3 Tests You Need To Take If You're Currently Job Hunting

Job adverts, job applications and job interviews can be pretty scary. Here's how to truly prepare yourself for the career of your dreams.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | April 23, 2024

Try as we might, the traditional approach to interview preparation—centered around decoding what interviewers want to hear—often leaves us grasping for scripted responses rather than presenting our authentic selves. We try so frantically to anticipate the interviewer's every question that we often overlook the most fundamental aspect of recruitment process: ourselves.

The key to a successful interview lies not in rehearsed answers, but in genuine self-awareness. Through psychometric assessments—invaluable tools for unraveling our personalities, preferences and capabilities—you can breeze through job hunting and interviewing with levels of clarity and confidence you didn't think were possible.

1. RIASEC

A great way to start any job hunt would be with the RIASEC assessment, a tool created through pioneering research from vocational psychologist Dr. John L. Holland. If you're new to the working world, looking for a change in career path, or simply searching for clarity along your career journey, this assessment could provide you with desirable insight.

With the purpose of providing you with a greater understanding of your career preferences—while also highlighting work fields that align with your personality and interests—the RIASEC assessment measures six dimensions of personality:

Realistic. Reflects those who enjoy working with their hands and engaging in practical, tangible tasks. They're often drawn to careers that involve physical activity, outdoor work or working with tools and machinery.
Investigative. Describes those with analytical and curious minds. They enjoy solving complex problems, conducting research and exploring new ideas. Careers in STEM and academia often appeal to them.
Artistic. Epitomizes those with creativity and imagination. Their talents shine through creative expression and flourish through careers in the arts, media, design and entertainment.
Social. Illustrates those with heightened empathy who take joy in helping others. They thrive in roles that involve making a positive impact on others' lives, such as teaching, counseling, healthcare or social work.
Enterprising. Refers to those who are ambitious and persuasive. They enjoy taking risks, leading others and pursuing opportunities for advancement. Careers in sales, entrepreneurship, management or politics often attract them.
Conventional. Relates to those who are organized and detail-oriented. They thrive in structured environments with clear rules and procedures, and are well-suited for roles in administration, finance, accounting or data analysis.

If you're preparing for your next interview, having an understanding of your RIASEC profile could be invaluable. With insight on your ideal tasks and optimal work environments, you can highlight skills and experience that showcase where your talents and expertise lie. And if you're yet to start your career journey, your RIASEC profile can aid you in seeking jobs that suit your talents, abilities and interests—paving a career path that can be truly fulfilling and satisfying.

2. MBTI

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment is a saving-grace for answering the dreaded "So, tell me about yourself" prompt. Highly beneficial at any point during a career journey, and widely used, this tool was developed to allow users to understand how they perceive the world, make decisions and interact with others.

The MBTI assessment measures four dichotomies, resulting in 16 possible personality types:

Extraversion versus introversion. Determines how you gain energy and focus your attention—through interaction with others or reflection and solitude.
Sensing versus intuition. Reflects how you gather information—through concrete, tangible details or abstract patterns and possibilities.
Thinking versus feeling. Examines how you make decisions—based on logical analysis and objective criteria or personal values and empathy.
Judging versus perceiving. Describes how you approach the external world—preferring structure, planning and closure or flexibility, spontaneity and adaptability.

The MBTI assessment allows you to examine your own personality—in a way that introspection alone doesn't allow—by outlining your thought processes in detail, work preferences and potential strengths and weaknesses. By knowing your MBTI type, you can articulate your skills and experiences in a way that genuinely reflects your capabilities, and show your employer where and how you fit into the company's culture and expectations.

3. DISC

If you want a potential employer to see how great of a fit you are for their team, the DISC assessment can help you prove this. Based on the behavioral model outlined by William Moulton Marston, this test measures the unique ways that you are able to enhance teamwork, resolve conflicts and optimize personal and professional relationships.

The DISC assessment measures four primary dimensions of behavior, each represented by a letter:

Dominance. Reflects how you approach problems, challenges and decision-making. Those high in dominance tend to be assertive, results-oriented and direct in their communication style.
Influence. Describes how you interact with others and seek to influence your environment. Individuals high in influence are often outgoing, sociable and persuasive, thriving in collaborative settings and enjoying recognition and social approval.
Steadiness. Examines how you respond to change, pace yourself and maintain stability. Those high in steadiness value harmony, cooperation and reliability, preferring predictable environments and supportive coworkers.
Conscientiousness. Reflects how you approach tasks, details and quality standards. Individuals high in conscientiousness are organized, analytical and detail-oriented, valuing accuracy and adherence to procedures.

This assessment is the key to showing an interviewer how much of a trail-blazer, team-player and collaborator you are. With the knowledge of your DISC profile, you can honestly and effectively answer any and all questions related to communication, leadership and challenges in the workplace.

While the age-old advice of "just be yourself" holds merit in job interviews, there's an additional layer of empowerment that comes from truly knowing yourself. Although authenticity is a great starting point, a genuine understanding of what makes you tick can offer employers a glimpse into your real and honest abilities—showcasing not just what you can do, but what you will do.

Worried about everyone around you being more qualified for the position you want? Take the Impostor Syndrome Scale to learn more.

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.