Introduction
For this assignment, I have chosen the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator career assessment tool I have found at www.16personalities.com. According to Myers-Briggs, though every person bears unique traits and shows individual behavior patterns, it is yet possible to assess their personality and assign it to one of the sixteen types. The author claims that there are four dichotomies each of which is a spectrum: extraverted vs. introverted, thinking vs. feeling, sensing vs. prospecting, and judging vs. perceiving. Sometimes, an additional dimension, turbulent vs. assertive, is used to distinguish between personal characteristics within one type. In this post, I will discuss my own findings and whether the test could be of use for career advisors.
Main body
My result is ESFP (“The Entertainer”), and according to Myers-Briggs, I am extraverted, feeling, sensing, perceiving, and turbulent. My role in society is that of the explorer, and the best strategy that I can adapt to pursue my life goals is to engage with people on a personal level. Overall, I think that the type description applies to me: for example, I find such behavior patterns as curiosity, short attention span, and the tendency to leap at opportunities reasonably precise. The Entertainer is a natural people’s person, and their sensitivity to others’ mood makes their well-being somewhat dependent on their environment, which is right about me as well.
As for the recommended career paths, I find Myer-Briggs’ suggestions in line with the type and my preferences. For instance, it is said that ESFPs unlock their potential when they have to make quick decisions, draw data from real people, and interact with them in a way that would benefit both. Professions that would potentially make an ESFP somewhat dissatisfied are those when they would have to work on a computer with minimal human contact. For all the similarities I found between myself and the description, the only caveat is that I scored 50-something % for each dichotomy, which makes me doubt the validity of the results.
From further reading on the topic, I found out that Myers-Briggs Typology Indicator is fairly popular with human resources specialists in Europe and North America. Some companies go as far as asking candidates for an open position to take the test. It is assumed that the results will be indicative of how well a person would fit. Some people choose this tool to discover career opportunities for themselves.
If I were to work with people as a career advisor, I would recommend this tool but would do some explanation beforehand. The majority of people lack self-awareness, which is fine since self-exploration is hard, but not understanding oneself might distort the test results. Moreover, if, say, a person takes the test in a good mood, he or she might be more aware of their strengths. On the contrary, approaching the test while not exactly in high spirits, a client might be too harsh on him or herself. I would advise studying the typology with someone a person trusts and who knows them well to correct them if necessary.
Conclusion
I would also tell my client that the test cannot give them all the answers, and while it can help with their career journey, one cannot rely entirely on the results. Lastly, I would note that their choices are not restrained to those recommended in the description. Ultimately, everyone is free to branch out and see for themselves whether a specific career path brings them joy and a sense of accomplishment.