These could be good in a way in letting a person know what category they fall in. i.e. introvert, extrovert etc. If you know what type of personality you are it could help you understand why you react the way you do in certain situations and also help you understand yourself better. I think it would be good for you to do a personality assessment test on yourself and get someone close to you to do it also about you to see just how others perceive you as opposed to how you perceive yourself.
The most important thing about personality assessments tests is how reliable they are. If a personality test is easy to cheat or does not provide accurate information then it is useless. Inaccurate information cannot be used to judge potential applicants.
There’s no better way to figure out what will help people the most than to just straight up ask them. Surveys, interviews, emails, whatever tool works best – as long as people are getting helped! I asked a few of my visitors, test takers, and researchers to share their thoughts to help me better understand how people work.
I’m sharing it with you in hopes you’d get something out of it, too. I’m also trying to bring their words to you with as little filtering as possible, so please bear with the awesome level of personal-tough this article has.
Now’s the time to focus on your professional development, your career growth, and the overall future of all things job related.
Today’s Focus: Personality Assessment Tests
‘R’ = Richard N. Stephenson (me!) ‘I’ = Interviewee (anonymous by request unless otherwise noted)
[This interview is part of research and market studies done for the DOPE Bird Personality Test: Click Here to Learn More.]
R: Explain why this topic is important to people like you and me.
I: Personality tests are a standardized way of revealing characteristics and traits about a person. I find that they can be very useful for some instances of need, such as applying for a job of a high ranking position. For example, if someone is trying to prioritize a career path, taking a personality test may help with what type of job to go in to.
It is also convenient tool for individual or relationship strength and development. If a couple is experiencing difficulties in their relationship, but can’t factor why, a personality test may reveal how a person reacts to others.
R: How’s this subject relevant to making or changing the lives of those around us?
I: Personality assessment tests can change someone’s life for the better by making them aware of certain traits about themselves that they might not have realized before. By comparing their answers with those of numerous others, it might reveal certain causes of those traits, such as why they might be shy or introverted, etc. This could then help the person overcome the negative traits and capitalize on the positive ones.
R: I think everyone wants to be a better person; can you tell us how this topic relates?
I: Personality assessment tests could help someone become secure in their identity. For example if they find out they are an introvert they will find comfort in the knowledge that their behavior is not abnormal. Personality assessment tests can help inform a person on which career they could be successful in.
R: Can you think of anyone that exemplifies what this topic means to you?
I: A personality test is good for finding the right roommate. You want to make sure that you have a good roommate or it will be a bad experience. Roommates use a personality test to find that perfect roommate or the roommate that can put up with the other roommate.
R: Break it down for me real quick: who just plain sucks at this topic?
I: People who have multiple personalities. You would only get a personality test for one of the persons that person is. Or if they cycle through their other personalities quickly, they might answer differently in one test.
R: If you had to pick right now, how could you use this subject in your life more?
I: If someone were interested in personality assessment, the best way to get started is to explore what kinds of assessments are available and what they measure. Each personality assessment instrument has a particular focus and measures differing aspects of personality, even if many of them overlap considerably.
There are many tests available and exploring the ones that are easily accessible (such as those that can be taken for free online or that are included in personality theory books) is a great way to start learning about the various theories of personality out there.
When one starts seeing a consistent pattern emerging from the results of the tests taken, it is possible to use that as a starting point for exploring the dynamics of what makes up those preference dimensions or test score as a whole. Some tests give you an entire type code (such as the Jungian 16 Personality Types Test) which builds off the idea that our individual personality preferences combine meaningfully to make an entire type, and each type is detailed within a profile.
The best part about exploring personality is that one can get as little or as much as they want out of it. It helps make us aware of what actually makes up our personalities, and since we all have experiences with our own personalities as well as others’ (to say nothing of when those personalities clash) we all have a basis for understanding what personality assessment tests are attempting to accomplish.
R: When is a pretty good time to start paying more attention to this topic?
I: The early thirties are a great time to discuss personal/career growth. This is because it is enough time for an individual to reflect on a recent past in which they were moving toward goals and also begin to focus on the future that they desire to have. The topic should be broached by a family member, friend or career mentor.
R: Are there any times when you think it is a bad idea to bring this topic into our lives?
I: The phase of one’s life where it would be a bad idea to explore personality tests or assess the personality meaningfully is any time wherein a person is experiencing extreme instability. Because of shifting, uncertain, stressful, or agonizing life experiences, it is impossible to get an accurate, stable assessment of someone’s personality.
Those who are growing (young children) and those dealing with significant mental health issues are also poor candidates for personality assessment tests, as they may be in a stage of their lives where the results would be too unstable and irrelevant. It is best to take a personality assessment when one is in a relatively stable, unchanging part of their lives, so anyone dealing with tumultuous or changing life circumstances and growth phases would not benefit as much.
R: In a few short sentences, tell us where people could get some good use out of this topic.
I: The person taking the test should be alone. They should be in a quiet place with no distractions. Their answers should be kept anonymous.
R: This subject is not fit for use in every situation. Where should folks not use it?
I: If someone does not take a personality test seriously, the outcome will be bad. Their answers won’t make sense at all. Their test results will also be inaccurate and won’t represent their personality.
R: Do you know of any people, organizations, or groups that could benefit from learning more about this topic?
I: A job dealing with children would be a great place for employers to have a personality assessment before being hired. It’s important that these educational positions are filled with the right personalities to teach children of the future. If someone has a certain personality, it may be that they are not fit for the position.
R: Describe at least one thing you would recommend to someone looking into this topic more.
I: I would tell that person that the stronger characteristics of their personality shown by the test should be valued and nurtured. Those characteristics are your strengths, which means that they should be utilized in the best way possible. For example, if a person is a strong leader then they should look for roles where they can put that skill to use (team leader, boss, etc).
However, if a person is quiet and shy, but very organized and efficient then they might look for a supporting role (such as an advisor). Also, weak areas of their personality are not necessarily a bad thing, they just aren’t his or her strengths. Those areas, once identified, can be analyzed and worked on in order to improve them; even if only in small increments.
R: What is the absolutely most dangerous and bad thing someone should stay away from related to this topic?
I: When I used to take these tests in high school, I would always end up being a banker or an accountant. People who feel the need for such tests should be emphatically warned that they are not scientific, not the last step before selecting a career field, and certainly that the results do not close open windows or doors to becoming involved in another career.
The tests can only be as accurate as the person taking them and if they feel uncomfortable answer such things as “Do you feel people talking inside your head?” their responses might be less than truthful. What did I think I should become? A National Park ranger. I became a librarian.
R: Given any tool available, what would you recommend folks do make this subject a bigger part of their lives?
I: A personality assessment is a way to figure out a person and the way they respond to certain things. This helps you predict future actions and their thought process.
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Did you find at least one or two golden nuggets of useful information in there? I hope so – I know I love reading these and seeing how I can apply this wisdom to my life. Make it your goal today to take at least 1 thing away from this post and try to live your life more focused from now on.
Ready to get more out of your teams or personal career development? Figure out how you, your team, and all those around you work best so you can get more direction and guidance out of your days. Read more about the DOPE Bird team and individual personality test by clicking here.
Please feel free to share your thoughts, comments, or personal life-changing wisdom below.