Myers-Briggs Personality Profiling

   After reading an article by Malcolm Gladwell from Annals of Psychology called 'Personality Plus' I could not get it off my mind.  Today, many companies screen their applicants by use of a very popular test called M.B.T.I. (Myers and Briggs Type Indicator).  In fact, eighty-nine of the Fortune 100 companies use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This test has a total of eight variable outcomes - Extroverted/Introverted, Intuition/Sensing, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Feeling.  The final personality profile will be determined based on the percent of the major variable that person taking the test supposedly is.  The real M.B.T.I. is $10.00+ to take, however there are similar tests online that use the same typology that you can take for free.

     To the left is a table of the potential M.B.T.I. outcomes.  I have not had the opportunity to take the real test, however I took a mock-test online at humanmetrics for free, and my results said that I was ENFJ.  Intrigued, I had to look up my personality profile and what I found was actually very shocking.  From top to bottom I felt as though the profile was written about me personally.  There are of course, a few things that I disagreed with a little bit, but that is where the percentages come in.  I am only 33% extroverted, which means that to some extent the E aspects of the personality profile will not apply to me.  However, I was 100% Judging, and 62% iNtuitive, and 38% Feeling. As you can imagine, I was able to relate a lot more to the Judging aspects of the personality profile.  Almost all of what I did read I was able to relate to myself, and personal situations in which the different parts of the personality proved very true, right down to my interests.  One specific way the ENFJ is described is as a smooth talker.  I think that this along with many of the other parts of the description would be beneficial in a marketing career.  This is a very good way to screen applicants, but absolutely should not be used as the only indicator of who would be suitable in a particular position. It is a great tool that allows you to learn more about yourself, and what careers might best suit your particular personality.  The results are a little bit broad, but I personally felt that it was true of myself.

    Take the test, look at the profile, and let me know what you think.  Were the results true to you?  Do you think that this is an accurate way for companies to screen their applicants?  Were any of the attributes in your profile things that would be helpful in a Marketing career?