ROC Weekly Management & Mindset Segment

Using the MBTI Test to Hire for Your Rehab Center: Good or Bad?

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test has a series of questions that categorize people into one of 16 personality types, based on their combination of four personality aspects:

• introversion (I) or extraversion (E)

• sensing (S) or intuition (N)

• thinking (T) or feeling (F)

• judging (J) or perceiving (P)

Using MBTI in hiring has been a long contested subject. While some people are against it, the test is still helpful in a number of ways when considering who to add to your team. While it is advised to not use the test alone to make your hiring choices, it can provide insight into the candidate’s preferences, attitudes, perception of the world, disposition when making decisions, opinions, and ways of interacting with others; all of which can benefit you when making a hiring choice.

How MBTI can help in your business

Here is a list of ways the MBTI test can help in the hiring process and in your business:

It can help your team work better together

Understanding the different personality types on your team will help everyone work better together and will help you to delegate tasks to the people most suited to them. For instance, the results can help you assess who is assertive or introverted, who prefers concrete plans to abstract ideas, and who prefers to work in solitude compared to those who thrive in a group. Knowledge of MBTI types can help you communicate better with your team, and can help you foster communication amongst others. These insights can help you understand how each person feels and how they perceive certain things.

It can help you hire a diverse team

Using MBTI in the hiring process can help ensure there is a diverse set of personalities in your company. This can help you avoid the bias of hiring people you identify with (a similar type) and instead focus on how different types and perspectives can make your team more effective. It can also help you reduce discrimination based on ethnicity, age, or gender when hiring, as assessing personality types rarely has a bias against certain groups compared to other ability or assessment tests.

It can help you plan for success

As you onboard a new employee, their MBTI results can help you determine what they need for success as they integrate into the team and settle into their role.

Things to remember

There are many benefits of using the MBTI test in the hiring process, but there are also several things to keep in mind while doing so, including:

MBTI does not predict job performance

While the test can provide insight into the motivations, preferences, and work styles of a potential employee, it rarely provides information about their job performance. Remember, employees are more likely to perform well when they feel part of the team and have high job satisfaction. When a workplace supports employees’ natural strengths and preferences, there is a higher likelihood of success.

MBTI does not predict behaviour

The results of the test are meant to indicate motivations, behaviours, and ability to focus on certain things. These aspects are not behaviour per se, but rather are what influences behaviour.

You must pair the results with other assessments

To get a well-rounded idea about a potential employee, it is important to pair MBTI with other skills and technical assessments. You can use the results from the MBTI test to further explore an aspect of their personality. For example, if the MBTI test indicates they would be suitable for a role in tech, you can provide a skills test to ensure they have the knowledge and skills needed for a role in IT.

16 Myers-Briggs personality types

Here is a list of each of the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types, along with some of the roles most suited for them:

• Inspector (ISTJ)

  • Management

  • Administration

  • Law enforcement

  • Accounting

• Counselor (INFJ)

  • Counseling

  • Teaching

  • Art

• Mastermind (INTJ)

  • Scientific fields

  • Technical fields

  • Computers

  • Legal field

• Giver (ENFJ)

  • Arts

  • Teaching

• Craftsman (ISTP)

  • Skilled trades

  • Technical fields

  • Agriculture

  • Law enforcement

  • Military

• Provider (ESFJ)

  • Education

  • Healthcare

• Idealist (INFP)

  • Counseling

  • Writing

  • Arts

• Performer (ESFP)

  • Healthcare

  • Teaching

  • Coaching

  • Skilled trades

  • Childcare provider

• Champion (ENFP)

  • Counseling

  • Teaching

  • Religion

  • Arts

• Doer (ESTP)

  • Marketing

  • Skilled trades

  • Business

  • Law enforcement

  • Applied technology

• Supervisor (ESTJ)

  • Management

  • Administration

  • Law enforcement

• Commander (ENTJ)

  • Management

  • Leadership

• Thinker (INTP)

  • Scientific fields

  • Technical fields

• Nurturer (ISFJ)

  • Education

  • Healthcare

• Visionary (ENTP)

  • Science

  • Management

  • Technology

  • Arts

• Composer (ISFP)

  • Healthcare

  • Business

  • Law enforcement

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