The job-search process is filled with questions. Where should I work? What type of job will fulfill my needs? What’s the right job for me? Having a degree in hand is a good start to begin building your future, but it won’t always tell you what kind of career best suits you. One of the best ways to figure that out is to start by looking from within, because your personality may have more of an impact on your career than what your degree says.
Discover your professional personality
Your professional personality is just that: the best way to describe how you work in a professional setting. You can uncover this by using several methods, such as a personal SWOT analysis to compare your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, or a mind map using creative thinking to subconsciously create a visual image of your strengths and weaknesses, among others[1]. Going through an exercise of self-reflection, if done honestly, will help you discover things about yourself and your traits and strengths that you may not have been aware of.
Once you have taken a personal inventory, you’ll have a better idea of your work personality and which professional path can help you find the success you’re looking for. We’ve developed four professional personalities and have outlined some of the traits that define them. Find out which work personality fits you best, and which careers align with it.
- The Entrepreneur is comfortable with managing their own time. Entrepreneurs have no problem talking to people they don’t know, whether it’s idle small talk about the weather or discussing the implications of the stock market. Where others see an empty street corner, Entrepreneurs see the perfect space for the food truck they’ve always wanted to create. They don’t need someone beside them to explain how to do a job; they can assess the situation and forge their own path. If you want the flexibility — and responsibility — of being your own boss, you might be an Entrepreneur.
- The Helper carries with them an innate desire to make other people’s lives better. They find satisfaction in knowing others are satisfied. One of their biggest successes is finding a way around an obstacle that prevents another person from succeeding. One common example of the Helper is an occupational therapist, someone who dedicates their lives to improving the lives of others. If helping others help themselves is how you find fulfillment, you might be a Helper.
- The Leader lives at the head of the pack. The first one in and last one to leave, the Leader thrives under pressure, when all eyes rest on them and they know that their peers are looking to them for the answer that will bring success; that’s when the leader truly is in their element. But above that, the Leader lives to guide others, to help them achieve their fullest potential. That’s why you often see the Leader planning out the next play as an athletic coach or pushing their clients farther as a physical trainer. If you’re not living unless you’re leading, this might be your professional personality.
- The Problem Solver takes in an incredibly complex situation and thinks outside the box to fix it. They are at the top of their game when they seem to have too many pieces for the puzzle but know there’s a picture in there somewhere. This type of personality is unique. They’re equally skilled at managing logistics as they are at thinking creatively to find solutions. You might find Problem Solvers in the hospitality industry, event planning or working as an architect.
While these personality types are all distinct, they are not mutually exclusive. Many people find different aspects of themselves reflected in each category. While that may seem like it makes the job-search process more difficult, one of these work personality types will likely be dominant, providing you with a starting point. Your dominant personality type will lend itself to certain careers that will be complemented by the others, and some careers will flourish when all four are leveraged. Creating a mind map or career map based on your dominant professional personality can help you discover the opportunities available to you.
If you like helping people, if you like finding creative solutions to difficult problems, if you want to be your own boss or if you see yourself as a leader, a career as a financial professional could be the right path for you. Learn more about a career as a financial professional and how you can leverage your strengths to create success.
[1] http://www.mindmapping.com/