What Is the DISC Personality Test?
The DISC personality test is a career personality test based on the DISC theory, developed by William Moulton Marston, that assesses different character traits and gives tools and suggestions on how to better communicate and interact with others.
The DISC assessment analyzes four specific traits:
->Dominance (D)
->Influence (I)
->Steadiness (S)
->Conscientiousness (C)
What Is the Format of the DiSC Personality Test?
The DISC Personality test is a short multiple-choice test that consists of 12 to 30 questions. Each question will give four adjectives that may or may not describe you, and you must choose which word you most and least relate to.
This test is entirely self-reported, so it is best to be honest when answering for the most accurate results possible.
Why Take the DISC Personality Test?
The DISC personality test is a great way to better understand your traits, behaviours, motivations, and personality characteristics. This is a common pre-employment test because it is an excellent tool for your future employer to better understand how you work with others and if you’d fit in well with the existing team. It can also give tips on providing feedback, communicating with you in stressful situations, and what motivates you in the workplace.
Dominance (D-Types)
Those with a Dominance (D) personality type are independent, direct, assertive, and decisive. These are the people you want to make hard decisions and take control of the situation. They are big-picture-oriented and results-driven, making them natural leaders.
D-type personalities work best when they can lead a team, make quick decisions, and control their work. Because of this, employers may find they are great for management positions and other leadership roles.
However, the downsides of a D-type personality include being easily upset when goals aren’t met, coming off as too blunt, and feeling upset when their authority is challenged.
D-type personalities do well in positions of leadership, authority, and power. They like to set their own rules, work independently, and have the freedom to set their own goals and work at their own pace. Here are some great career ideas for a D-type personality:
->CEO
->Lawyer
->Entrepreneur
->Police Officer
->Director
->Executive
Tips for a D-Type Personality
D-type personalities have several strengths that would significantly help any team. Be sure to acknowledge the following during your hiring process to help the interviewer understand what you can bring to the table:
->You have a “can do” attitude.
->You take charge in situations where others may struggle.
->You work well independently as well as in a team.
->You thrive in busy environments and welcome responsibility from your managers.
->You appreciate efficiency and strive to meet all goals that are set.
However, there are some struggles that a D-type personality may encounter. If you are a D-type in the workforce, here are some tips to help you when interacting with others at work:
->Practice patience. D-types are great leaders and can work and make decisions quickly and efficiently. However, being a good leader at work is also about helping others thrive and grow. Have patience with your team members, guide them to make their own decisions, and let them work at their own pace.
->Be more soft-spoken. Some adjectives to describe a D-type personality are competitive, blunt, and direct. All are great qualities when harnessed correctly, but they can ruffle some feathers in the workplace. Practice approaching people more soft-spoken manner and remember that you are all one team working together.
->Give yourself room to grow. Goals are how we track progress and ensure we are staying on target. However, you are not going to make every goal every time. D-type personalities thrive in goal-oriented situations, but if a goal isn’t met, remember to give yourself some grace and look at this as a growth opportunity.
Influence (I-Types)
Those with the I (Influence) type personality are the social butterflies of the workplace. They enjoy connecting with others, easily show empathy, and love being part of a team. You’ll want an I-type personality to lead your brainstorming event, bring fun and energy to the group, and encourage others.
I-type personalities are great at coming up with new and creative solutions. They may also be social outside the typical work day, building strong relationships and trust with team members. They are also excellent for dinners and events where you need an outgoing face to help bring in clients.
People with an I-type personality work best in groups and may not do well in careers that require a lot of isolation. They are also more creative and free in their approaches and may not work well with tight schedules and procedures. Because of this, they may miss deadlines at work, be less detail-oriented, and often try to make light of serious situations.
Those with an I-type personality thrive in situations where they have complete creative control and freedom and where they get to interact with people regularly. Here are some great career ideas for I-types:
->Musician
->Realtor
->Designer
->Public Relations
->Creative Director
->Travel Agent
->Copywriter
Tips for an I-Type Personality
I-type personalities have several traits that would strengthen any team. Here are a few attributes that you can bring up during the recruitment process to communicate your value in the workplace:
->You come up with novel solutions to problems.
->You work great in a team and are an effective communicator.
->You love encouraging people and can bring out the strengths of other team members.
->You avoid conflict in the workplace and would instead focus on working together toward a solution.
However, like with all personality types, I-types struggle at work in some respects. Here are some tips to help you succeed in the workplace:
->Find a system that works for you. While rigid systems and procedures may not work for you, you will have to meet deadlines no matter your career field. Finding some organizational system that works for you and helps keep you on track while not stifling your creativity is essential.
->Encourage collaboration and socialization. You work best in collaborative environments and thrive in social settings. Solo work can drain you and make you lose motivation. Volunteer for team projects or work in a community workspace with colleagues during the day.
->Slow down and think before making a decision. I-types are great at coming up with new solutions and jumping from idea to idea. But that can lead to trouble when you don’t thoroughly think through a decision before implementing it. Remember to slow down sometimes and think about your ideas’ details before moving forward.
Steadiness (S-Types)
The S (steadiness) personality types are supportive, active listeners, and quickly responding to the needs of others. They work well with others because they are helpful, empathetic, and excellent at following directions. If you have a crisis or need someone with a level head, an S-type personality is will be your go-to person.
Those with S-type personalities consistently check in with their team and are always available to help. They are also patient and understanding of others and have welcoming personalities.
However, those with an S-type personality avoid conflict and are sometimes too passive. This could lead to not giving feedback when needed over a fear of upsetting others. They may also put off or incorporate emotions into their decision-making.
S-type personalities work well in careers where they can stick to a routine and help others daily. Here are some great career path ideas for an S-type personality:
->Therapist
->Human Resources
->Nurse
->Customer Success
->Healthcare
->Executive Assistant
Tips for an S-Type Personality
All companies need team players and people who are in supportive roles. To help communicate your value to the hiring manager during the recruitment process, here are some great traits you can bring up during your interview:
->Because you are empathetic and compassionate, you anticipate the needs of others well.
->You thrive in supporting roles where you get to help other people.
->You work well in a team and prefer collaboration to isolation.
->You thrive when sticking to a routine and crave structure in your daily life.
However, there are a few things that S-types should work on. Try following these tips to avoid stressful workplace situations.
->Communicate more assertively. S-types often avoid conflict at all costs, sometimes leading them to put off addressing situations or act more passively when communicating with others. Practice being more assertive in your delivery and tackling issues as soon as they arise.
->Seek collaborative environments. Those with an S-type personality work best in teams and collaborative work environments. Seek out roles that allow you to work with others regularly and do not require long periods of solo work.
->Keep learning. Contributing to the team is extremely important for S-type personalities. One way to ensure you always have something to contribute is to never stop learning. Take online courses, read up on new subjects, and take a career development class. No matter where you are in your career, take the initiative to learn new skills that you can use to support others.
Conscientiousness (C-Types)
Those with a C-type personality tend to be analytical, logical, sceptical, and pragmatic. They are great people to have around when you need an objective opinion or to make decisions based on facts.
C-types are independent workers in the office but will show great patience when answering questions that others may have. They may have great advice for how their team can become more efficient and always have data to back up their decisions in the workplace.
However, teamwork may be difficult for a C-type personality. They may neglect to listen to others’ ideas and be overly critical of others’ actions. They also expect others to follow the rules and don’t work well in teams that make things up as they go. C-types may struggle in positions that require a lot of talking with coworkers and in-person meetings.
Because c-types work well independently and enjoy solving problems, here are a few great career paths they could take:
->Engineer
->Analyst
->Data Scientist
->Actuary
->Software Developer
Tips for a C-Type Personality
Many aspects of a C-type personality are great assets for companies. Here are a few things to bring up during your interview process:
->You are great at following rules and procedures and are happy to help develop them for others.
->You thrive when working independently and solving problems on your own.
->You avoid emotion when making decisions and rely instead on facts and data.
However, there are some blind spots to be careful of. If you are a C-type personality, try following these tips in the workplace:
->Do not be afraid of verbal communication. C-types tend to rely on written communication and instructions. However, it is sometimes more efficient to verbally discuss an issue or show someone how to solve it. Embrace these situations instead of shying away from them.
->Perfection is not always needed. Those with a C-type personality tend to seek perfection in their work. It is important to remember that not all problems require a perfect solution. Many times, a workable solution is all that is needed.
->Do not forget to delegate. Independent work is an excellent strength of the C-type personality, but taking on too much work because you want to do it alone can be detrimental in the long run. Be sure to delegate tasks to others so you don’t burn out.
How to Prepare for the DISC Personality Profile Test?
The only way to prepare for the DISC Personality assessment is to take practice tests. These tests will give you sample questions to give you a better idea of what to expect on the assessment and results so you can see how your personality naturally is.
You’ll also want to remember the kind of employee the company is looking for when answering these questions. For example, if you are applying for a manager position, you’ll want your D-type personality traits to shine.
Those who take the time to work through practice DISC tests are more likely to do well during the hiring process than job seekers who do not adequately prepare.
