A company in Guizhou, China has sparked heated discussion online after it was revealed that job applicants were required to complete a massive 550-question MBTI personality test—with a clear warning: “We will not hire extroverts!”
According to a woman who shared her experience on social media, she was asked to finish the extensive test before even qualifying for the next round of interviews. The company’s HR told her that completing the test was mandatory and emphasized that they were only looking to hire people with the ISTJ personality type. No test, no interview.
“The test is the most professional in the country,” HR reportedly claimed. “It helps evaluate a candidate’s execution, analytical, and planning abilities.”
The company even offered to cover the RMB 99 (about RM58) testing fee for each candidate, citing their desire to avoid hiring the wrong people. They also admitted to preferring introverted (I-type) personalities and dismissed extroverts (E-type), believing extroverts were more likely to job-hop.
The test covered five major aspects: career direction, personality style, motivation, strengths, and values. For example, in the “Career Motivation” section, one question asked: “I believe working is not just for money, but also for emotional fulfillment.” Candidates had to rate their agreement on a five-point scale.
The woman explained that the company placed particular focus on two scores: the “Work Score” and the “Wealth Score.”
- A high Work Score indicated willingness to work overtime.
- A high Wealth Score suggested strong motivation to earn a high income.
Essentially, the company was screening for candidates willing to grind and chase high paychecks.
While the woman acknowledged that personality tests aren’t always accurate, she said the company strongly believed the results reflected real-world behavior. Still, the practice of using MBTI as a strict hiring filter—and rejecting people based on personality type—has sparked backlash. Many netizens criticized the approach as unreasonable and unfair, arguing that personality should never be a barrier to employment, as everyone brings different strengths to the table.