Birkman Personality Test: Free Online Alternative
Help your team members work better together by creating an integrated analysis of all your team personality types
Personality diagnostics tests are a fantastic way to learn more about yourself. Whether you are struggling to stay focused or seeking to take your communication to the next level, understanding your personality is key to success.
However, there are so many different tests available on the internet. How do you know which are legitimate, and which aren’t? Taking the wrong test could lead to inaccurate results, and thus improper advice.
One scientifically verified and well-trusted test you should consider is the Birman test. It offers workplace benefits ranging from personal satisfaction to career advancement.
In this article, we will cover what the Birman test is, how it works, and why it is so beneficial.
What is The Birkman Personality Test?
The Birkman test may be overlooked by some. In reality, it has a rich history and decades of research supporting its efficacy.
Tests with this kind of background tend to be more accurate and useful. Throughout time, the administrators of the Birkman test have gathered even more data.
From this data, they have adapted and improved the test. Below, we discuss the history of the test, from Birkman test origins to the current iteration.
Brief Overview
The Birkman test story begins with its founder, Dr. Roger W. Birkman, vision. Dr. Birkman was a social scientist and psychologist who studied how employees communicate, how to avoid lots of stress at work, how personality traits influence success and many other aspects of career development.
After many decades of research, he developed an assessment to help people understand their abilities and personality. He built upon ideas released by prior positive psychologists to make this test.
Dr. Birkman’s vision was that this test could help anyone from organizational leaders to newly hired employees find their talents. And, that is exactly what it is used for today.
The Test’s Evolutionary Pathway
The Birkman assessment was initially developed in 1951. Since then, the test has not remained the same. The Birkman organization has collected even more data and improved the test over the years.
For instance, in 2016, the Birkman organization added an in-depth Signature Personality Report to its wide array of tests. This included more insights into each employee’s behavior, motivators, and needs.
In 2019, more data was collected about ensuring employees were psychologically safe at work. These insights about mental health were also added to the test (1).
How Does the Birkman Test Work?
Many online personality and strengths tests are complicated. They are made by experts, after all.
Nonetheless, it is important to understand how these assessments work. This will help you better recognize what your results mean, which will then help with applying those results to the real world.
Below, we discuss some key Birkman test elements so you can truly understand how the test works.
In-depth Analysis
The Birkman test is made up of several key parts. In general, Dr. Birkman believes 4 main categories make up a person’s personality. They are:
- Motivation: This describes what drives you. It denotes what you are interested in and what you are passionate about. This could be something like innovation, helping others, or any other motivating idea.
- Self-perception: How do you view yourself? In the test, this is reported as usual behavior. Your personal view of yourself will also influence how you present yourself to others. Self-awareness is also included in this category.
- Social perception: In other words, how do others see you? This includes whether others see you more as a leader or follower, how you communicate with others, and the top traits that are most visible to others.
- Mindset: This describes your thinking process, and how you gather information. It describes why you behave the way you do, and why you respond to problems in the way you do.
Help your team members work better together by creating an integrated analysis of all your team personality types
The Birkman Assessment Process
The Birkman test process is specifically designed to be easy to use and stress-free. This accurate profiling assessment includes a variety of important insights in easy-to-understand language.
Some of the main benefits that come with the assessment, though, occur after you take the test and apply its insights to your life.
Some key facts you should consider about the Birkman test are:
Test Design
The Birkman test consists of a variety of queries. Most of them relate to your work experience, although some may be a bit more general.
Some of the questions will include topics like your motivators, fears, goals, the preferred pace you work in, how you communicate with others, what you are passionate about, common behaviors, and more.
In total, the test will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. There are 298 questions, most of which are true/false. There are 50 multiple-choice questions as well.
Interpreting the Results
Taking the Birkman employment test could be a fun experience. However, many of the true benefits come after you analyze your results.
The test will provide you with a color quadrant that most aligns with your behavior. Red means action, practicality, and being result-oriented. Blue equates to innovation and creative thinking. Green represents being a people person and a great communicator. Finally, yellow means order, structure, and consistency.
Once you understand what your personality primarily consists of, you can find ways to optimize your work around these insights. Find roles and tasks that best align with your needs.
For instance, if you are a green personality, participate in more projects, lead others, network, and engage in social interactions for the company. This would be taking advantage of your strengths and helping you grow.
The Birkman Test Applications in Real-life Scenarios
The Birkman assessment has a plethora of real-world applications. From helping individuals in their job search to empowering students, it can be truly beneficial to nearly anyone.
There are thousands of Birkman test applications, and each is unique to every individual. However, here are just a few general ideas:
Career Pathfinding
Your career plays a major role in your life. With the Birkman test, you will gain clarity on which work environment is right for you, what your main skills are, what motivates you, and much more.
These insights can be applied in a variety of ways. For one, it can help you find a job that optimizes your odds of success and happiness. In addition, it can also help you find tasks in your current role that best align with your personality.
In general, these insights help facilitate personal growth. They encourage you to stay confident and self-aware.
Personal Growth
The Birkman test is primarily known for its many benefits relating to your career. However, it also offers personal growth benefits.
One of the main personal benefits the test offers is an increase in confidence and self-awareness. When you are self-aware, you will be able to focus on what you do best and leave other tasks for coworkers. As a result, you could build better bonds with coworkers.
This will also improve your efficiency and productivity. Often, it even improves passion and motivation, as you will be working on tasks you generally enjoy.
Organizational Progression
Previously, we discussed the benefits this Birkman personality type test has on individuals. But, this assessment also offered tremendous benefits to teams.
When everyone is more self-aware and works on tasks that align with their personality, team cohesion is improved. So is productivity. And fewer people get involved in conflict.
In addition to this, people who take the Birkman test gain more confidence in their abilities. Gaining this confidence is key for leaders and decision-makers.
Is the Birkman Test Scientifically Proven?
One of the primary concerns employees and employers alike have about personality tests revolves around their accuracy. Many online assessments simply aren’t accurate.
However, the Birkman test is different. It is backed by decades of research by Dr. Roger Birkman and his team. The test has been adapted over the decades through the collection of more data and research.
Additionally, several teams of psychological evaluators have found the test to be accurate and consistent (2).
How Long Does It Take To Finish the Birkman Test?
You likely have a busy lifestyle and a loaded schedule. Test developers recognize this. That is why the Birkman test was made to be taken in a single sitting.
This assessment will take only approximately 30 minutes to complete. There is a total of 258 questions, with a majority of them being true/false.
Ensure that you take your time to complete the test for the most accurate results.
Help your team members work better together by creating an integrated analysis of all your team personality types
Can You Use the Birkman Assessment for Hiring?
The Birkman assessment has a wide array of uses. It is often utilized by organizations for recruitment purposes.
This is so because the test offers key insights into how potential job candidates act. It highlights many key elements of their personality and how they might interact with the company’s existing team.
As a result, the Birkman test has become an important tool in the recruitment process at many organizations.
Similar Tests To the Birkman Test
The Birkman test is a fairly unique assessment. It is categorized as a psychometric/personality test.
Some tests that are similar to Birkman’s include Paycor, TalentClick, Practice Aptitude, Talview, Testinvite, and other similar psychometric assessments.
The Birkman assessment also shares some similarities with more famous assessments like the MBTI and Enneagram.
How Much Does the Birkman Test Cost?
The Birkman test is somewhat more costly than other available assessments. They offer several testing options depending on your budget.
For $129, you can get a basic testing report. The Careertyping report also costs $129. For $195, you can get the BirkmaND and Basics Report Package, one of their most comprehensive packages.
The Birkman organization also offers discounts and special pricing when tests are bought for large teams.
The Pros and Cons of the Birkman Test
Perfect personality tests do not exist. Even the best assessments have flaws and imperfections. This is true for the Birkman assessment as well.
Critiquing the Birkman test is crucial to getting a full picture of its benefits and drawbacks. Below, we provide you with a list of this test’s positive and negative qualities.
Pros
- Provides an in-depth report on your workplace behavior
- Includes many key elements about your personality
- Backed by decades of research
- Continuously updated based on new data
- Straightforward questions; mostly true/false
- Easy to understand visual results representation
- Offers actionable insights into career development
- Boosts confidence and self-awareness
- User-friendly interface
- Great for teams and organizations
Cons
- Significantly more expensive than other similar assessments ($129)
- Focuses mostly on the workplace
- Less widely used or recognized than other assessments
- Quite long (258 questions Approximately 30-45 minutes)
- The scoring method is somewhat obscure
- Rely on self-evaluation
- There is room for bias
Comparing The Birkman Test To Other Tests
The Birkman assessment is part of a group of tests known as personality diagnostic assessments. These assessments are psychometric tests that rely on the test-taker to report responses to certain questions related to their personality.
Some other popular personality diagnostic tests are the HEXACO Personality Inventory, MBTI, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)l
The Birkman test differs from these assessments, though. It has a more specific focus: your career. Therefore, the insights are more focused on your career development.
Plus, the Birkman test measures the intensity of certain personality traits you have, while tests like the MBTI do not.
Help your team members work better together by creating an integrated analysis of all your team personality types
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