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Personality Test for Your Career

Definition, Explanation

Tips, Checklist

Definition, Explanation

Analysing your personality and potential tries to generate an objective impression of your behaviour and your personality. This includes e.g. unconscious behaviour and attitudes. Especially when it comes to job applicants (as e.g. in an assessment center), these analysing methods are very popular. Everyone should do such as test on his or her own to be able to evaluate one´s own personality in a better way and to be able to plan one´s future career.

These analysing methods can also be helpful when looking for the sense of one´s work or job. Especially after a couple of years of working experience, many people ask themselves if their current job is the right one and if they are willing and able to keep this job over the years.

Types

There are two different types of tests: Objective and projective.
Execution and Evaluation of objective tests are subject to clear rules. This test is usually execution by using computer software. The tested persons receives various answers to questions which have to be chosen or evaluated. The analysing persons do not put any interpretation into the test.
In projective tests, the tested persons receives abstract patterns, paintings or pictures which are subject to various interpretations. By evaluating or editing these, the tested persons shows his or her current feelings or experience. The results will be evaluated and analysed by the testers. One of the most famous projective test is the so-called “Rorschach test” and the interpretation of inkblot paintings.

Advantages and Limits

These tests concentrate on different focuses. While one tests concentrates on job behaviour, the other is concentrated on communication behaviour in conflicts. This way one can generate impressions about behaviour, attitudes, convictions and value attitudes, preferences, potentials and weak points, and character traits.

Personality tests are mainly executed to gain information about personal weaknesses or potentials. In the applicants selection process, the tests are meant to select the “best” assessment centers often use such tests to gain a broader picture of the center and the participants.

The ideal result of such a test is a constructive self-awareness; a positive light bulb moment. Processes such as DISG Persönlichkeitsprofil, Enneagramm or INSIGHTS-Potentialanalyse focus on potentials and not on so-called weak points. Furthermore these processes support the tested person in how to make the best out of their affections and potentials. The Geva-Institute has developed an online analysis of potentials for specialists and managers with which they can analyse their personal, social and methodical competences.

Tips, Checklist

• A personality test is food for thought
• Do not take every test around, hoping to finally find out more about yourself
• Do not focus on possibly negative aspects. Sometimes especially these attributes are important
• Do not take such tests if you notice that you get „hypnotised“ by the results or you put yourself down because of your results
• Always regard personality tests as food for thought and reflexion
• Evaluate your tests and results critically

Last update: 02/01/2010