There’s nothing more demotivating than doing a job you don’t like or a job that doesn’t allow you to use your skills and innate strengths. Job satisfaction is rarer than most of us assume. The difference between expectation and reality can be huge in the job market. A job that may seem ideal on paper can prove a terrible match due to unforeseen factors. Even if you love your job, you may still be dissatisfied with your management, workplace culture, salary, or schedule.
Knowing your personality type can help you navigate the job market with greater satisfaction. Read on to learn how to find the perfect job based on your personality type.
Table of Contents
What Are Personality Types?
The idea that human personality can be split into different types emerged several decades ago. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the most effective tools available today for understanding the differences in personality between individuals. According to the MBTI, there are 16 personality types, each type showing an innate preference for a specific way of perceiving the world based on the following terms: introversion (I)/extroversion (E), sensation (S)/intuition (I), feeling (F)/thinking (T), judging(T)/perceiving (P).
Your personality type defines your strengths and weaknesses.
The Value of Understanding Your Type
You can discover your type by taking a personality test. A series of personal revelations will soon follow. Let’s say you discover you have the INTJ personality type. Your next step should be to read about the INTJ meaning. Thus, you will learn more about how your mind works and what careers suit you.
Your personality type can reveal things about yourself that otherwise would take many years of life experience to learn. Although you may feel that you know yourself well, reading about your personality type can help you clarify your motivations. Why do you tend to do certain things and avoid others?
Knowing your personality type will help you understand what jobs, activities, and professional environments suit you. Are you an introvert who thrives when working independently or an extrovert energized by social contact? Are you more likely to feel content in a fast-paced but stimulating environment or a calm and relaxed ambiance? Are you action-oriented or prefer abstract concepts and ideas? Are more likely to find satisfaction working with people or things? There’s a strong link between your personality type and the way you’ll answer these questions.
The Power of Self-Reflection
We think we know ourselves well, but sometimes we are surprised by how we react to certain people, situations, or events. Moreover, sometimes we don’t make decisions based on our feelings and intuition but on what others expect from us. Thus, people have different reasons for seeking certain careers or jobs, including prestige, academic abilities, lifestyle, values, and financial potential. These factors explain why sometimes we end up in jobs or careers that don’t fulfill us.
Knowing your personality type can help you clarify your goals. Are you looking for a specific job because you think it will be a good fit or due to various external factors? Some personality types are more adaptable, but others have strong opinions and preferences about how they want to spend their time.
Forcing yourself into a job that underutilizes your strengths and puts the spotlight on your weaknesses can lead to unnecessary suffering, stress, and anxiety. This is why not knowing your strengths and weaknesses can be harmful.
Understanding Job Expectations
Your personality type can say a lot about you, but finding the perfect job can still be challenging. What industry, job position, or company to choose? You also have to look at what your local job market has to offer and what skills or qualifications you need.
The job-hunting process is time-consuming, but take the time to analyze the expectations for each job carefully before applying. Make sure you agree to the workplace culture and the values that the company promotes. Are you comfortable with the time commitment required and the salary? Is the management strict and rigid? Even if a job is an excellent match for your personality type, other factors could affect your satisfaction.
Final Words
Discovering your personality type will kickstart a journey of self-reflection that can bring you closer to your authentic values. Once you learn your personality type, you can accurately analyze your skills, preferences, passions, vulnerabilities, and values. Thus, you can find a job or career that will bring you fulfillment and joy. Work occupies a significant part of our lives, so making the best professional choices is critical.
