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The Big Five Personality Test is popular among employers and recruiters. This is a tool they use to sort out the job seekers they don’t want, and find the ones that fit their criteria.
The Big Five test scores reveal how you compare to others in these 5 important areas:
Openness
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
Your OCEAN score, can tell employers a lot about you.
Maybe your scores reveal a “weakness”. Something that makes the recruiter doubt that you are right for the job. Learn what your problem areas are, and turn them into assets. Because there is nothing so bad that it can’t be made good. Share on X
As you read through what the different Big Five test scores mean, you will also get an idea of what they say about your ability to do a certain job. Emphasise the positives in your application or a job interview.
Also, if you already know your scores, you won’t get surprised or be left without a reply when confronted about your test results.
You can do the Big Five test for free here: The Big Five Personality Test
So, first do the test.
Then read on to find out how you can use your Big Five test scores to get the job.
O – Openness: Are you open to new experiences, or do you prefer the old routine?
If your test scores reveal a low degree of openness, you are probably looking for a job with regular hours and steady pay. A job that doesn’t change much, and where you don’t have to deal with new things every day. You may be more conservative and cautious.
These traits are a plus in routine and repetitive work, like accounting or conveyor belt jobs.
If you score high on openness, you want to look for a job that offers plenty of variety. Share on X Routine jobs would bore you to death, and you would find it hard to stay motivated. Work that includes travelling, meeting new people, learning and personal growth, is where you will thrive.
Journalism, tourism, acting – any job that involves a lot of change and challenges is what you should look for.
C – Conscientiousness: Are you dependable, or flexible?
A low score in conscientiousness can reveal a laid-back attitude. Deadlines may be thought of as guidelines, and rules as mere suggestions. At worst, it indicates someone is disorganised, lazy, constantly late, procrastinates and never finishes what they started. At best, it means you are able to change course if you see that something isn’t working right.
Creative professions and freelance work would allow you the freedom to choose where, when and how to do your job.
People who score high on conscientiousness, are the “salt of the Earth” types that employers love. They show up on time, always finish their work, and are tidy and well organised. If the company is under heavy pressure, they will gladly work overtime to help out. They are the first people in the office, and the last to leave. They can also be dogmatic and rule-bound, and lack imagination.
Leaders and managers are often found here, as well as other workers with a lot of responsibility.
E – Extraversion: Do you prefer to work with others, or work alone?
If you score low on extraversion, you would prefer to work on your own. The benefit to scoring low here, is that you are less likely to depend on others. And working independently and being a self-starter is a great asset in many areas. The downside is being unable to relate to co-workers, talk to clients or work in teams. You may not want to have a lot of human contact.
Jobs that you can do from home, or by yourself, would suit you. Writing, research and inventions are just some possibilities.
With a high extraversion score, you need other people around you to be happy. This is a plus in customer service, sales and entertainment. Share on X If unbalanced, it could turn to domineering, attention seeking and creating unnecessary drama. At it’s best, it means the person finds it easy to connect with others and is assertive.
Teamwork is good for these people, so is a lot of human interaction or work that involves public performance.
A – Agreeableness: Are you friendly, or argumentative?
Low scores here can mean, “does not play well with others”. At the extreme end, you have people who are argumentative, uncooperative, constantly on the warpath and generally difficult to get along with. When balanced, a low score can be focused on competition, willing to fight for a cause and be able to make the tough and necessary decisions. They are generally not worried about fitting in or being liked.
Army, police and security personnel may do well with lower scores. So would pro fighters and athletes.
High scores usually indicates a person who is friendly, compassionate and cares about the well-being of others. They want to make sure everybody is happy, and will often put the needs of others ahead of their own. The negative here, would be someone who is terrified of what others think of them, lack self-esteem, lets people walk all over them and never puts their foot down.
Working in the health sector is very appealing to this type, and so are service jobs.
N – Neuroticism: Do you worry a lot, or are you calm?
Those with low neuroticism scores remain calm. They don’t fret or worry when things go wrong. Instead, they assess the situation and make a plan for how to best deal with it. These are emotionally stable and relaxed people. High pressure situations, stress and chaos don’t concern them one bit. This is the captain that goes down with the ship.
Fire fighters, ambulance personnel, emergency room doctors and nurses, disaster relief are just some jobs that would be good for these people.
If you are highly neurotic, you may panic if something bad happens. This could lead you to make impulse decisions that you’ll later regret. You may also worry and doubt yourself a lot, and be prone to negative thinking. But, all this doubt and worrying can be useful in some cases. Where details need to be checked and rechecked, it can help you avoid costly and dangerous mistakes. You want the one who checks your tax return or your flight engine to be a bit neurotic.
Also, artists (who are often prone to mood swings) tend to score high on neuroticism. But through creative work, they are able to find a safe outlet for their emotions.
Conclusion
Don’t get rattled by your Big Five test scores, or think that they show something “bad”.
You are not a neurotic. You are just in touch with your emotions and able to express them. And you are not a war monger, but someone willing to fight along side your employer and fight for them when needed. You don’t procrastinate either. You’re just gathering more data and taking your time to make sure the work is done perfectly.
See how this works?
Maybe your scores weren’t what you or the recruiter had hoped for. But there is nothing really negative about your results. It is how you use these traits that matters. Share on XSo, use them to your advantage.
Happy job hunting!
