There are dozens, if not hundreds of personality tests out there. Here is a brief guide to three of the most popular tests used to measure the traits of team members and prospective employees:



Test: Kolbe A Index

Background: Created by educator and entrepreneur Kathy Kolbe and published by Arizona-based Kolbe Corp.

How it works: While most personality tests measure a candidate’s intellect or personality traits, the Kolbe Index A takes into account what it calls the “conative force,” a person’s innate tendency toward solving problems.

Kolbe classifies a person’s “conative” approach according to four measures: fact finder (the need to gather and share information); follow through (the need to follow processes); quick start (the ability to improvise in a situation); and implementer (the ability to handle abstract concepts). Most people are dominant in one or two of these categories. Kolbe rates candidates according to the traits and constructs a full profile.

Cost per candidate: US$49.95, plus an additional $75 to $200 if you need a certified consultant to interpret the results for you.



Test: Myers-Briggs Personality Test

Background: Developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Briggs, in the 1940s. Published by Menlo Park, Calif.-based CPP Inc.

How it works: The Myers-Briggs test characterizes candidates according to the four facets of personality identified by psychiatrist Carl Jung: extroversion vs introversion; sensing vs intuition; thinking vs feeling; and judgment vs perception. The test identifies 16 personality types.

A candidate identified by the test as a “guardian” — otherwise known as ESTJ (extroversion, sensing, thinking, judgment) — would have an outgoing personality, with a strong sense of what needs to be done to ensure stability and security. This candidate experiences feelings inwardly, while expressing thoughts and intuition outwardly.

Cost: US$50 and up, depending on the degree of detail in the report.



Test: True Colors

Background: Administered by Santa Ana, Calif.-based True Colors International, True Colors is a simplified version of the Myers-Briggs test. It was first developed by psychologist David Keirsey and later marketed by his student, Don Lowry.

How it works: The True Colors system categorizes candidates according to four colour-coded temperaments: blue refers to emotions; green indicates thinking or reasoning; gold represents order and process; and orange indicates a desire for action and sensation. Most candidates have one dominant colour and minor elements of another.

Cost: Between $20 and $35, depending on the facilitator who administers the test. —OLIVIA GLAUBERZON