Enneagram Test For Type 5 (How To Tell)

This article will guide you on how to tell whether you or someone else is a type 5 enneagram. The article will tell you what traits a type 5 does and does not possess as well as what their fears and desires are. The article will also give an example of how the type 5 enneagram behaves in real life.

The Enneagram Test For Type 5s – How To Tell You Are An Investigator?

The enneagram test for type 5 is simple to implement – you can tell whether someone is a type 5 enneagram if they are alert, observant and like to study things around them. They are also described as someone who is curious and likes to learn how things work or why things happen; this is why they are often called the investigator.

These individuals are very much interested in learning things that are relevant to their area of interest. They will investigate its elements and try to gather as much information as they can! The enneagram type 5 is alert, innovative but secretive at the same time.

People with this enneagram type have the ability to build complex ideas and skills; this is possible only because of their focus on the specific area they are working within and their dedication to master it.

The type 5 enneagram has an innate need to learn continuously. They want more and more information and want to increase their reservoir of knowledge. It bothers them if they have an interest in a certain thing or phenomena however, they are not able to learn more about it. Their curiosity is indeed a problem for them. At the same time, this desire to learn more about their interests distracts them from other things in their life, especially the practical ones. 

Another defining trait of this enneagram type is that they want to be different from others in what they learn or study. They want to discover a new area or an area that is least researched by others. They do not want to focus on things that are common or conventional; they want to study the bizarre, unknown, beyond limits, unexplainable topic on the list!

You Are A Type 5 If …

You are a type 5 if you are:

  • Active
  • Love to learn about new things
  • Independent
  • Someone who has strong mental processes
  • Imaginative
  • Creative
  • Insightful

You Are Not A Type 5 If …

You are not a type 5 if you are:

  • Talkative
  • Like to Socialize
  • Prefer Mundane Routines
  • Have Poor Observation Skills
  • Stay Less In Your Head

What Desires & Fears Do You Have?

If you have the following fears and desires then you are definitely a type 5 enneagram!

The Desires Of Type 5s

Their basic desire stems from their fear of not being competent. The desire is to learn so that they are competent and skilled in a certain area that is of much interest to them and not so common or known amongst others. They desire to be different in the knowledge they possess and skills they can employ. It gives them a sense of competence, capability and assurance.

The Basic Fear – Type 5 Enneagram

The basic fear of these enneagrams is that they will become useless in the sense that they have no skill or knowledge. They are scared they will not be competent in any field of life which they can master. The fear is not associated with showing off but to give their own self a sense of assurance that they have a skill they know very well and it makes the stand out from others.

If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.

How Does A Type 5 Behave At Work – What They Like & Dislike!

If you are a type 5 enneagram then this is how you feel at work!

Factors: The Good & Bad Ones

Here are the factors that make working easy for the type 5 enneagram:

  • Independence: This enneagram appreciates it when they have enough space to work freely and without much supervision
  • Recognition: It is important for this enneagram that their boss recognizes their skills and capabilities so as to give them the right tasks and resources
  • Good Coworkers: The type 5 enneagram enjoys when others, especially the people they work with, understand their interests and their work. They need someone to share what they are doing.
  • Supervision: This enneagram type does not like too much supervision or too many instructions. Hence, it is never a good idea to provide much structure to the enneagram type 5. It is better to explain their end goal to them and allow them to reach it in whatever manner possible.

Factors that make working difficult for enneagram type 5’s:

  • Privacy: If they do not get the privacy or space they need, it will be difficult for enneagrams of this type to work properly.
  • Ignoring Them: The enneagram type 5 hates it when their boss ignores them or their suggestions because they strongly believe in the recommendations they pass on!
  • Information Overload: They do not like it when too much is going on! They dislike when their peers overload them with information and tasks.
  • Guidance: Although they do not like much supervision, this enneagram appreciates it when they get guidance and feedback.

Type 5s & Jobs

If you have any of the following jobs then it is possible you qualify for the type 5 enneagram test!

Engineer

The engineer is one who is out to solve a problem! He doesn’t like being told what to do or how to do it; he just wants to know what the problem is and find a solution to it – of course the best one!

People who have the enneagram type 5 personality can make good engineers because it allows them to work in a manner that does indeed require time and space. If there is too much involvement from others then work is likely to go wrong.

Computer Programmer

Computer programming is all about finding the best code for a problem or situation that requires a ‘system’! This is a recent field that erupted with that of the era of computers and is quite interesting because there are many ways to do one job – programming is all about finding better ways of doing the same thing so it can be done faster and more accurately!

When it comes to enneagram type 5s, this job is a good choice because it allows them to work on their own but at the same time engage in discussion with other programmers to devise a good solution to a problem.

Author

Another way an enneagram type 5 can work wholeheartedly on something is by becoming an author. They can represent the work they have done by writing on it. In this manner, they can get the time and personal space to work on something that means a lot to them and do wonders and impress others by coming up with a masterpiece!

Scientist

Another great field for the ‘Thinker’ is indeed that of becoming a scientist. In this manner, the enneagram type 5 can focus on an area that is of interest to them and of course get the space and time they need to study a certain phenomena. 

At the same time, this is such a field that they not only would want to but also need to discuss their findings with fellow co-scientists and this gives them much satisfaction as they have others to understand the significance of their work.

Mathematician

The world of mathematics is indeed another area where the enneagram type 5 should be! This field is all about problems and devising paths to get to them and solve them successfully. Hence, this field is for one who wants to work in it with all their focus and does not require much supervision or instructions; instead, they come up with new ways of going about a problem.

Conclusion

This article focused on how to tell whether someone is a type 5 enneagram or not and how they can find out for sure. The article not only introduced the type 5 but also highlighted the traits that a type 5 possesses or does not possess. The article also explained what fears and desires this type has and what type of jobs they usually go for! The article also briefly described some of these jobs that included those of a mathematician, scholar and computer programmer.

References

https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-5