If you search for the term “best emotional intelligence assessment” on Google, the result is a whopping 76 Million results!

No wonder Emotional intelligence is among the 10 most in-demand skills and will be through at least 2025.

In this definitive guide, we will cover the best emotional intelligence assessments.

We will also break them down, so you can make an informed decision when searching for the best emotional intelligence tests.

Understanding Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence or EQ is all about understanding and managing feelings.

EQ comprises the following:

• Self-awareness: Knowing your own emotions and how they affect you.
• Self-regulation: Controlling your emotions and behaviors, especially in tough situations.
• Social awareness: Understanding other people’s feelings and how they think.
• Relationship management: Using your understanding of emotions to interact effectively with others.

EQ is a game-changer in many parts of life. 

At work, EQ boosts teamwork and leadership skills.

When you can understand and manage your emotions, you handle stress better.

You’re more resilient in the face of challenges.

Decision-making becomes more logical and less driven by emotions.

In personal life, EQ leads to happier and healthier relationships.

It helps in resolving conflicts and building trust. It’s also linked to better mental health and well-being.

In the workplace, EQ is often a ticket to success.

People with high EQ tend to rise in their careers faster.

They’re better leaders because they understand and inspire their teams.

They communicate effectively and resolve conflicts without making things worse.

EQ is like a secret superpower that can make a big difference.

Why Emotional intelligence assessments?

Emotional intelligence tools and assessments reflect our emotional strengths and weaknesses. 

An emotional intelligence appraisal test can help us understand why we react the way we do in different situations.

This understanding is the first step toward growth.

It enables us to manage our emotions better, handle stress, and improve our interactions with others. 

Think of EQ Assessments as diagnostic tools for your emotions.

They help you understand where you’re strong and where you need to improve.

EQ Assessments are not just nice to have.

Testing emotional intelligence is a must for personal and professional success.

Benefits of Assessing Emotional Intelligence

Why should you care about assessing emotional intelligence?

Often, we tend to look into the solution of a problem without trying to “diagnose” the issue.

Before trying to become “reactive”, one should reflect upon the underlying challenge or issue.

In other words, become aware of it first.

An emotional intelligence assessment test helps you become more aware of your emotions and how they affect you. 

This self-awareness helps you see things more clearly.

Think about this for a moment…

When we know what you’re feeling and why, we can better control our emotions. 

Improved Career Success

Assessing one’s EQ can help improve decision-making and problem-solving skills. 

When your emotions are in check, you can think more clearly.

Emotions can sometimes cloud judgment.

But with higher emotional intelligence, you can make decisions based on logic rather than feelings. 

Taking an EQ assessment can help you identify areas for improvement.

This can potentially boost your career prospects and income.

In fact, high EQ people earn (on average) $29,000 more per year than those with lower EQ.

Check out our post on how emotional intelligence can help predict job performance.

Better Leadership Skills

Research indicates that leaders with high emotional intelligence are more effective, with 77% of leaders reporting that EQ is more important than IQ.

By assessing your EQ, you can work on key leadership competencies like empathy and interpersonal communication.

Improved interpersonal relationships. 

People with higher emotional intelligence tend to have healthier, more satisfying relationships.

They experience 71% less burnout in relationships.

An EQ assessment can pinpoint areas for growth, leading to more fulfilling personal connections.

When you understand your own emotions, you’re better equipped to understand how others feel.

This understanding is the foundation of empathy.

You become a better listener and communicator.

This leads to stronger and more harmonious relationships.

Stress Reduction

People with better emotional intelligence are better equipped to manage stress.

They report less stress in high-pressure situations.

By identifying your EQ strengths and weaknesses, you can develop strategies to handle stress more effectively.

Increased Job Satisfaction

Those with high emotional intelligence are more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs.

Assessing your EQ can help you understand how emotions impact your work life…

And how to navigate challenges more smoothly, leading to greater job satisfaction.

Handle Life, Better

Assessing your emotional intelligence contributes to increased resilience and mental well-being.

Life is full of ups and downs, and emotional intelligence acts as a buffer against the storms.

When you’re emotionally intelligent, you bounce back from setbacks more quickly.

You’re better equipped to handle stress, anxiety, and adversity.

Types of Emotional Intelligence Assessments

Let’s look into the different types of tests to measure emotional intelligence.

Self-report questionnaires

A self-report assessment comprises a series of questions about emotions, reactions, and behaviors. 

Such a test measures specific aspects of emotional intelligence, such as self-awareness or empathy.

Popular self-report assessments include the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal and the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT).

Pros

Ease of Use: Self-report questionnaires are simple and convenient.

Self-Reflection: They encourage self-reflection. In other words, these EQ tests can help people become more aware of their emotions.

Cost-Effective: Self Report Questionnaires are cost-effective compared to other EI assessments.

Cons:

Subjective: Answers are based on self-perception, which can be biased.

Limited Insight: They may not capture a complete picture of emotional intelligence since people may not always accurately assess themselves.

Difficulty in Cross-Validation: They are harder to validate scientifically than performance-based assessments.

Performance-based assessments

These EI assessments require individuals to complete tasks or exercises that demonstrate their emotional intelligence.

For example, participants may be asked to interpret the emotions of characters in a story or manage a simulated interpersonal conflict.

These assessments provide a more objective measure of emotional intelligence, as they are based on observable behaviors and responses.

Advantages

Objective Measurement: Performance-based assessments rely on observable behaviors, reducing subjectivity.

Real-Life Application: They simulate real-world situations, making the assessment more practical and applicable to daily life.

Less Susceptible to Self-Bias: Participants cannot easily manipulate the results, providing a more accurate reflection of their abilities.

Limitations:

Resource-Intensive: They can be time-consuming and require more resources to administer.

Not Always Feasible: Not all aspects of emotional intelligence are easily assessed through performance-based tasks.

Scoring Challenges:  Scoring can be complex and may require expert evaluation.

Multi-rater assessments or 360-degree feedback

These involve collecting feedback from various sources, such as supervisors, peers, subordinates, and self-assessments.

These EI assessments provide a comprehensive view of an individual’s emotional intelligence from multiple perspectives.

Here’s how multi-rater assessments work:

• Participants and their raters complete assessment surveys.
• The feedback is collected anonymously.
• The results are compiled into a report that shows how the individual’s self-assessment compares to the assessments of others.

Benefits:

Comprehensive Perspective: They offer a well-rounded view of an individual’s emotional intelligence.

Identifies Blind Spots: Reveals areas where self-perception differs from how others perceive the individual.

Enhances Self-Awareness: Encourages self-reflection and personal growth.

Drawbacks:

Time-Consuming: Collecting and analyzing feedback from multiple sources can be time-intensive.

Potential for Bias: Raters may have their biases or may not provide honest feedback.

Complex Implementation: Requires careful planning and management.

Combination Approaches

These involve using a mix of different assessment methods to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of emotional intelligence.

These hybrid assessments blend self-report questionnaires, performance-based tasks, and multi-rater feedback to create a holistic picture of an individual’s emotional intelligence.

Benefits

Customization: Combination approaches can be tailored to specific goals, such as leadership development or team building.

Flexibility: They offer the flexibility to choose the most appropriate assessment methods based on the context.

Enhanced Accuracy: By combining various assessment types, they aim to provide a more accurate and well-rounded evaluation.

Note that the effectiveness of combination approaches depends on the careful selection and integration of assessment components.

It requires expertise to ensure that the assessments work together seamlessly to provide meaningful insights into emotional intelligence.

How to Choose The Best Emotional Intelligence Assessment?

We wanted this guide on the best emotional intelligence assessments to be detailed, and actionable.

That is why you, as a test taker or HR leader, should look at various factors before purchasing an emotional intelligence assessment.

Let us discuss the key factors to focus on when exploring EQ tests.

Purpose of the assessment

When selecting an emotional intelligence assessment, consider your purpose.

Are you aiming for personal development, team building, leadership enhancement, or something else?

Different assessments cater to specific goals, so align your choice with your intended outcome.

Validity and reliability

Ensure the assessment you choose is both valid and reliable.

This means it should measure what it claims to measure and do so consistently.

Look for scientifically validated tools that have undergone rigorous testing to ensure accuracy and consistency in their results.

Ease of administration and accessibility

Assessments come in various formats, including online and offline.

Online assessments are convenient, accessible, and often provide immediate results.

However, offline options may be preferred if you value face-to-face interactions or have limited internet access.

Cost and scalability

Some assessments are more budget-friendly, while others can be costly, especially when used for larger groups or organizations.

Determine your budget and assess the scalability of the chosen tool to ensure it meets your needs without straining your resources.

Reporting and feedback mechanisms

After taking the assessment, how will you receive and interpret the results?

Effective reporting and feedback mechanisms can help you understand your emotional intelligence better and provide guidance for improvement.

Customizability and adaptability

Depending on your specific goals and the unique needs of your situation, you may require an assessment that can be tailored to your requirements.

Customizable assessments allow you to focus on the aspects of emotional intelligence most relevant to you.

Ethical considerations and data privacy

Ensure that the assessment tool you choose adheres to ethical standards and protects your data.

It’s essential to trust that your information will be handled with care and confidentiality.

Top Emotional Intelligence Assessment Tools

Here are some of the best eq tests.

The Emotional and Social Competence Inventory (ESCI)

This 360-degree assessment tool evaluates the test taker’s emotional and social intelligence skills. 

ESCI measures 12 competencies related to emotional intelligence.

This includes self-awareness, empathy, adaptability, and teamwork. 

If you want to assess your employees’ emotional intelligence skills and provide targeted training for improvement, the ESCI could be a good option. 

One can get the ESCI assessment through certified providers.

The price of this test can be as high as $600.

The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT)

This ability-based EQ test tries to measure one’s capacity to understand and manage emotions. 

MSCEIT focuses on four areas of emotional intelligence: perceiving, using, understanding, and managing emotions. 

You can avail of this EI assessment through Pearson Assessment.

It can cost $400 or more.

The Genos Emotional Intelligence Inventory (Genos EI)

The Genos EI Assessment tries to measure emotional intelligence in the workplace. 

It assesses seven key competencies related to emotional intelligence, including empathy, self-awareness, and emotional self-control. 

This EQ assessment provides a detailed report on one’s strengths and areas for improvement.

Pricing for the Genos EI varies depending on the provider.

The Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence Assessment (SEI)

This self-assessment measures one’s emotional intelligence using a combination of self-report and feedback from others.

SEI measures eight competencies related to emotional intelligence.

These include emotional literacy, empathy, and collaboration. The SEI is available through certified providers and pricing varies depending on the provider.

The TalentSmart Emotional Intelligence Test

This self-assessment measures one’s emotional intelligence in the workplace.

It assesses four key components of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.

This test provides detailed feedback on an individual’s strengths and areas for improvement and is available through TalentSmart.

EQMatch Emotional Intelligence Testing 

The last one on this list of the best emotional intelligence assessments is the EQMatch emotional intelligence testing.

This assessment can be deployed during hiring as well as for existing employees.

This emotional intelligence questionnaire takes around 20 minutes to complete.

It could be time-consuming for some.

One of the biggest advantages of EQMatch is that it is an objective test.

Hence, the results are more accurate than most of the subjective emotional intelligence assessments out there.

In terms of pricing, the EQMatch EQ Assessment gives the best value for money.

This EI assessment is 20-50% cheaper than all other assessments mentioned earlier.

Which is the best emotional intelligence test?

We have tried our best to share the good and the bad of each of these EI assessments.

For instance, the ESCI and Genos EI are both 360-degree assessments.

Likewise, the MSCEIT and SEI are self-assessment tools.

Consider factors such as cost, validity, reliability, and ease of use to decide which is the right EQ test for you or your organization. 

Look for EI assessments that offer a free demo or a short test so you have a feel for the assessment before you purchase one.

Conclusion

I hope this post on the best emotional intelligence assessments will help you choose the right EQ test.

Assessing your emotional intelligence (EQ) can be a game-changer in your personal and professional life. 

It helps you earn more, become a better leader, build stronger relationships, reduce stress, and find greater job satisfaction.