Personality Tests: Why you should take one…

2 min read

You’re in the interview room and suddenly the HR assistant puts a personality test questionnaire in front of you. You begrudgingly complete and it is never seen again – sound familiar?

What should happen is that you should see it again to know your strengths and weakness AND understand what job you are best suited for. Unfortunately, the ugly truth is that most personality profile results are used for one reason only: to disqualify a candidate…It’s what HR does, right?

Let’s take a very selfish view of what a personality profile can do for you. Here are some reasons you should take (even a free one off the internet – see below) a personality profile:

1. Am I even in the right job? Producer or account manager? Producers have very distinct personality profiles – they are mostly extroverted, dominating, impatient, and non-conformists. These traits can easily be highlighted by even the most basic free personality testing services such as Meyers-Briggs. Account managers are a bit more nuanced in that they can be extroverted, but are mostly more patient, organized, flexible, service-oriented, and non-controlling. It has been shown that more than 65% of all workers are presently working in positions they are not personality-compatible with. Are you one of them?
2. It will identify critical motivators and de-motivators: Personality profiling will help you identify those things (and types of people) that turn you on and turn you off. Are you a linear-thinker or are you a classic multi-tasker? Do you like being interrupted while in the middle of a task? Are you the “go-to” person? Are you energized by meetings? Knowing this will help you manage who you interact with and what sorts of projects you decide to take on.
3. Know Thyself: Aristotle said this many moons ago, but it still true today. Personality profile results will provide unique insights into your personality. You will become more self-aware. And self-awareness is the first step to self-actualization. Not knowing yourself is like driving a car on long trip through the country not having a road map of GPS. Not a lot fun, is it?
4. Social Benefits: Knowing what personality-type you are will allow you to manage your personal relationships as well – even in the selection of a spouse. I’m sure you have been in relationships before where it has ended in a fiery crash…chances are this can be traced back to incompatible personality types. Put two ENTJ (Meyers-Briggs) together and it’s an accident waiting to happen. Trust me, I’m a classic ENTJ.

What have you got to lose? Take the test. You will be amazed. My recommendation is to take the Meyers-Briggs personality test which can be found online. Just Google it.

rob