Personality tests can be fun to do in your free time. They can help you learn more about yourself and how you interact with others. Taking a personality test with a friend or partner can start exciting conversations that deepen your relationship. But did you know that personality tests can also help you in your career?

Misunderstandings are responsible for many of the conflicts we experience in life. We often misunderstand other people’s communication styles, have conflicting expectations, or have trouble understanding each other’s values and goals. Personality tests and resources like BetterHelp can better understand ourselves and each other.

1. What is a Personality Test?

A personality test is a set of questions about your behavioral patterns, values, and how you interact with others. These tests are often developed by psychologists and other researchers and are made to help us understand practices and reasons for people’s behaviors.

One of the most famous personality tests is the Myers-Briggs Personality Test. You may have taken this, or one of its variations, like the 16 Personalities Test before. Other standard tests include the Enneagram Test, the Introvert vs. Extrovert test, and mental health tests.

2. How can a personality test help you at work?

A personality test can improve your professional life by giving you insight into your behavior and interactions with others. For example, if you are motivated by communication and social interaction, it might explain why working remotely is harder for you than it is for your colleagues. On the other hand, if you’re more introverted, this may be the reason you struggle with presentations and different types of public speaking.

3. Adapt Your Workflow

Use the insights you gain from taking a personality test to help make your schedule work for you. Taking a personality test can help you reflect on your values and what you enjoy in life. You can then apply this insight to make your work more meaningful and enjoyable.

While you may not have total control over how you work, adapting your workflow can help you do your job better and more efficiently. By creating a schedule, environment, and workflow suited to your personality, you can make things easier. This will make your work more enjoyable, increase your motivation, and help you on the road to success.

4. Improve Your Communication

Personality tests are a great way to gain insight into how people communicate and interact with each other. Many people run into conflict and confusion because they cannot understand each other’s communication styles. While one person may see more frequent communication as a sign of respect and value, another may interpret it as micromanaging and a lack of trust.

It’s essential to understand other people’s communication styles, but it’s also vital to examine your own. How do you communicate best with others? Are there any elements of your communication style that might class with your manager or co-workers? Understanding this can help you tailor your communication to achieve better results.

5. Gain Confidence

A personality test can help you gain confidence by showing you what you bring to the table. Are you a great communicator? A hard worker? Someone who’s always motivated to work for the greater good? Make sure to reflect on the positive insights your personality test has for you and use them to build confidence when you’re not feeling your best.

As you gain confidence in your work and abilities, you may find it easier to act as a leader or ask for the compensation and credit you deserve. Gaining confidence can even help you do your work better as you perform more decisively, communicate more effectively, and show up fully for whatever you’re working on.

6. Learn to Understand Others

One of the most important lessons that personality tests offer is that everyone’s experience is different. Remember that your way of doing things and seeing the world is only one of many. You can never understand every person’s experience, and that’s ok.

Interestingly enough, accepting the differences in people’s personalities and experiences can make it easier to understand others. Once you open yourself to new perspectives and possibilities, you can look at the differences of others with curiosity, ask questions, and further your understanding.