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How a Career Personality Test Can Help You in Your Job Search

February 26, 2025
Edited by
6
min read

Many of us enjoy taking personality and behavior evaluations to figure out who we are. While there are plenty of personality type quizzes out there, career assessments aren’t as widespread. Often, they’re given by HR but can be hard to access once you leave a job.

There is no assessment that can tell you exactly what job or vocation you should have, but assessments can assist us in being more self-aware and uncovering blind spots so that we can make professional decisions that play to our strengths. We all have blind spots and parts of ourselves that we aren't entirely aware of, which might obstruct our ability to live and operate to our greatest potential. This is especially true when it comes to your career.

In psychology, the metaphor of an iceberg is often used to describe our conscious and unconscious selves. Like an iceberg, there is a lot beneath the surface, comparable to the thought that there are various elements driving our behavior that we are not aware of. This ignorance can cause discontent in one's life, job, and relationships. The goal is to become more self-aware and bring positive, informed changes into our daily lives so that we can have a more rewarding life and job.

Self-awareness entails being able to recognize your emotions, appropriately assess your strengths and weaknesses, and determine what goals to set and how to attain them.  When it comes to taking control of your career, self-awareness is crucial. It is more difficult to make wise decisions and effectively communicate with others we meet along the route if we lack self-awareness.

Teal's Work Assessment

Teal's Work Styles Assessment is a professional development tool that helps you learn about your natural work style and behavioral features, increasing your self-awareness.

Teal's Work Styles is based on the DISC theory proposed by Harvard University's Dr. William Moulton Marston and the 4 Temperaments idea developed by Greek physician Hippocrates in ancient times. Work Styles was influenced by these theories, but it focuses on helping professionals better understand themselves at work.

There are four primary styles, and most people are a combination of all four; nonetheless, we usually lead with one or two of them. Teal's Work Styles helps us recognize which situations invigorate or deplete us, as well as which jobs are simple or difficult. Teal's Work Styles framework can help you better understand yourself and others, as well as improve your work relationships and duties.

Because Teal's Work Styles framework is founded on a two-factor model, there are two aspects to grasp.

Factor One: Starters vs. Finishers

The first factor separates the four types into two categories: starters (1 and 2) and finishers (3 and 4).

Starters (1 and 2) are more likely to think things through aloud and work quickly, while also being more likely to look at the big picture and come up with fresh ideas.

Finishers (3 and 4) are more likely to think things through before acting, focusing on the finer aspects while still being able to implement and complete tasks.

Factor Two: Results-orientated vs. People-orientated

The second component separates the four styles into two groups: results-oriented (1 and 4) and people-oriented (2 and 3).

Individuals that are goal-oriented (1s and 4) prioritize activities and outcomes and may prefer to work on things individually.

Individuals that are people-oriented (types 2 and 3) prioritize the needs of others and may prefer to collaborate on activities.

It's crucial to remember that we're all four types, although some actions come more naturally to us than others.

Because you are a mix of all four styles, your work style will be a four-number sequence. You should focus on the first two numbers in your sequence to determine your primary work styles, but you should also consider how the two components interact in your sequence.

Knowing your working style can be beneficial in a variety of ways. It can teach you how to connect more effectively with others, how to recognize what types of work and interactions invigorate or deplete you, and how to approach a job hunt. It's vital to keep in mind that this is merely a self-awareness technique, not a "definitive" description of who you are as a professional. There may be sections of the report with which you firmly agree and others with which you disagree. Use the portions of this that are helpful to you, just like any other self-awareness tool, so you can be more productive in how you work and interact with others. Increased self-awareness will assist you in moving toward a more rewarding life and profession.

How It Works

  • Take the quiz: Find out your four-number Work Style sequence by taking the 3-5 minute working style quiz.
  • Get results: Find out what takes the most work for you, and then adjust your processes accordingly.
  • Grow with confidence: Send your 360 link to others to see how your understanding of yourself differs from theirs.

The Benefits

  • Discover how you work and how your work style affects your triggers, relationships, perceptions, and energy.
  • To get 360 feedback, send your work styles page to your prior managers, coworkers, friends, and family. You'll learn a lot about how other people see you.
  • The more you know about your work style, the more at ease you'll be in the office. Self-awareness is the first step in negotiating, pitching ideas, and influencing people.

Your personality reveals a great deal about the kind of employee you are. Your personality can impact how you interact with coworkers, how far you advance in your career, and even what kind of job you obtain, whether you're right-brained or left-brained, extroverted or introverted. It's time to find suitable jobs after you've completed Teal's work style personality test.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a career personality test differ from a standard aptitude test during a job search?

Can taking a career personality test limit my job search to certain industries or roles?

How often should I retake a career personality test to ensure it reflects my current job search needs?

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Dave Fano

Dave Fano

David Fano is a hiring expert and career strategist with 20+ years of experience building and scaling high-performing teams. Over his career, he’s hired more than 4,000 people and reviewed hundreds of thousands of resumes—giving him firsthand insight into how hiring decisions are made.   Dave has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, NPR, and NBC News, sharing his expertise on hiring, job applications, and career strategy. He’s seen how the traditional career ladder is full of outdated rules—while companies have access to better tools and data than the people they hire. As the Founder & CEO of Teal, Dave is out to change that. He’s leveraging technology to give professionals the same advantages companies have—helping them build stronger resumes, position themselves for better opportunities, and take control of their careers with confidence. You can connect with Dave on LinkedIn, where he shares insights on resumes, job applications, today’s job market, and his favorite topic: career growth on your terms.

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