Some people say personality assessments keep people stuck where are they are. I say exactly the opposite. For career marketing, this stuff is gold, especially Gallup StrengthsFinder, which is what I use with my clients.
You can find out more about this in my Facebook Live on personality tests and job search, but here’s a rundown of some popular personality assessments and tips on how to show your strengths to get the role or goal you seek.
Personality Assessments
DISC
The letters stand for: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness
Well respected by and widely used within the corporate world.
Measures how you do in your natural and adapted (or under pressure) states, which is one reason why companies like it. The letters are the shorthand for your type, but it’s not as fun to talk about as some other assessments.
You can definitely use this for career marketing, but not so fun to talk about on a date.
Enneagram
Best for personal development, not for career marketing unless you’re applying at a yoga studio or similar.
It is freakishly accurate and excellent for self-discovery. It’s more spiritual and way more complicated to figure out than some other assessments. I know a lot about my type, but not a lot about others because it requires more in-depth study.
Could be fun to talk about on a date if the other person has taken it. Definitely will help you understand others.
Meyers-Briggs (MBTI)
No longer popular or well-respected in the corporate world. Not recommended for career marketing unless the interviewer brings it up.
Originally introduced in 1943, there are newer and more respected assessments. In fact, some organizational development people disdain Meyers-Briggs and a recent book about it, The Personality Brokers, doesn’t help either.
But it’s fascinating and many find it insightful. Definitely talk about this on a date, unless you’re out with an OD person.
StrengthsFinder
My favorite and the one I recommend for career marketing. Here’s why:
1) Well respected by and widely used within the corporate world.
2) Published by Gallup – this gives it a lot of credibility.
3) Easy to understand – the names of the strengths are pretty intuitive.
I’m strategic, connectedness, activator, relator, belief. Maximizer and ideator also show up once in awhile on my StrengthsFinder.
4) Leadership domains give another layer of where your strengths lie:
Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, Strategic Thinking
How to Share Your Strengths
1) In Interviews and Networking Conversations
Get beyond your last job title by giving people something more interesting about you. Not just what you did but how you did it. This is where your strengths come in. This is especially important if you want to move in a new direction where you have to move beyond the last job title.
I get great content out of people with this simple question:
How do you use your strengths in your work?
And then: Tell me a story about how you use your strengths.
Remember, the answer to every behavioral interview question is a story, so why not make it a strengths-based story?
2) On Your Resume, LinkedIn, PowerPoint or One-Sheet
Add your strengths to your resume with a short description (one line) pulled from the report. Here’s the description I use for strategic: Sees solutions before others know there is a problem.
Add your strengths to a short PowerPoint deck that sums you up. Devote one page to strengths. Wouldn’t this be a more interesting way to introduce yourself to a new boss? See an example here from a page I use.
My Strengths from the Gallup StrengthsFinder Assessment in PowerPoint format
Find Out More
Listen to the whole video for more details on my Facebook page. And good luck showing your strengths! The world needs what you have to offer.
