Four Ways Your Personality Affects Your Career Path
Paolo Martel, Jan 8, 2018
Aminin natin, may point sa buhay natin na bigla na lang tayo mapapaisip kung ano ang maaring mangyari sa future natin? When the time comes to start thinking about your future plans, goals, and finances, many people don’t know where to start, at minsan may kasama pang kaba at matinding panic and land a job they do not want to be in. That on top of familial pressures is certainly not the key to a successful career - your personality, however, is.
As you begin to start knowing yourself better - and that’s not a one-sitting revelation - you experience less inner conflict and an ability to express desires for long-term fulfillment. Decision making will become easier, from choosing your potential life partner to what to have for lunch, and self-doubt will be a thing of the past.
It is this conscious effort of respecting your personal values and beliefs, combined with a deep understanding of your passions and experiences with people throughout your life, that creates your personality. So it’s time for a career self-assessment; clarification of your value to a company through your personality type. Starting with the core of who you are is the best possible way to approach your career development - or indeed your career at all.
Values
Whether it be helping others or gaining financial security, you need to know what you want to achieve and what is most important to you. There are two very different types of value style: the ‘thinkers’ who use their intellect to propel them forward, for example, business owners, and ‘feelers’ who want to work in an industry that is more emotionally involved, like nurses or care givers. This instantly and makes
self-motivation simpler, as well as defining clear core values and morale.
Interests
What catches your eye and holds your attention? What makes you curious? Look at your hobbies and things of interest to you; be it basketball or drawing, these are all keys to identifying where you would be a valuable asset to a business. Once your interest is sparked, and your current skills nurtured and developed, you will become a valuable asset to the company. Keep in mind that your interests will change over time as a result of important life moments and where your initial career steers you. For example, you may work in an animal rescue shelter because you love animals, but one day you save a person’s life, and that defining moment changes your course and you train to become a nurse or doctor.
Strengths and weaknesses
It’s every recruiter’s favourite question in a job interview. This time, be totally honest and truthful with yourself because the only one who experiences both your public and private persona - is you. Only you know how you deal with stress and what is key here is to not only list all your degrees and qualifications, but also list your personality traits like respect, organization, and intelligence. Perhaps your strengths lie within self-management, negotiations, and responsibility, but maybe you’re not so great at working with others. Not only does this realization help you work on your weaknesses, but it also says that perhaps you’re not a team leader just yet. By understanding where your strengths and weaknesses lie, you’re able to carve a plan of action and clearly submit your value to a company.
Temperament
Introvert or Extrovert? Structure or free flowing? Decisions based on facts or feelings? These are key insights into your character and how to find the best working environment for you. An extrovert is not going to thrive in a small office in the countryside, and similarly, an introvert isn’t going to enjoy working in a busy office in a high rise building. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Do you like being spontaneous or sticking to a structured plan or work routine? Having a lifestyle in sync with your natural biorhythm will make progression effortless.
The environments, technological advances, the pressure to be flexible and innovative - these aspects will not change throughout your working life - but your personality, as you progress through your career, may. It is for this reason that it’s no longer the case of turning up and completing your nine-to-five, instead, it’s about your genuine value to the company and engagement you have with your assigned role.
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