Assessments
The more you learn about who you are as a person, the more fulfilled you’ll be able to be professionally. Having a strong sense-of-self is a real asset that can benefit you not only at work, but in all aspects of your life. Four areas are important – a framework you can think of as VIPs – values, interests, personality type, and strengths.
There are a wide range of assessments available – some free, some requiring payment. The best among them share three attributes:
They are grounded in research. Such assessments have been developed, usually by psychologists, in an academic setting. They’ve been tested with thousands of respondents over the years. Many of the free assessments available online have been developed informally and not thoroughly tested. They may produce a “fun” result, but they’re not going to be as helpful to you.
Their outputs can be used to enable an understanding relevant to careers and the workplace. They help identify factors that will contribute positively or negatively to your career success and to workplace satisfaction and fulfillment.
They can be used to create tangible action plans. If you can’t develop at least a few clear actions from your assessment outputs, it’s certainly not as useful.
At PathWise, we currently offer three assessments, all on an a la carte basis:
CliftonStrengths is a Gallup tool that was designed by Dr. Don Clifton to help you discover and build on your natural talents. The main philosophy around a strengths-based approach is that you are more productive and fulfilled when you focus on leveraging your strengths rather than on trying to improve your weaknesses. You will receive your Top 5 Strengths (out of a total of 34 themes) with custom reports, recommendations and insights that are unique to you. With One-on-One Coaching from a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, you will better understand and unlock your potential, enabling you to improve performance at work and in many areas of your life. Put aside 30 minutes of your time to complete the assessment, invest in your talent now, and discover your strengths!
TypeFinder is designed to help you identify your personality type and gain a better understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences. Based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) framework, the assessment consists of a series of questions that measure four dimensions of personality:
- Extraversion / introversion (E or I)
- Sensing / intuition (S or N)
- Thinking / feeling (T or F)
- Judging / perceiving (J or P)
Once the assessment is complete, you are assigned one of 16 personality types, connoted by four letters from the pairings above, each with its own unique set of traits, characteristics, and behaviors. This information can be used to help you improve communication, teamwork, and decision-making, as well as in your personal growth and development.
DISC. DISC is designed to help you gain insights into your behavioral preferences and communication styles. It can serve as an alternative or addition to TypeFinder. Developed by psychologist William Moulton Marston, the assessment measures four dimensions of behavior: Dominance (D), Influence (I), Steadiness (S), and Conscientiousness (S). The assessment consists of a series of questions that assess your tendencies in each of these four areas. Based on your responses, you are assigned a primary and secondary behavioral style, which can be used to understand your strengths, weaknesses, and communication preferences. This information can be useful in a variety of settings, including work, relationships, and personal development.
We generally recommend choosing one assessment and using the results as a basis for your coaching discussions.
Cost is $497, which includes the assessment cost and two 1-hour 1x1 sessions with one of our career coaches.
