 2 = 80 is incorrect, as the loss is calculated for each month separately, based on the number of customers in the previous month.
Question 3
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is A.
Ostensible means claiming one thing while actually meaning something else.
Question 4
Answer and Explanation
The correct answer is B.
There are 3 months in a quarter (12/4 = 3). Therefore, to bring $120,000 in sales per quarter, an employee needs to bring $120,000 / 3 = $40,000 per month.
Section 2 (Personality Profiling)
The explanations in this section are based on the 6 Dimensions and 24 Scales presented in the Test Overview section.
Question 5
Explanation
This question assesses the Perfectionism scale of the Conscientiousness dimension.
The Perfectionism scale measures a candidate’s thoroughness and attention to detail. Low scores in this scale indicate fast-paced work that may let errors slide, while high scores indicate a methodical approach and aversion of errors.
Since service employees in Progressive deal with various activities that require these traits (e.g., data entry and financial transactions), they are expected to score high on this scale, and to Agree with this statement.
Question 6
Explanation
This question assesses the Sincerity scale of the Honesty-Humility dimension.
The Sincerity scale measures the tendency to be honest in relationships and interactions. High scores indicate constant high integrity and genuine behavior, while low scores indicate willingness to behave dishonestly for personal gain.
Service employees that deal with financial activity are naturally expected to be honest and sincere and are therefore expected to Disagree with this statement.
Question 7
Explanation
This question assesses the Creativity scale of the Openness to Experience dimension.
The Creativity scale measures a candidate’s ability and preference for experimentation and innovation. Low scores indicate adherence to well-tested methods and principles, while high scores indicate preference to new ideas and original thought.
Progressive employees operate in a rather rigid environment of rules and regulations and are expected not to deviate from it substantially. Therefore, they are expected to score low on this scale and Disagree with this statement.
Ready to land your job with Progressive? Start preparing for your pre-employment assessment today!
