Personality Test…what do they really mean?

As some of you know, I am a part of the social work community (unlicensed). We tend to discuss various topics as we immerge ourselves into these types of communities. Personality test is a topic that came up. Some people have strong opinions about them and feel that they do not tell the complete story while others feel that they are helpful in everyday left as well as moving forward. Well, I am on the fence.

I am FOR Personality Test…

Personality tests have various reasons for being completed by individuals. Whether you complete it on your own or for an agency, they can give you some insight on yourself as well as your surroundings. There are so many different types of tests, and each has its strength to assist in you becoming/improving the person that you already are.

Take this test for instance, 16Personalities, it says that I am INFJ-T. Lets break it down:

Personality Type: Advocate

Traits: Introverted 78%; Intuitive 55%; Feeling 71%; Judging 88%; Turbulent 81%

Role: Diplomat

Strategy: Constant Improvement

Now, what does all this mean…same question I asked. I am quite and prefer solitary and can become overwhelmed with social interaction. TRUE I am open-minded as well as curious. TRUE Extremely empathic and focus on social harmony and cooperation. TRUE (I like for people to interact and get along as much as possible). Highly organized and prefer structure. YES! But with all this side, I am self-conscious and sensitive to stress.

So how am I a Diplomat role? We tend to care about others and empathy comes naturally. We also have a deep belief in the ideals of humanism. We do not have enough of this in the world and need to focus on others as much as we focus on self. This can, however, make us vulnerable. I try not to be vulnerable because I do not want anyone to see it as a weakness.

On the Other Hand…

This type of test can be misleading. We cannot focus on what an assessment tells us but rather use the information that it has provided to assist with the things in our lives. Some people tend to take personality tests too personal and that can cause conflict when dealing with things on a professional level. Those that tend to focus on the outcome can miss out on important factors and events that can help them improve everyday life.

In the end, be mindful of what these tests are suggesting because it is just that a suggestion to help you better your life and assist those that are in it.