Take a look at the different departments of a company and see if you can spot certain characteristics unique to each: The sales staff seem to be especially outgoing and talkative, whereas the accounting guys are introverted and quiet. The marketing people are brimming with creativity, flaunting fashionable trends and colorful outfits. Meanwhile, those in human resources tend to be empathetic and approachable, always ready to listen and help.
Your personality makes you predisposed to certain career paths and work environments. For example, if you prefer to work alone, you might be more inclined to working in an IT firm or become a software developer. If you like collaborating with a group of people, you might want to consider a career in TV, public relations, or events management.
Understanding yourself is a huge factor in deciding which career path to take. Doing so can also help you shape the circumstances of your work, in order to experience maximum job satisfaction and happiness.
Here are some other benefits of knowing your personality when choosing a career:
1. It helps you figure out which kind of work environment is most conducive to you.
The condition of your workplace is instrumental in career success. It affects your job performance and productivity. Understanding what makes you tick is key to helping you create a work environment that will help you thrive.
For example, you like to do research and spend time in the library. You’d rather deal with numbers than words. You like to work alone.
Given those, you decide to pursue a career in accounting. But what if your accounting job takes you to work in a company that mainly deals with creative people? It’s not an exact fit, but you make do. You opt to have a quiet corner or cubicle in the office where there’s not a lot of foot traffic, and put on noise-cancelling headphones to drown out the noise if you need to crunch those numbers.
Being self-aware helps you make the most of your work situation. So, even if you’re not a hundred percent happy with your current job, understanding yourself will help you make the conditions of your workplace tolerable, until you find a better job that’s more suited to your taste.
2. It helps narrow down your choices.
Given today’s fast-paced, information-driven world, there are so many new fields of work opening up — social media management, online marketing, e-commerce, BPO (business process outsourcing), and more. While it’s nice to have a variety of options, it can get dizzying and overwhelming settling for one.
But if you know who you are, you can also tell WHAT you want. You can identify the ideal work environment and career for you. It sounds so simple, but it makes a big difference when you’re going to be actually out job-hunting and going to interviews.
3. You’re able to communicate more effectively.
Even the most introverted of workers has to deal with people at one point or another, be it through phone, email, instant/text message, or face to face. Understanding your personality and communication style will help you effectively and successfully connect and interact with others. And being a skilled communicator will not only increase your market value as an employee, but lead to a more satisfying career as well.
4. You’re able to identify your strongest skills and work on your weaknesses.
Knowing your personality also means knowing what your strengths and weaknesses are. And when you’re aware of such, you can be sure that your skills and strengths won’t go to waste because you’re able to make an informed decision as to which field or expertise will best show and make use of them. For example, if you know that you’re good with numbers, you can go into investment banking and finance. If your strength lies in science, you might want to consider a career in medicine.
On the other hand, being self-aware gives you a reality check. You know which areas you fall short in, and that gives you a boost as well — you can take up further training to improve your weaknesses and increase your chances of being promoted (a.k.a. career satisfaction and success).
5. When you’re happy with your career, your personal life gets a boost as well.
It’s the domino effect. Having a good grasp of who are leads to you make the right choices concerning your career. And when your career is humming smoothly along, it has a positive effect on you and your personal relationships.
Think about it: People who are unhappy with their jobs usually have equally unsatisfying relationships. That’s because their careers aren’t complementing and bringing out the best in them — which, if you think about it, is what all relationships must do.
By getting to know yourself, you can find your natural talent and passion. You can pick a career that lets you stay true to yourself and live up to your full potential, and experience both personal and professional growth.
Finding Out Your Personality Type
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the most widely used tool in determining one’s personality type. However, you don’t have to resort to scientific tests to know how you roll. You can talk to a career counselor who can give recommendations. You can also conduct an honest assessment of yourself. It will help you make a more accurate judgment of which career paths and types of work will provide you with the most satisfaction.
Final Thoughts
While knowing yourself is key to job satisfaction and success, don’t assume that your personality precludes you from certain career paths. There are many individuals who don’t fit the mold of the typical worker in their field but are still successful and content — say, that soft-spoken lady lawyer is actually a dragon in the courtroom, or that outspoken extrovert is surprisingly the head of the philosophy department.
As long as you know your strengths and skills and are able to identify what’s important to you, you can determine which jobs will suit you best. Most of all, be realistic in your expectations and self-evaluation. Understanding your quirks and being aware of your preferences and inclinations can help lead you to a fulfilling career that will capitalize and realize your true potential.
