If you haven’t taken a Myers-Briggs personality assessment, you can do one here (it should only take 15 minutes). One of the benefits of taking the time to answer this questionnaire over a BuzzFeed “what kind of pizza are you?” quiz is that many recruitment agencies and employers implement some type of Myers-Briggs testing to determine if their candidate is suited for the company and role. Personality assessments can be a helpful tool in understanding your personality and that of others at the workplace and at home.
The theory behind the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is based on the behavioural psychologist, Carl Jung’s typological research. He suggests that the seemingly random variation in the behaviour of an individual is actually quite orderly and consistent in the ways that individuals prefer to use their perception and make decisions.
The assessment is set up as 4 dichotomies:
Introversion (I) and Extroversion (E) How we gain our energy. Introverts feel more energised from being alone while extroverts are energised from being around other people. It’s natural to display tendencies of both ends of the scale at times, but we tend to lean more towards one side.
Sensing (S) and Intuition (N) How we digest information. Sensors take in information through the five senses and facts. They tend to lean on the practical side of things and focus on the details. Intuitive thinkers look at the big picture and are idealistic. They process information as patterns, impressions, are more abstract thinkers.
Thinking (T) and Feeling (F) How we make decisions. Thinkers make decisions based on logic and facts, while feelers make decisions based on values. Contrary to the polarising stereotypes of these two traits, people show tendencies to both depending on the situation at hand. Thinkers tend to tackle their decisions critically and feelers are driven by emotions.
Judging (J) and Perceiving (P) Our lifestyle preference. In terms of the structure of our lifestyles, perceivers are flexible and often spontaneous with their actions and can be a little on the disorganised side. Judgers need a sense of control in their planning. They like to have things organised and stick to their plan of action.
So what can you learn from understanding the 16 types of personalities based on the Myers-Briggs testing?
You’ll find opportunities for personal growth
Job hunting and changing career paths is an excellent route for opening up to personal growth. We’re forced to sit down to look at our past accomplishments and our aspirations and present them to strangers in hopes of opening new doors. Personal development is an ongoing journey. The MBTI highlights our positive traits, but it also uncovers areas in our personalities that hold room for improvement.
What types of careers suit your personality type
The 16 Personality questionnaire gives you a lengthy description of your personality type and provides you with some suggestions for career paths that might suit your personality. Of course, it doesn’t always line up and your resume might need more work to pursue some of the listed fields, but it can open your eyes to directions you might have never considered before.
How to communicate with your boss and colleagues
Having an understanding your MBTI personality can help you better communicate your feelings and ideas with the people around you. Taking the time to understand the different traits is a useful tool for learning other people’s communication and work preferences that can greatly impact your professional relationships and work-flow.
What learning styles work best for you
Everyone learns at a different pace and through different styles. Determining your learning style is fundamental in helping you succeed. Sensory types prefer bringing the picture together with the finer details and intuitives prefer looking at the big picture. Understanding how you prefer to learn will help you verbalise your learning expectations and will help you ask the right questions to solve those tricky problems.
