Why is finding out your type of personality you have, is good before starting a career?

Understanding your personality before starting a career can be beneficial for several reasons:

• Self-awareness: Knowing your personality type helps you become more self-aware. This self-awareness can guide you in making informed decisions about your career path, helping you align your choices with your natural preferences, strengths, and tendencies.

• Job satisfaction: When your job aligns with your personality, you are more likely to find it enjoyable and fulfilling. This alignment can lead to greater job satisfaction, as you are working in an environment that complements your personality traits and allows you to leverage your strengths.

• Effective communication: Knowing your personality type can enhance your communication skills. It provides insights into how you interact with others, how you prefer to receive information, and how you make decisions. Understanding these aspects can improve your ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, clients, and superiors.

• Team dynamics: Different careers and industries require different types of personalities. Understanding your personality type can help you thrive in team environments by allowing you to contribute effectively, understand others' perspectives, and navigate conflicts more successfully.

• Career longevity: Choosing a career that aligns with your personality increases the likelihood of long-term success and satisfaction. When you enjoy what you do and feel a natural fit with your work environment, you are more likely to stay committed to your career and pursue growth opportunities within it.

• Stress management: Knowing your personality type can also help you identify potential sources of stress in a particular job or work environment. This awareness allows you to proactively manage stress and make adjustments to your work habits or environment to maintain a healthier work-life balance.

• Personal development: Understanding your personality type can be a valuable tool for personal development. It provides a framework for identifying areas where you may want to grow or develop new skills, enhancing your overall adaptability and versatility in your chosen career.

While personality assessments, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a popular tool for exploring personality types, it's essential to use them as guide rather than strict determinants. Individual preferences and traits can be diverse, and personal growth and adaptability are also crucial elements in a successful career.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) classifies individuals into 16 distinct personality types based on four dichotomies. Each dichotomy represents a pair of opposite preferences, and individuals are assigned one preference from each pair. Here are the four dichotomies and their possible preferences:

• Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I):

  • Extraversion (E): Outgoing, energetic, social, and prefer to focus on the external world.

  • Introversion (I): Reserved, reflective, private, and prefer to focus on the internal world.

• Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N):

  • Sensing (S): Practical, realistic, factual, and prefer to focus on the present and concrete information.

  • Intuition (N): Imaginative, innovative, conceptual, and prefer to focus on the future and possibilities.

• Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F):

  • Thinking (T): Logical, analytical, objective, and prefer to make decisions based on reason and evidence.

  • Feeling (F): Empathetic, compassionate, subjective, and prefer to make decisions based on values and relationships.

• Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P):

  • Judging (J): Organized, planned, decisive, and prefer structure and order.

  • Perceiving (P): Flexible, spontaneous, adaptable, and prefer to go with the flow.

Combining these four dichotomies results in 16 possible personality types. For example:

• INTJ: Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging

• ENFP: Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving

• ISTJ: Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging

• ESFP: Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving

It's important to approach the MBTI with the understanding that personality is complex and dynamic, and individuals may exhibit traits from both ends of a dichotomy depending on the context. The MBTI is a tool for self-awareness and understanding interpersonal dynamics, but it has been subject to criticism, and its use in certain contexts has been debated in the field of psychology.

How the Myers-Briggs can help you narrow down career fields based on your personality

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) can be a tool for self-reflection and exploration, helping individuals identify potential career fields that align with their personality preferences. Here's how the MBTI can be useful in narrowing down career fields:

• Identifying Strengths and Preferences:

  • The MBTI provides insights into your natural preferences and tendencies, such as whether you prefer introversion or extraversion, thinking or feeling, etc.

  • Understanding your strengths and how you naturally approach tasks can guide you toward careers that allow you to leverage these strengths.

• Career Matches for Each Type:

  • While no type is limited to specific careers, certain personality types may be drawn to particular fields. For example, INFPs might be attracted to creative fields like writing or counseling, while ISTJs might excel in roles that require attention to detail and organization, such as project management.

  • Resources and guides are available that suggest potential careers based on MBTI types. These can serve as starting points for exploration.

• Work Environment Preferences:

  • The MBTI also sheds light on your preferences for work environments. For instance, extraverts might thrive in dynamic, social workplaces, while introverts might prefer quieter, more focused settings.

  • Considering your work environment preferences can help you target industries or job roles that align with your comfort zone.

• Decision-Making Styles:

  • Understanding whether you lean more toward thinking or feeling in decision-making can guide you in choosing a career that aligns with your preferred decision-making style.

  • Some roles may involve more logical analysis, while others may require a strong emphasis on empathy and understanding.

• Communication Styles:

  • The MBTI identifies different communication styles. Knowing your communication preferences can be beneficial in selecting a career where your style is valued.

  • For example, extraverts might excel in roles that involve networking and relationship-building, while introverts might prefer roles that allow for more independent work.

• Potential Pitfalls:

  • The MBTI can also highlight potential challenges or areas for growth based on your personality type. Being aware of these can help you choose a career that allows for personal and professional development.

  • For instance, if you tend to avoid conflict (a common trait for some types), you might seek careers that value diplomacy and negotiation skills.

It's important to approach the MBTI as a tool for self-awareness rather than a strict determinant of your career path. Consider your results as one of many factors in your decision-making process, and be open to exploring a variety of options. Additionally, personal growth and adaptability are essential in any career, so don't feel constrained by your MBTI type.

Examples of careers based on personality types.

Potential career paths for the INTJ, ENFP, and ISTJ personality types based on their preferences and strengths:

• INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging):

  • Potential Careers:

    • Strategic Planner or Analyst: INTJs excel at strategic thinking and planning, making them well-suited for roles that involve long-term vision and goal-setting.

    • Scientist or Researcher: Their logical and analytical minds make INTJs strong in research-based fields where critical thinking is crucial.

    • Entrepreneur or Business Consultant: INTJs' natural leadership qualities and preference for strategic decision-making can make them successful in entrepreneurial endeavors or consulting roles.

• ENFP (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving):

  • Potential Careers:

    • Creative Writer or Artist: ENFPs often have a strong creative and imaginative side, making them well-suited for careers in writing, art, or other expressive fields.

    • Counselor or Life Coach: Their empathetic and people-oriented nature makes ENFPs effective in roles that involve helping others navigate personal challenges and growth.

    • Event Planner or Marketing Specialist: ENFPs' energy and enthusiasm can shine in roles that involve planning events or creating engaging marketing campaigns.

• ISTJ (Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging):

  • Potential Careers:

    • Project Manager: ISTJs are known for their organizational skills and attention to detail, making them effective project managers who ensure tasks are completed efficiently.

    • Accountant or Financial Analyst: Their preference for structure and precision makes ISTJs well-suited for roles that involve working with numbers and adhering to financial regulations.

    • Legal Professional: ISTJs' logical and systematic approach to problem-solving can lead them to successful careers in law, whether as attorneys or legal analysts.

It's crucial to remember that these are generalizations, and individuals within each personality type can have diverse interests and skills. Moreover, personal values, interests, and individual circumstances play a significant role in career satisfaction. Exploring different fields, gaining experience, and adapting to changing circumstances are important aspects of career development for individuals of any personality type.

"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." -Aristotle

Resources for more information and education:

Books:

Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type by Isabel Briggs Myers , Peter B. Myers

StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Gallup 

Websites:

16personalities.com

Myers Briggs

Truity