By: Gracie Covarrubias, DePaul University organizational and multicultural communication major ’18 and Career Center communications assistant
Let’s face it—we’ve all taken Buzzfeed quizzes that have told us everything from what fictional character we resemble to what type of furniture we would be. As fun as these often are, there are much more satisfying quizzes to consider; fellow peers, let me introduce you to personality assessments.
The Internet is rich with personality assessments that are actually used in the workplace to help assess employees’ personality, aptitude and skills. College of Communication Career Advisor Michael Elias shared the benefits of personality assessments, “I think career assessments can be incredibly helpful in providing a guide for researching potential career paths.” Michael is right, if you are looking for a great way to identify your strengths and weaknesses in the workplace and in life, personality assessments are the way to go. Check out these four personality assessments that actually matter!
16Personalities
Modeled after the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, 16Personalities is a self-reporting questionnaire designed to capture how you perceive the world and make decisions; ultimately, providing you with a roadmap to how you logistically see the world. The questionnaire is available online for free, and it serves as a great starting point to understanding the method behind your decision-making processes. If you’re interested in a more formal conceptualization of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, stop by the Career Center’s MBTI workshop on February 9th.
Gallup’s StrengthsQuest
According to Gallup, “the StrengthsQuest journey begins with the Clifton StrengthsFinder, an online assessment that allows students and educators to discover, understand, and maximize their strengths.” Gallup’s website states that the assessment exists to help students identify their top five “themes of talent;” the assessment operates on the premise that every individual has five strengths, and when identified, will help individuals reach their maximum potential in the workplace. The assessment can be taken online for $9.99.
Big Five
The Big Five personality assessment—also known as the Five Factor Model—is utilized to help individuals understand why they react to situations a certain way. According to the website, the theory gages an individual’s openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. The Big Five provides individuals with valuable insight into their psyche and is a must take for young professionals!
HEXACO
The HEXACO personality assessment ranks individuals on six dimensions: Honesty-Humility (H), Emotionality (E), Extraversion (X), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), and Openness to Experience (O). According to their site, these dimensions are used to help individuals develop a deeper understanding of their personality and the motives behind their decisions. Today, the HEXACO personality model is used in the workplace to predominantly gage employee behaviors and ethical standings. The assessment can be taken online.
As you can see, there is a whole world of research dedicated to helping you better understand your strengths and weaknesses in order to maximize success in the workplace. Curious about how your results from these assessments translate into the workplace? Stop by the Career Center and chat with your advisor to find out!