6 benefits of personality tests

Whether you’re working on building a rockstar team or curious to learn more about yourself, you may begin to ask yourself, “What is the purpose of personality tests?” or even “Why should I take a personality test myself?” What are the benefits of personality tests and why do employers use them? Personality testing often seems to raise more questions than answers, particularly for employers who may be thinking about implementing their use. Yet they can be an important part of hiring and personal development plans, helping you reach your goals and build a successful business.

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What is personality testing?

Personality tests are systematic assessments that aim to measure various aspects of someone’s personality and behaviors, such as interpersonal skills, values, temperament, introversion and extroversion, what drives them to succeed and more. While their popularity has been increasing, particularly the use of business personality tests, this type of assessment has been around for decades.

 Today there are many different personality tests, and the one that’s right for your situation depends on your answer to the question, “Why should I take a personality test?” The most common business personality tests include the DISC assessment, the Caliper Profile, the 16 Personality Factors and the SHL Occupational Personality Test. In fact, the DISC is a Tony Robbins personality test that he uses in his business. In psychology, the Myers-Briggs test and the MMPI are most commonly used.

What is the purpose of a personality test?

Personality tests are often used in psychology to help refine diagnoses as well as in business to assess potential candidates and help build cohesive teams. They can also help individuals better understand their strengths and weaknesses so that they can become the best version of themselves. Even the most self-aware individuals have personal blind spots, as the nature of self-awareness is itself limited.

 As an individual, when you ask yourself “Why should I take a personality test, what you’re really getting at is what role they can serve in your professional and personal growth. When you dig deep to understand yourself, you’re able to identify your strengths, turn your weaknesses into assets and leverage your entire personality to achieve anything you want in life. Examining yourself through an external lens reveals insights you can’t glean from within.

 As an employer, you can use business personality tests to help you hire the right candidate for a position. Building a team that works means finding individuals who complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses. You also want to find the right culture fit – oftentimes, an individual’s attitude and outlook matter just as much as their experience and hard skills. Personality tests give you insights that you may not get from interviews alone.

Why should I take a personality test?

If you’re hesitant to take a personality inventory, that’s your limiting beliefs talking. There are plenty of benefits of personality tests, including:

personality test

Better understanding yourself

Getting an objective and thorough understanding of yourself is one of the primary reasons to explore personality testing. Most of us are familiar with some of our strengths and some of our weaknesses but not all of them. Without a complete picture of both, you’re hampered by over-confidence, self-doubt, a lack of clarity or all three. Personality testing creates greater self-awareness so you’re operating with a full deck of cards.

Knowing your strengths

When you’re working toward a goal, self-confidence is key. Without self-assurance, you’re bogged down in what could go wrong, why you feel inadequate and how you’ve failed in the past. Personality tests can boost confidence because they are designed to reveal your strengths so you can leverage them to transform your life. When you know what your talents are, you’re able to lean into them as a tool for getting what you want.

Reframing your weaknesses

It’s equally important to understand your weaknesses, but not necessarily so that you can fix them. The most effective personal development strategy is to view your weaknesses as strengths. Any weakness has a flip side that is beneficial. If small talk isn’t your strong point, you’re probably finely attuned to deeper, more meaningful conversations, which enhances your relationship capacity. With the help of a personality inventory, you’re able to frame your weaknesses within the greater context of your strengths.

Making targeted career choices

Why are business personality tests so effective? They provide direction. Personality inventories help you uncover your interests, skills and aptitudes, which come into play when you’re growing your career. The better you understand what expertise you have and what you want in a career, the more equipped you are to find your place in the work world.

Refining your social skills

Why are personality tests important for your social life? Huffington Post reports that when you take a personality inventory it provides feedback that categorizes you into a subgroup of people with similar traits. This is inherently rewarding since humans are social beings who want to find their niche. When you know how you operate socially, you’re more self-accepting and able to empathize with others.

Accepting yourself as you are

What is the purpose of a personality test in the realm of self-esteem? Self-awareness is often clouded by subconscious influences like upbringing or beliefs. Personality inventories are subjective, so they’re able to identify your personality traits without any baggage. If you need a self-esteem boost, take a personality inventory to learn something great about yourself you’d never realized before.

 Ultimately, why should you take a personality test? It builds the self-awareness you need to live with authenticity. Learn more about personality inventories and how they can help you build the extraordinary life you deserve.

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