Employers sometimes use exams to determine if a candidate is right for a job. Many of these tests look at personality traits to determine what drives employees and how they react in the workplace. Researchers advanced the Big Five personality trait model in the middle of the 20th century.
This model measures openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. In this article, we'll explain these traits, walk you through a "Big Five" test, and tell you how knowing about them can help you find a job.
The Big Five personality traits are a set of descriptions of who you are, such as how you feel and what you do in different situations. Even though you probably lean more toward one trait than another, your personality is a mix of the following:
The Big Five Personality Test is a study that people complete to determine how they score just on Big Five Personality Traits. The framework for personality traits was made by Lewis Goldberg in 1963. It was based on the linguistic hypothesis.
The idea is that five groups of words can be used to describe people: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness. The test measures these five things about a person's personality. In this article, we'll talk about the pros and cons of the Big 5 Personality Test and what it's good for.
Personality theories have been looked at by researchers for most of this century. Hans Eysenck's three-factor theory is just one of the many theories. Researchers kept improving their ideas until they came up with The Big Five Personality Traits, a five-factor theory.
In the early 1960s, Ernest Tupes and Raymond Christal developed the first five-factor model. But it didn't catch on until Lewis Goldberg's work on the linguistic hypothesis emerged. Researchers may name their traits differently, but all point to the same five themes.
Many people say that the Big Five Personality test is not scientific because it just sorts descriptions into groups, but research using the Big Five model has been growing steadily. A 2011 study confirms that the Big Five Personality model doesn't change much over four years in adulthood. If you bring the test more than once more than four years, your results will be pretty much the same each time.
The best thing about personality tests is that they help people learn more about themselves. People can consider how well they fit into those categories by naming behaviors. The fact that these are self-reported surveys is one thing that makes personality tests less than ideal. To answer these questions correctly, a person needs to have a high level of self-awareness.
Another thing people don't like about the Big Five Personality Traits is that the classifications are too broad and fixed to give useful information. People are reactive creatures who change based on what's going on. For instance, you might be more open with close friends and less open when you're somewhere new.
Along with salary and job duties, a big part of career success is how well you fit into your company's culture. Its culture includes the work environment, company mission, and core values. Getting to know your Big Five can help you find a place of work that fits your personality.
For example, if you are very responsible, you may do better in a more formal business setting. If you are an extrovert, you probably like to work in a more relaxed setting with many people. After taking a test to discover your Big Five traits, think about these jobs based on what you learned about yourself.
If you performed better on openness, you might like one of the following jobs:
Tour guides help groups of people plan trips. As a tour guide, you will ensure your group is safe and tell them about important cultural or historical sites. To be a good tour guide, you'll need to be good at talking to people and giving talks. Tour guides must have at least a high school diploma and know much about the subject they specialize in. Some even go on to get a bachelor's degree in a field related to their tour specialty.
Commercial pilots fly airplanes and ensure the crew and passengers are safe. But you might also be a cargo pilot who takes important things from one place to another or a helicopter pilot who takes people on tours. As a pilot, you must monitor the weather and talk to air traffic controllers to ensure you reach your destination quickly and safely. Most pilots need a pilot's license and a bachelor's degree.
You most likely have outstanding attention to detail as a conscientious person. Consider one of these jobs based on who you are:
As an accountant, you will look at a business or person's income and expenses and suggest better ways to manage money. You will probably also have to fill out tax forms and keep a system in place to keep financial information safe. Accountants also keep track of budgets and make reports about expenses. Most accountants need to have a bachelor's degree, and some go on to become Certified Public Accountants to make more money.
In a sales management job, you'll set sales goals and quotas and develop ways to get more customers. You will also be in charge of hiring, training, and managing the salespeople who work for your company. Many sales managers have a bachelor's in business or marketing, and most have worked in sales.
If you like being around people, you might like one of these jobs:
As an event planner, you will be the client's main point of contact, coordinating guest lists and surveying and booking event locations. You will probably also be in charge of ordering food, music, and audio/visual equipment. To keep track of everything going on simultaneously, event planners need to be good at managing their time and talking to each other. Many jobs require a bachelor's degree in business or hospitality, but some may only need relevant experience.
As a personal trainer, you will make exercise plans for clients and teach them how to work out. Personal trainers help their clients set goals for what they eat and how much they work out, and they keep an eye on how well those goals are being met. To be successful, personal trainers need to like working with a wide range of clients and have a strong sense of purpose and commitment. Many personal trainers have a high school diploma and must be certified to do their jobs.
If you're a nice person, think about a job where you can help people:
As a kindergarten through sixth-grade elementary school teacher, you will make lesson plans for students in those grades. You will usually teach math, science, history, and language arts, among other things. You will also have to grade assignments and talk to parents. Elementary school tutors should have a bachelor's degree and a license from the state to teach.
As a human resources specialist, you will make paperwork for new hires, promotions, firings, and forms for insurance benefits. You will probably also ensure the workplace is safe and employees follow the company's rules. Most of the time, HR specialists also help employees solve problems. It would help if you had a bachelor's diploma in human resources or a relevant subject to become an HR specialist.
If you can remain calm under pressure, one of the following jobs might be a good fit for you:
Social work is a big field, but most people who work in it help mentally, emotionally, or physically sick people of all ages. Your job could include talking to people or families about their problems and, in some cases, to the police. As a social worker, you'll require that you be good at understanding how people feel. A bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for a social worker, but many opt to specialize by getting a master's degree.
As a psychiatric nurse, you will determine what's wrong with people's minds and treat them. You might also refer your patients to non-medical healthcare professionals like social workers or family therapists in addition to giving them their medicines. Before becoming psychiatric nurses, nurses must first become registered nurses.
