Q. I keep hearing about the Myers Briggs personality test. What is it and why should I take it?

A. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test is based on a theory of personality developed over sixty years ago. Personality theorists Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs set out to explain and describe the fundamental differences they perceived in people. Basing their work on the theories of psychologist Carl Jung, they developed a theory of personality based on four facets.

• Extroverted/Introverted—Do you get your energy from being around other people, or from being alone?
• Sensing/Intuitive—Do you see what’s real, or what’s possible?
• Thinking/Feeling—Do you make decisions based on logic, or feelings and values?
• Judging/Perceiving—Do you like to plan and schedule, or keep your options open?

Besides being interesting in its own right, knowing about your Myers-Briggs personality type can help you to improve your life and relationships. Much research has been done correlating MBTI type with career satisfaction, so that if you know your type, you can get an idea of what jobs will work for you. You can also use Myers Briggs to understand how you communicate with others, and where differences may arise. Many business executives take this assessment to become more effective communicators and leaders. 

Q. I want to help my high school student decide on a college and a career path, but I don’t know where to start. Can your career tests help him figure out what he wants to do?

A. You naturally want your teen to choose a job that he will like and be successful at, but figuring out exactly what this might be can be difficult with a young person who isn’t sure just what he wants to do. Career tests can help your teen become aware of his personality and career interests, and understand the important factors to consider in his career choice. 

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is a personality test commonly used with high school students. This test will determine your teen’s personality type and his style of making decisions, processing information, and structuring his life. The MBTI Career Report will provide a ranking of careers based on your teen’s type, so that he can get an idea of what fields have proven satisfying for people similar to himself. 

The Strong Interest Inventory is the world’s most widely used career interests assessment, and will measure your student’s interest level in a variety of job tasks. The assessment matches your teen’s interest profile with the interest profile of successful professionals to determine which careers best fit his preferred work tasks. This test also comes in a Strong College Profile version to assist in the choice of a college major.

Q. Since I graduated from college a few years ago, I’ve been working in a boring job I don’t enjoy. I don’t really know where to begin in looking for a new job, but a friend told me that taking the Myers Briggs Type Indicator test could help me find a job I’ll like. How do you recommend using this test for finding a career?

A. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is a personality test that describes your style in relating to others, processing information, making decisions, and organizing your life. There is an astounding amount of individual difference in what people prefer to do for work, and many of these differences can be explained by Myers Briggs type.

For instance, a client of mine who is an accountant loves her logical, predictable work environment, where established procedures are followed to the letter and her attention to detail and talent for managing data is well used. This work is perfectly suited to her type, ISTJ. The ISTJ is a practical, detail-oriented, and traditional type of person, someone who appreciates stability and reason.

Contrast this with another client, who is an ENFP, and works as an educator, counselor, and sometime artist. My ENFP client loves a career where she never knows what to expect and can constantly exercise her creativity in an open-ended environment. She loves work that allows her to relate to others personally and emotionally, and where she has a chance to express herself.

Now, can you imagine what would happen if my ENFP client had to become a straightlaced accountant, while my ISTJ client was forced to become a freewheeling counselor/artist? The ENFP would end up feeling completely stifled and uninspired, while the ISTJ would feel stressed and out of control. Now you have an idea of how critical Myers Briggs type is for your job satisfaction.

If you think your personality type might be poorly suited to your job, it’s a good time to take the official Myers Briggs test online. Your PersonalityDesk consultant can help you figure out why your current job isn’t working for you, and how to choose a job that you love!