What does the 16 personalities test reveal?

Paper-thin hiring methods like resumes can only tell you so much about a potential hire. That's where personality tests like the 16 Personalities test come in. By using this test in your hiring process, you can gain deeper insights into a candidate's traits, motivations, and potential fit for the role and your company. 

While many managers have heard of the 16 Personalities test, many don't know what it reveals or how to interpret the results. Let's explore what the 16 Personalities can tell you – so you can decide if it's a useful hiring tool.

What is the 16 Personalities test?

The 16 Personalities test is a popular personality assessment tool based on the work of Carl Jung, a renowned Swiss psychiatrist.

The test evaluates individuals on four key aspects of personality:

• How they focus their attention and gain energy (Introversion vs. Extraversion)

• How they process information and perceive the world (Intuition vs. Sensing)

• How they make decisions and handle emotions (Thinking vs. Feeling)

• How they approach work and planning (Judging vs. Perceiving)

By combining an individual's preferences in these four areas, the 16 Personalities test assigns them one of 16 unique personality types, each represented by a four-letter code. For example, someone who’s an Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging type would be classified as an INTJ.

What does the 16 Personalities test best reveal?

The 16 Personalities test provides valuable insights into each of these areas.

1. Communication style

You can learn whether a candidate is more introverted or extroverted and how they prefer to communicate and interact with others. This can help you determine if they'll thrive in a team-oriented or independent work environment.

2. Information processing

You'll get to see whether a candidate relies more on concrete facts (sensing) or abstract concepts (intuition) when taking in information. This can indicate their problem-solving approach and fit for roles requiring attention to detail vs. big-picture thinking.

3. Decision-making

You can understand if a candidate prioritizes objective logic (thinking) or personal values (feeling) when making decisions. This can help you match them to roles and teams that align with their natural tendencies.

4. Work style

The 16 Personalities test can identify whether a candidate prefers structure and planning (judging) or flexibility and spontaneity (perceiving). This can help you determine how well they'll do in highly structured or unstructured roles.

5. Strengths and weaknesses

Each personality type has its own set of natural strengths and potential blind spots. For example, ISFJs in the workplace can excel at organizing and supporting others but often struggle with adapting to change. 

The test can help you identify candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and consider how they may impact job performance and team dynamics. This information can also help you later on, as you can build on your new hires’ strengths and assist them in overcoming their challenges.

6. Motivation and values

The test provides clues into what drives and fulfills each personality type. This can help you create a work environment and opportunities that align with a candidate's intrinsic motivations. For instance, ENFP employees may thrive in dynamic, creative environments that allow them to explore new ideas and possibilities.

Weaknesses of the 16 Personalities test

Despite the insights the 16 Personalities test can reveal, it has weaknesses.

1. Questionable scientific foundation

The 16 Personalities test is based on ideas that have faced scrutiny from the scientific community. Similar tests have been challenged in the past, raising concerns about reliability and validity of evaluations that split people into 16 distinct personalities.

2. Typecasting of candidates

The test's 16 categories may lead to the typecasting of individuals. For example, hiring managers might assume a candidate possesses all the traits associated with their assigned type.  

3. Subjective responses

The test is self-reported, so it’s susceptible to biases. Candidates may answer questions based on their desired self-image or what they believe you expect of them rather than providing genuine responses.

3. Lack of predictive power

Some studies have found that similar tests have limited ability to predict job performance or success in specific roles. Personality type alone isn’t a reliable indicator of how well an individual will perform in a given position.

For best results: Use a multi-level testing approach with TestGorilla

To make the most of the 16 Personalities test and overcome its limitations, consider using it as part of a multi-level testing approach with TestGorilla. This approach combines several different assessment methods to evaluate a candidate's suitability for a role more accurately. 

By combining the 16 Personalities test with other relevant tests from our test library, you can gain a better understanding of your candidates. We offer a comprehensive library of scientifically validated tests that assess various aspects of a candidate's profile, including cognitive abilities, situational judgment, and role-specific skills. 

For example, you can pair the 16 Personalities test with job-specific skills tests and a cognitive ability test to assess a candidate's personality, technical proficiency, and problem-solving skills. 

You can select the most relevant tests for your role, set benchmarks, and compare candidates objectively. TestGorilla provides detailed reports and insights on each candidate's performance, making it quick and easy for you to identify the best people for your team. 

You can use different types of tests alongside other assessment methods, like structured interviews. For example, instead of assuming your ESFP candidates are great team players – which could be false – you can ask them behavioral interview questions like, “How do you motivate your team members?” 

This multi-measure approach will enable you to benefit from the insights of the 16 Personalities test while preventing you from solely relying on the test’s results and unfairly typecasting your candidates. 

Enhancing your hiring process with the 16 Personalities test

The 16 Personalities test can be a valuable addition to your hiring toolkit, revealing insights into a candidate's communication style, information processing, decision-making, work style, and more. By understanding these, you can better assess a candidate's potential and fit for your role and company.

However, you must be aware of the test's limitations and use it as part of a comprehensive, multi-level assessment process. TestGorilla can help. Combining our 16 Personalities test with our other scientifically validated tests can help you gain a more complete and accurate understanding of each candidate.

To get started with TestGorilla’s talent discovery platform, sign up for a free account or book a live demo.