Some people know from early on exactly what type of career they’ll seek. Others have no idea which job might be best suited for them, and may spend several years – possibly their whole lives working jobs that don’t make them truly happy or fulfilled. If you have trouble figuring out which job might be best for you, you may want to consider your personality type – the key is figuring out what job type best fits your personality. Read these tips to find out how.
1. Examine Your Strengths and Weaknesses
Are you an outgoing individual, or do you tend to be more introverted? Are you creative, or do you tend to analyze things, seeking solutions to problems? Are you good with your hands, good with your mind, or good with people? These are all personality traits that can be used as clues to help you find a job in which can excel and succeed long term.
By realizing what we are good at, we can narrow our job search to job types that would allow us to utilize our strengths to our full potential. This also provides us with a more fulfilling job experience, because we don’t feel as if our natural talents are being wasted.
2. What Did You Like to Do as a Child?
Childhood dreams are often diminished and lost as we grow into adulthood, and life responsibilities take precedence over the leisurely activities that used to make us feel happy and fulfilled. Look at what you are doing now; does it reflect the dreams you once had when you were younger? You may have liked to dance, build things, write or draw, examine things under a microscope, or any number of activities that brought you joy.
If you aren’t doing something that makes you happy now, then remember what made you happy when you were younger. These are big clues and aspects of your personality that can lead you to finding a more fulfilling job.
3. Take a Personality Test
Guidance counselors and colleges often use personality tests to help students determine what careers they may be suited for. Employers and recruiters also sometimes use them to determine if an applicant is a good candidate for a position. You can take a personality test for yourself to attempt to gain further insight into your own personality and better determine what type of job would be best for you.
There are a number of free personality tests on the Internet. Keep in mind that results should not be considered to be written in stone, as many personality tests don’t always take into account other factors that might be prevalent in your current life. But they can be a good way to reassess what type of individual you are and what type of job would lead to greater fulfillment.
4. Find What Motivates You
Other factors that can be used to help you figure out the best combination of personality and job are motivational factors. Motivational factors can sometimes go hand in hand with your interests, but might also be related to other important considerations that you’ve acquired as you’ve grown older, such as the desire to own a house, have money for travel, etc.
By figuring out what motivates you, you can seek out a job that is not only fulfilling, but will also keep you interested, productive, and eager to work to succeed. This can be a new career choice or even a venture into entrepreneurship.
5. Discover Your “Job Personality”
Your job personality can sometimes differ from your regular personality. If this is the case, it can be a little more difficult to find the right job. To help you discover your job personality, you can take job personality quizzes. These are similar to regular personality quizzes, but are geared more towards discovering what job might suit you best, rather than just helping you figure out your personality traits.
