The personality test movement became globally recognized with “What colour is your parachute?” first published in 1970, and it is still wildly popular with a new 2010 edition. According to The Job Hunter’s Bible, it is the most popular job hunting resource in the world, selling 20,000 copies a month and with over 8 million copies in print. The first edition was geared toward job hunters and career changers but the author, Richard Nelson Bolles, has since written more targeted versions for teens and for retirement.
So, why is it so popular? Simply put...Job satisfaction. People so often struggle with career choice because the bulk of most people’s time is spent on the job and it’s better to be good at what you do and happy to do it than to be miserable.
Why Do a Personality Test?
“Certain careers lend themselves to certain personality types better than others. Therefore, personality tests can be an important tool in providing career guidance by pointing out one's innate strengths,” says Rebecca Grappo, founder of RNG International Educational Consultants. “People are happier in their careers when they feel fulfilled, and that often means they know how to make their personality work for them.”
Personality testing is not only useful for individuals during their career exploration but also for employers to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their staff in an effort to build the strongest, most productive teams.
Benefits to an Organization
"Organizational use of personality measures can be applied to every day operations,” says Dr. Phyllis Schiffer-Simon, director of the Broward Education Communications Network (BECON) and an expert in organizational leadership. “Often workplace conflict stems from different personalities and approaches to a situation or task. These are usually dictated by our personality and learning styles.”
According to Dr. Schiffer-Simon there are many benefits to having employees participate in personality testing:
- improved internal communications
- personal growth of employees
- improved cross-departmental interaction
- helps identify individual strengths when building teams or committees
“It's always good to have different types of personalities and thinkers on a committee or team for generating new ideas and implementing change,” she says.
Types of Personality Tests
Based on Carl Jung’s theories, the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has become one of the most commonly used tests and has been gaining popularity since it was first introduced in 1942. According to Grappo, “The theory behind it is that our basic personalities do not change over time, even though our interests and skills might.”
Dr. Schiffer-Simon also favours the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator but has used many different indicators over the years.
“Of those I've used, I like Meyers-Briggs and 4MAT probably best,” she says. “Meyers-Briggs is more detailed in administration but yields a comprehensive profile when completed. 4MAT is easier to administer and allows the participant to see themselves from a learning style perspective in approximately 10 minutes.”
Using Personality Tests When Choosing a College and a Career Path
In Grappo’s work with teens making the transition to college she also uses multiple methods in her role as educational consultant. She guides her clients through the often complex process of not only college selection but researching the most likely career path where the student will succeed and be happy.
“When I have the time to work with a student in more depth, I like to administer several tests so that we can compare the results,” says Grappo. “And of course, at every stage, I always ask the student to comment on the accuracy of the profiles. They love learning more about themselves, and they almost always say the tests are very accurate.”
It’s never too early (or too late) to start researching career aspirations and looking for the best match between personality and profession using personality testing.
“Ideally, they should be administered between the ages of 15 and 17 when we begin to start talking about plans after secondary school,” adds Grappo. “Young people need to know what's out there so that they have time to lay the foundation while they are still in school.”
Personality tests are an invaluable tool for both individuals and organizations. If someone has a clear understanding of the skill sets they possess and how their personality type impacts their abilities and behavior, they’re more likely to make a wise career choice and interact more effectively with others in the workplace.
Grappo strongly advises that “when doing career exploration, it's also important to assess a person's interests, abilities, skills, and work/life values. Personality assessment is just one part of the equation.”
Anne O'Connell - Anne O’Connell has been a public relations professional since 1990 and has been working as a freelance writer and trainer since ...
Join the Conversation