Best 16 personalities test for hiring

Finding the right person for your team is more than just looking at resumes. A candidate's personality profile plays a big part in how well they’ll fit in at your company and enhance your company culture. 

That's where the 16 Personalities test comes in handy. It offers in-depth analysis of a candidate's preferences, decision-making style, and more.  But picking the right test for your candidates? That can be tricky, as there are multiple tests to choose from, and they all have different strengths. We can help. In this article, we look at the five best 16 Personalities tests.

Top 5 best 16 Personalities tests for hiring

Here are my top 5 picks. Some tests aren’t designed specifically for hiring – but you might still find them useful for your hiring process. 

1. TestGorilla

TestGorilla’s 16 Personalities Test is specifically designed for hiring managers, who can directly invite candidates to take the test. The test is engaging and easy to understand, and both candidates and hiring managers receive results. The test takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and contains 36 closed-ended questions.

Strengths:

• The platform is accessible and easy to use – for both candidates and hiring managers.

• You can evaluate multiple candidates simultaneously, which speeds up the screening process for larger applicant pools.

• The platform provides a multi-test approach to assessing your candidates. You can combine the 16 Personalities Test and four other skill, culture fit, or cognitive ability tests into a single assessment. This way, you can identify candidates who are likely to thrive in your team and possess the job-specific skills you need.

• The assessments are customizable, so you can tailor them to match specific job requirements. You can also add your own questions.

• The report’s results are detailed and easy to understand (see a sample report here).

• TestGorilla offers detailed guides on the 16 Personalities test and types to enhance your understanding.

• You can access the 16 Personalities test with TestGorilla’s free plan! The plan includes candidate ratings and notes, detailed reports, candidate benchmarking, and more.

Weaknesses:

• The results depend on honest and accurate self-assessment by candidates, who are sometimes deliberately or unconsciously dishonest.

• Understanding and applying the results effectively requires some knowledge of personality theory and how it relates to job performance and team dynamics. (Fortunately, our guide on interpreting the 16 Personalities test results can make this easier.) 

2. HumanMetrics 

HumanMetrics offers two 16 Personalities tests. 

The Jung Typology test contains 64 questions, takes 10-20 minutes to complete, and is meant for personal use. It doesn’t contain workplace-focused questions or provide workplace-focused results.

However, the Jung Typology Profiler for Workplace test is designed for hiring managers, who can centrally administer the test and receive workplace-related insights.

Strengths:

• The Jung Typology test is free. 

• This test offers test-takers information about the careers their personality types tend to find most fulfilling, which candidates might find useful. 

• The Jung Typology Profiler for Workplace test gives you information about your candidates’ leadership potential, resourcefulness, self-control, and more in a multi-page report. 

Weaknesses:

• The website is overcrowded and difficult to navigate, and the wording of the questions can be difficult to understand. For example, one question says, “Strict observance of the established rules is likely to prevent attaining a good outcome.”

• Managers can’t directly administer the Jung Typology test to candidates.

• The Jung Typology Profiler for Workplace test is costly, and you’re charged per test and test-taker.

3. 16Personalities

The 16Personalities NERIS Type Explorer test has 60 questions, is easy to use, and takes 5-10 minutes to complete. This test is meant for personal use.

Strengths: 

• The website provides resources and tools, such as articles and specialized guides.

• The results make it easy to understand what each personality type means.

• The test is engaging and makes users feel like they’re having a conversation rather than taking a test.

Weaknesses:

• The test breaks down the 16 types by adding more specific categories (creating 32 categories in total). This extra detail might be confusing for those used to the simpler original system.

• You’ll receive only a basic report with the free version. The more in-depth analysis is behind a paywall.

• Since the test is meant for personal use, its results aren’t tailored to the workplace, and hiring managers can’t centrally administer the test to candidates.

4. Truity

Truity’s 130-question TypeFinder® Personality test takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and is meant for personal use. You can’t centrally administer the test to candidates.

However, Truity also offers a TypeFinder® for the Workplace test, which you can administer directly to candidates. It takes 10-15 minutes, too. This test is designed to help you understand your existing employees. 

Strengths: 

• The website provides alternative personality types that might fit individual test-takers. 

• The TypeFinder® Personality test details how each test-taker’s personality fits into various career paths. 

• The report for the TypeFinder® for the Workplace test is detailed and provides insights into the test-takers’ leadership, teamwork, and communication styles – while identifying growth opportunities.

Weaknesses: 

• The questions in the TypeFinder® Personality test might feel lengthy and repetitive to some users.

• The tests for business use are costly. You’re charged per test, and you can give each test to one person only. 

• Since the TypeFinder® for the Workplace test is designed specifically for existing employees, it might not be the best choice for candidates. 

5. Crystal 

Crystal’s 16 personality test is quick – taking about 5 minutes and containing 32 questions. The test is meant for personal use.

Strengths: 

• The assessment is free and fast – which makes it ideal for quick screening.

• The test’s “select the circle closest to the statement that is most like you” format is really engaging.

• The results are similar to a cheat sheet for understanding how different personalities might work together.

Weaknesses:

• The results, which are quick summaries of personality types, might lack the level of detail you need to understand your candidates.  

• Hiring managers can’t administer the test directly to candidates since it’s meant for personal use. 

• Some test questions are awkwardly worded and might be difficult for some candidates to answer. For example, one question asks if test-takers are more “Skeptical” or “Wants to Believe.”  

Make TestGorilla your go-to source for the 16 Personalities test for hiring

From HumanMetrics to Crystal, each 16 Personalities test reviewed above offers unique insights to inform your hiring decisions. Since TestGorilla’s test is designed specifically for hiring and offers a free plan, it tops my list. 

But personality tests alone should never inform your hiring decisions, as they can’t fully capture a candidate’s suitability for a role. 

This is another reason TestGorilla shines. Its platform doesn’t just contain personality tests – it offers hundreds of tests, including job-specific tests. By combining multiple tests to create personalized assessments, you can discover individuals with all the skills and personal qualities your team needs.

Ready to learn more? Sign up for our free plan and schedule a quick demo today!