Personality tests have grown increasingly popular in business settings. Employers see them as providing objective and scientific credentials to the otherwise subjective process of selecting employees.
Assertiveness personality trait may indicate you as being outspoken and willing to lead groups without hesitation; which would be highly sought after in management positions.
Why take a personality test?
Personality tests can be an invaluable resource in helping individuals better understand themselves and the roles they play. Businesses use them to select candidates for hires; and other applications include psychological diagnosis by mental health professionals, relationship counseling services, occupational testing services, career assessment testing services and personal growth programs.
Personality tests are intended to assess various personality traits, including creativity, emotionality, independence and intellect. Most personality tests can be taken online with no time limit imposed; when taking one it’s best to remain calm and focused as being dishonest could compromise results. When answering honestly is key as answering with “right answers” may lead to bias in results.
How to prepare for a personality test
Many employers have certain characteristics they look for in an ideal candidate, making it important to research them and ensure your answers match up. Furthermore, overemphasizing certain personality traits could indicate unsuitability even when such skills aren’t needed in your position.
Personality tests often ask you to rank statements about your personality and tendencies on a scale of strongly agree to strongly disagree; other assessments may feature multiple choice questions with limited or no time limits for responses. It’s always advisable to familiarise yourself with how answers will be recorded before beginning such assessments.
Personality tests can be daunting and stressful to take, creating anxiety in some. For best results and accurate responses, take your personality tests in an unperturbed and relaxed state of mind. Any frustration or stress could have adverse repercussions for results and responses provided to questions asked during the exam.
What to expect on a personality test
Personality tests are multi-choice assessments designed to assess certain key traits. Answers don’t have to be right or wrong, but being consistent is vital in answering each question in a professional context rather than for personal situations. Employers will only care about how you conduct yourself professionally.
Personality tests often evaluate leadership qualities and the ability to work well within teams, so it’s crucial that any relevant skills or experiences you possess are highlighted as this could make you a more attractive candidate.
Some tests will also include a section where you are asked to rate how well or poorly you work with difficult people. It is crucial that your answers reflect exactly what is meant here; otherwise it could come across as difficult.
How to interpret your results
Understanding different aspects of your personality is an integral step toward attaining greater insight and clarity, but when interpreting test results it’s important to keep certain things in mind.
Personality tests measure traits on a continuum, meaning individuals can fall anywhere along the spectrum for each trait. Each personality test uses its own method for measuring responses; for instance, Big Five inventory requires respondents to respond either positively or negatively with various statements and phrases while IPIP-300 uses Likert scales for measuring characteristics.
These factors may make interpreting personality tests such as the MBTI or Enneagram more difficult, especially self-reports such as these two methods of measurement. In such instances, reading test descriptions such as Personality Types and The Wisdom of the Enneagram could prove useful as you observe your behavior objectively over a period of time before making your choice regarding which personality type best describes you.
