Truity’s TypeFinder for Career Planning is a 15 minute free career personality test that is designed to accurately measure the personality traits and interests that point to your ideal career path.
In this article, we will explore this test in more detail. We will take a look at the theory behind it, and whether the test is worth taking. Enjoy!
The Theory Behind the Test
The Truity TypeFinder for Career Planning uses the 16 personalities theory, combined with the Holland Code system. They use both of these tests to gather a fuller picture of our potential career paths.
However, as a brief introduction: the Holland Code test is designed to specifically measure our workplace behaviour. It measures our personality across six styles, namely: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional.
We can share interests with all of these types, and as a result get a unique ‘code’ that explains our personality.
The 16 personalities, on the other hand, is not specifically workplace related, although it has been applied to the workplace over the years. This assessment measures our personality across four behaviour preferences:
1) Extroversion or Introversion; 2) Sensing or iNtuition; 3) Thinking or Feeling; and 4) Judging or Perceiving.
From our preference on these types, we get places into one of 16 personality types. For instance, someone who has an Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking and Perceiving preferences would be an ‘ESTP’.
What Did I Think of the Test?
The TypeFinder for Career Planning, which is comprised of 105 questions, uses different questions from both the Holland Code and The 16 Personalities test. For the first questions, you are asked to chose which phrase out of a pair best describes yourself. Examples include “I seek attention from others” to “I avoid attention from others“. Or, “I keep my cool” to “I show enthusiasm“.
I did find that some of these questions didn’t relate to each other so well. For example, in my opinion, I can’t really see how “I persist in my goals” to “I adapt to my environment” work together – surely you can do both? Similarly, I found the same with “I want to be liked” to “I want to be respected”. Surely we want both? Don’t the two come hand-in-hand?
On the second page, the questions change slightly. You are asked to indicate how often a statement is true for you. Statements include those such as “being around lots of people energizes me” and “I think of myself as a sensitive person”. On the page after, the questions swap back to be the same format as page one. I liked this swapping of questions, it made taking the test interesting.
Finally, the last few pages are the Holland Code test. You are asked to mark how much certain activities would interest you. Truity asks you to simply think about whether you would enjoy doing such an activity. Examples of activities include “using precision machines to build custom metal parts”, “analyzing the structure of molecules” or “teaching adults to read“.
The Free Version of Truity’s TypeFinder
The free results report is lacking in a lot of detail. It tells you what type of person you are and gives nice chart, where the size of the quadrants show what personality types you share the most interests with. In my case, you can see that I am mostly idealistic and caring.
The Upgraded Version of Truity’s TypeFinder
Like all of Truity’s tests, you have the option to pay $19 to upgrade to get a more detailed report. I have taken quite a few of Truity’s upgraded tests, and the results have never failed to please me. I am sure this one wont be any different, but lets take a look!
The upgraded report covers a wide range of areas, including:
- An in-depth description of your personality type and what you need to feel motivated and satisfied. Unlike the free report, you learn what 16 personalities type you are. For example, I am ‘ESFJ’.
- An exploration of how others see you and how you connect with others.
- Your strengths and weaknesses in teamwork, leadership, and communication.
- Your ideal work environment and ideal roles. For example, I need a friendly and collaborative work environment that is focused on achieving practical goals. My ideal roles were as a practical helper or engaging leader.
- Detailed scores of your career interest areas to reveal specifically what type of work is a fit.
- A complete list of the careers that fit your unique personality and interest profile.
- A suggested “career wish list” and questions to ask to ensure you’re choosing the right job. This gives a few pointers of what signs to look for when a career is right for you, and when a career is wrong for you.
- An optional, downloadable career planning workbook to guide you through your career choice process.
Conclusion and what next?
Overall, Truity neatly ties in two well-recognized and well-research theories into it’s TypeFinder for career planning test. Like many of their tests, the free version offers some great insight.
When you upgrade, however, you are exposed to a plethora of information, from your leadership style, to how you communicate to suggested careers.
If you would like to take an active step with your own career planning, then head this way to take Truity’s TypeFinder for Career Planning test!
