Human beings have different ways of thinking and behaving that differentiate us from one another. People have always been tempted to create personality types or models that fit others and ourselves so that we can understand each other better.
Hiring potential collaborators for an organization means putting the person to the test to assess their ability to perform the tasks that will be assigned to them; therefore, it is important and necessary to understand what type of individual we are dealing with and whom we are about to place in a position within our company.
Modern psychology has understood this need and has developed the so-called personality tests. The MBTI personality test is one of these variants and has become very popular in a variety of contexts, including business (personnel selection).
The purpose of the MBTI test is to increase the self-confidence of the person who completes the questionnaire and to offer them possible guidance, for example, on their career choice or compatibility with others. Therefore, the test is also used for career guidance, helping to identify the contributions each candidate can make and whether they really fit the motivational or aptitude requirements of a specific position.
How was the MBTI test born?
The origin of the MBTI personality test dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The psychologist Carl Gustav Jung, the precursor of analytical psychology, established the concepts of introversion and extroversion as fundamental aspects of personality.
People who tend to be introverted are mainly interested in their inner world. On the other hand, more extroverted people look outward. Jung, for his part, established and identified four basic cognitive functions in human beings: thinking, feeling, intuition and sensation. By combining these four aspects, he described eight personality types.
Based on these ideas presented by Jung, various people dedicated to psychology and research sought to give depth to them. Therefore, in 1962, Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers published a study in which they referred to the MBTI, a tool used to analyze and define 16 personality types present in people.
How to take the 16 personalities test or MBTI?
The MBTI test is completed by answering a questionnaire that usually contains 60 to 90 questions. Each question has two possible answers. Depending on the answers given, people can identify one of the 16 personality types. There are no wrong answers here, and no personality is better or worse than another; they simply categorize and provide characteristics unique to each person.
The questionnaire itself consists of questions arranged according to four different scales:
Extraversion (E) – Introversion (I). Extroverted people tend to be more action-oriented; social interaction is very frequent and they enjoy it; they also feel full of vitality when spending time with others. On the other hand, introverts are thought-oriented people, seek deep and truly meaningful interactions, and like to spend time alone. We all exhibit some degree of extroversion and introversion, but most of us tend to prefer one or the other.
Sensing (S) – Intuition (N). Individuals who have a preference for sensing tend to pay special attention to what they perceive and understand through their senses; they also enjoy gaining experience through practice. Intuitive people, on the other hand, are more aware of things; they like to think about the future and imagine it in order to address different possibilities.
Thinking (T) – Feeling (F). This aspect assesses people's decision-making. Individuals focused on thinking give more importance to objective facts and figures, and tend to be consistent, logical and objective when weighing decisions. On the other hand, those who enjoy feelings are more considerate of their own and others' sensitivities and feelings.
Judging (J) – Perceiving (P). People who tend to judge prefer structure and firm decisions. Perceiving people are more flexible, adaptable and open.
Myers Briggs' 16 personalities.
After completing the questionnaire, you obtain a combination of four letters (each letter corresponds to one of the aspects mentioned above). There are 16 possible combinations, corresponding to the 16 personalities listed below:
ISTJ. Inspector: These are individuals with the characteristics of realistic, reasonable, responsible people. They are orderly and seek to define procedures in their daily lives.
ISFJ. Protector: Meticulous people in search of precision and loyalty. They are courageous and dedicated, willing to protect others.
INFJ. Advocate: These are intuitive, creative and visionary individuals. They have strong values on which they can rely and an excellent organizational attitude.
INTJ. Architect: This type of person relies heavily on their logic and on the theory they have acquired over time. They tend to have a high level of performance, seek to implement long-term perspectives and goals, and are natural planners.
ISTP. Artisan: Pragmatic people when it comes to finding solutions to various problems; they are independent and enjoy experience as a learning method.
ISFP. Problem Solver: These are calm, flexible, spontaneous people who seek to manage their own space independently.
INFP. Mediator: This type of individual is characterized by being idealistic, artistic and with a significant level of creativity.
INTP. Thinker: These are analytical, calm people with a high level of concentration and logical thinking.
ESTP. Persuasive: These are extroverted, energetic, flexible people with a good sense of humor; they seek to focus on the here and now.
ESFP. Interpreter: These are individuals with a great capacity to adapt to new realities. They tend to be spontaneous and extroverted people.
ENFP. Champion: These are human beings with a high degree of imagination; they are welcoming and charismatic, and enjoy being able to work with their creativity.
ENTP. Debater: These are individuals who are always looking for novelty, seek opportunities at all times, and have important strategic skills for achieving objectives.
ESTJ. Director: These are people with the ability to make agile decisions, very efficient, very rule-oriented, and with excellent logical thinking skills.
ESFJ. Caregiver: These individuals seek to find total harmony in their environment; they are understanding, loyal and kind, with good emotional intelligence.
ENFJ. Devoted: This type of person is characterized by loyalty and empathy; they are very understanding and generous individuals, in addition to having good leadership attitudes.
ENTJ. Commander: They have a great capacity for strategy, are decisive when learning and applying new knowledge, and are facilitating and resolute people.
In conclusion, the MBTI test is a psychometric test designed to describe and learn about each person's personality traits, helping to understand and improve their strengths as well as their weaknesses. The aspects above help in choosing between two or more candidates when a profile seems to match what is being sought. A personality assessment related to a job, in addition to professional skills and similar experience, can contribute to making a decision that suits the demands of an organization.
At Evalart we have a wide variety of tests that are important in selection processes, including personality tests, which you can review in our catalog.
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