The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp. Getting established in your career takes time, patience, and determination. If your career is especially important to you, you are probably always looking for ways to improve yourself and grow in your field. There are many factors that can affect your job performance and determine what type of development you see in your career journey. Believe it or not, your personality can play a huge role in deciding how far you can go and can predict what may hold you back from reaching your goals. Figuring out your personality takes a lot of self-awareness and honesty, but it’s well worth it. Once you know yourself and your strengths and weaknesses better, you can start taking steps to ensure you’re headed in the right direction. To learn more about personality, keep reading or visit https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/personality/.
What Is Personality?
Personality is a set of mannerisms, thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes that make you the unique individual that you are. Even if two people are very alike, everyone still has their own distinctive personality. No two people are exact copies of one another. Research generally shows that environment and genetics are responsible for the development of your personality. If you experience trauma or abuse, you may even develop a personality disorder. The signs and symptoms of one tend to show up during the teenage years but can appear at any time.
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Types Of Traits:
When referring to personality, there are a lot of different factors that can go into it. Below are some traits and characteristics you might use to describe yourself or others:
- Open vs. closed off
- Friendly vs. cold
- Conscientious vs. carefree
- Daring vs. reserved
- Shy vs. bold
- Confident vs. insecure
- Extraverted vs. introverted
- Neurotic vs. stable
- Creative vs. simple
- Active vs. passive
- Optimistic vs. pessimistic
- Smart vs. unintelligent
- Patient vs. impatient
- Curious vs. unconcerned
There are both advantages and disadvantages to having any kind of trait. For example, while it’s good to be confident in yourself, too much confidence can quickly turn to arrogance. This might alienate people in both your professional and personal life. A lot of people tend to fall somewhere in between two extremes of any given trait. Rather than considering yourself to be strictly an extrovert or an introvert, you might feel more like an ambivert—a mixture of the two. While personality is typically pretty stable across the board, it can change depending on the situation and your comfortability. If you’re usually shy, for example, you might be more open if you’re surrounded by people that you’re comfortable with.
Personality and Choosing a Career
When choosing which career path to pursue, it can be helpful to consider your personality type. Some careers are better suited for people with certain traits, although you can still go after any career you set your mind to. That being said, it doesn’t hurt to think about your strengths and weaknesses. It could help you predict whether or not a specific opportunity will make you happy or not. Below are some traits that you may consider dwelling on during your job search:
Extraversion:
Are you more outgoing than you are introverted? If so, you might be happier in a job that involves communicating or working alongside other people. Introverts may prefer to work alone rather than in teams. Some examples of jobs extraverts might enjoy are salesperson, TV news anchor, or a wedding planner.
Conscientiousness:
If you like to stay organized, you may want to look for jobs in which you can pay attention to the details. These could include criminal justice jobs, medical occupations, or even an acting career.
Openness:
If you’re open to experiencing new things, jobs in which you can be creative can be fulfilling. You should also look for careers that involve something new every day and change relatively often. Consider being a lawyer, flight attendant, video game designer, or entrepreneur.
Agreeableness:
Do you empathize with others easily and like to genuinely take an interest in their lives? If so, look for careers that allow you to care for other people. You might enjoy being a nurse, therapist, or nonprofit director.
Neuroticism:
If you score high in neuroticism, you’re going to want a career that doesn’t put extra or unnecessary stress on you. Jobs that create anxiety or cause you to worry a lot may create unhappiness in your professional life. Careers you might like are artist, freelance writer, or librarian.
Although personality can help you pick a career, it should not be the sole factor that goes into your decision. Rather, it is merely one component to take into consideration. Just because a career path isn’t recommended for a certain personality type does not mean you can’t find success or happiness in that field. Everyone will have different needs and therefore different experiences. What matters most is that you are happy with where you’re at.
Conclusion:
Personality can influence what types of careers seem most appealing to you, but there are other components you should also consider. If anything, self-awareness is important for both personal and professional growth. Understanding your personality can help you understand yourself and others better, recognize what you’re passionate about, and allow you to realize what truly brings you happiness. If you’re stuck in a career right now that doesn’t feel fulfilling, know that it is possible to make changes even if you start out small. Rather than trying to change the person that you are, focus on changing the environment you’re in. If you need help figuring out what that looks like, you may consider getting a job coach or seeing a counselor. They can help guide you in the right direction and offer invaluable advice. Remember that few things are permanent, and change is possible if you set your mind to it.
