Different Types Of Personality Tests (With Examples)

By Abby McCain and Experts - Jun. 30, 2022

Find a Job You Really Want In

Personality tests are used by many companies to determine the best place for their employees and if job candidates would be a good fit. The idea is to help employers learn what kinds of work environments each person would thrive in and give hiring managers a better understanding of how candidates would fit with their current culture.

This is especially helpful for companies if they conduct their interviews by phone and have limited opportunities to meet interviewees in person.

Even if you aren’t required to take one for your employer, self-assessment and personality tests can help you take advantage of your strengths and compensate for your weaknesses in your professional life, meaning it’s worthwhile to take one your own time.

Key Takeaways:

  • Personality tests promote self-awareness, which translates into being able to make better use of your natural skills. Once you’re aware of the skills that come naturally to you, then you can emphasize and develop them.

  • Taking a self-assessment can help you select a career path that you’ll thrive in. Personality tests can point you in the direction of a career that’ll be fulfilling and energizing rather than draining.

  • There are several different types of personality tests that a focused on different aspects and skill sets. Many of them are even free, giving you a good place to begin.

Why You Should Take a Personality Test

  1. It can help you understand your unique strengths and weaknesses. Personality tests aren’t meant to give you a complete picture of every little nuance about yourself, but they can give you a clearer picture of where you excel and where you struggle.

    Even if you don’t agree with everything the test tells you about yourself, it can make you more aware of the things you do and why. It also can show you the unique abilities you’ve taken for granted your whole life.

  2. It can help you identify what makes you unique to potential employers. Even if you aren’t required to take a personality test for a job interview, the results of your tests can help you better answer the common interview question, “What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?”

    Having a better understanding of what makes you unique can help you create a better strategy for selling yourself in an interview.

  3. It can help you understand why you get along well with some people and not others. Have you ever wondered why that one coworker seems to get on your nerves and no one else’s, or why you and your boss never seem to click? There could be many factors at play, but it probably has to do with the way your personalities interact.

    A personality test may be able to shed some light on which behaviors and personalities inherently irritate you and which ones you jive well with.

    While this information may not immediately solve the problem and should never be used as an excuse for giving up on trying to get along, it can give you the tools you need to start handling the differences better or start some productive conversations with the problematic person.

  4. It can help you identify which types of careers would be the best fit for you. No, a personality test can’t tell you everything about yourself, but it can help you understand which factors of your personality you should be aware of when choosing a career.

    For example, if your test results show that you tend to be introverted and don’t enjoy conflict, working as a public relations specialist at a high-profile company might not be the best fit for you.

  5. It can help you understand what drains you and what energizes you. Have you ever wondered why some projects get you excited and full of energy while others seem to suck the life out of you?

    Well, there’s probably a good reason for that, and it’s likely linked to the way you’re wired. Finding out what fills you up and what creates extra stress for you can not only give you insight into why you enjoy the things you do, but it can also help you find more effective ways to refresh and recharge.

  6. It can help you discover your leadership strengths. Leaders aren’t just the loud, powerful people at the front of the pack.

    Leaders are also the ones quietly setting a culture of excellence, finding ways to use everyone’s strengths to their fullest potential, and making sure no one gets left behind.

    A personality test can show you leadership strengths you didn’t know you had so that you can work to develop those and look for opportunities to use them.

Types of Personality Tests

There is no shortage of personality tests available to you, and they cover everything from your leadership strengths to what animal you’re most similar to. Some are highly nuanced and detailed, while others are more general and intended to give you a broader understanding of how you operate.

Here are some of the most popular ones that are often used in corporate settings:

DISC

The DISC test divides people into four buckets of personality traits:

  • Dominance

    • Strong-willed

    • Results-oriented

    • Direct

    • Forceful

  • Influence

    • Enthusiastic

    • Energetic

    • Social

    • Optimistic

  • Steadiness

    • Courteous

    • Supportive

    • Tactful

    • Patient

  • Consciousness

    • Logical

    • Fact-focused

    • Analytical

    • Reserved

People who take this test receive their scores in each category to see how strong they are in each of them instead of just the one they score highest in.

This is a popular test for team-building exercises, especially in corporate settings, because it shows which roles individuals will naturally fall into and their strengths in relation to the team.

This test can also give you a better understanding of the types of professional roles you’d perform best.

Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI)

This is one of the most popular personality tests because it can provide highly specific information about how you think and interact with others.

This test gives you one of 16 personality types, and these types cover several factors about who you are:

  • What energizes you

  • How you take in information

  • How you make decisions

  • How you organize your world

Each of the 16 personality types comprises four letters, one for each of the above categories. For example, you might test as an ESFJ or an INTP. These letters stand for:

  • Extroversion or Introversion

  • Sensing or Intuition

  • Thinking or Feeling

  • Judging or Perceiving

There are a plethora of additional resources based on this test designed to show you how these traits play out in your personal life, professional life, and even in relation to other personality types.

Enneagram

The Enneagram personality test has seen a more recent surge in popularity, both in professional and personal use.

This test has nine personality types that it scores you in:

  • Type 1: The Perfectionist

  • Type 2: The Giver

  • Type 3: The Achiever

  • Type 4: The Individualist

  • Type 5: The Investigator

  • Type 6: The Skeptic

  • Type 7: The Enthusiast

  • Type 8: The Challenger

  • Type 9: The Peacemaker

While the test will give you a top category that you fit into best, you can also see how you scored in the other eight, giving you a fuller picture of your personality’s different aspects.

CliftonStrengths

This personality test identifies your unique strengths and encourages you to focus on growing in those instead of putting all your energy into negating your weaknesses.

The test will show you your top five out of 34 different strengths, called “themes.” These 34 themes are also sorted into four “domains,” which give you a more general picture of where most of your strengths lie.

These domains are:

  • Strategic Thinking

  • Relationship Building

  • Influencing

  • Executing

This test is commonly used to discover professional strengths, but it can be used for personal edification as well.

The Big Five

The Big Five personality traits are part of a psychological theory that holds that there are five basic components of someone’s personality.

These include:

  • Extroversion

  • Agreeableness

  • Openness

  • Conscientiousness

  • Neuroticism

This test can give you some good insight into how you behave in certain situations and interact with others. It’s also commonly used to help people figure out the best career path for them or to help companies decide if a candidate is a good fit for the position they’re trying to fill.

Where You Can Find Free Personality Tests

Most of these personality tests have free versions that allow you to see the overview of your results. Some will give you an option to pay more to see your full, detailed report. While this can be interesting and somewhat beneficial, it isn’t necessary for getting at least a general understanding of your results.

Here are some free personality tests that you can take:

  • DISC. The providers of this test estimate that it will take you under ten minutes to complete. You can pay more for a complete analysis, but you don’t have to.

  • 16 Personalities. This is a free MBTI test that gives you a detailed look into your personality type and how it affects your career, relationships, and personal life.

  • Truity. Truity provides a number of free personality tests, including the Enneagram, DISC, MBTI, and the Big Five. They also offer some career assessment tests.

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Author

Abby McCain

Abby is a writer who is passionate about the power of story. Whether it’s communicating complicated topics in a clear way or helping readers connect with another person or place from the comfort of their couch. Abby attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she earned a degree in writing with concentrations in journalism and business.

Expert

Matt Warzel, CPRW, CIR

Matt Warzel a President of a resume writing firm (MJW Careers, LLC) with 15+ years of recruitment, outplacement, career coaching and resume writing experience. Matt is also a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Certified Internet Recruiter (CIR) with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Marketing Focus) from John Carroll University.

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Topics: Guides, Life At Work