Strengths test vs personality test

Updated November 9, 2026

A personality test describes how you tend to think, feel and act, for example how outgoing or organized you are. A strengths test describes what you do at your best. They answer different questions, so one of each gives a fuller picture.

The Big Five, in one line each

• Openness: how much you like new ideas and experiences.
• Conscientiousness: how organized and dependable you are.
• Extraversion: how much energy you get from people.
• Agreeableness: how warm and cooperative you are.
• Emotional stability: how steady your moods are.

Researchers measure them with short scales, such as the 20-statement Mini-IPIP (Donnellan and colleagues, 2006). 16Personalities says its test uses the letter format introduced by Myers-Briggs and reworks the Big Five dimensions into five scales: Energy, Mind, Nature, Tactics and Identity.

When to use which

• A personality test helps explain why some situations drain you and others don't.
• A strengths test tells you what to lean on, and what to use more (how).
• Not sure? Start with a free strengths test (compared here).

What a self-test doesn't cover

Both ask you to describe yourself. You're the best judge of your inner states; the people who know you are often better judges of traits we care about, like intelligence or creativity (Vazire and Carlson, 2011). Ask three to five friends for a moment when you were at your best.

Questions