Have you ever wondered if what you're doing in life is what you're MEANT to be doing?
We all have questions about our career paths. Many of us are certain we could be amazing at many different things, in all kinds of industries but just don't seem to be able to settle anywhere.
If you're having issues figuring out which career is right for you, don't stress because you are far from alone.
The good news is there is actually something you can do about it. There is a proven, research-backed way to help you access which industry and which professional environment can maximize your comfort and happiness.
It's as easy as a personality assessment. As it turns out, your personality type is directly correlated with career achievement.
It all goes back to the Briggs Myers test and figuring out which of the 16 personality types fits you.
In a recent study, various career outcomes were analyzed based on the 16 personality types. Findings have shown that your career choice and personality type are inextricably linked and in which category you fall has the power your success.
You could really be a test away from getting yourself on the right track to your dream job.
To dig further into this idea, we recruited the assistance of Molly Owens, CEO of Truity, a California-based company that offers in-depth, scientifically validated personality tests.
Based on the classic, 16-type system developed by Isabel Briggs Myers, Truity's mission, Owens tells Elite Daily, is “to help people understand more about their personalities so they can make informed decisions about their careers, relationships, and other aspects of their lives.”
Your personality type is the foundation for everything you do. It is the reason that you are the person you are.
“Personality types are a way to classify individuals based on their natural tendencies toward certain actions or feelings,” Owens says. “At their most basic, they are the driving forces behind why we act the way we do.”
Your personality is the reason you make certain decisions for yourself.
It's the driving force behind your behaviors, your desires and the people you choose to associate with, Owens tells Elite Daily.
According to Owens, the 16 personality types “are combinations of a person's dominant tendency in four different categories -- energy style (extraversion v. introversion), cognitive style (sensor v. intuitive), values style (thinker v. feeler), and lifestyle (thinker v. judger).”
To illustrate these four different categories, Owens gave me access to her straightforward, easy-to-use personality test.
The results were so accurate that I was legitimately creeped out.
After taking the comprehensive assessment myself, I found out I am an ENTJ (aka: The Commander). After reading into my full report, I concluded that it was dead on.
E = Extraversion N = iNtuition T= Thinking J = Judging
The ENTJ is someone who is an extraverted person with internal intuition. We're a forceful, often intimidating personality type.
According to Truity, the ENTJ is: “motivated to organize initiatives for change. You are quick to see opportunities for improvement and conceptualize new solutions. A natural leader, you enjoy marshaling resources and developing long-range plans to accomplish your vision.”
When it comes to choosing a career:
As Owens puts it, the ENTJ is, “a person who scores higher in extraversion, intuition, thinking and judging -- a type that's dominant, aggressive, decisive and blunt."
If you've read anything I've written, I'm sure you can imagine that this is exactly how I am in person.
I obviously shared my results with half of the Elite Daily team just to show them how correct they were.
“Yes. That sounds just like you, Gigi.” One of my friends concluded.
Personality chart and career chart:
The introvert and extravert dichotomy
The easiest part of personality assessment is determining whether someone is an introvert or an extravert.
This dichotomy is the first step in decoding your personality. Whether you are introverted or extraverted can make an impactful difference in the way you function in your professional and personal relationships.
According to Owens:
Extraverts get their energy from interacting with stimuli in their environments, while introverts prefer a quiet environment to self-reflect and recharge their batteries. The key thing to understand is that extraverts can function in quiet spaces and introverts can function in high stimuli environments, they are just more likely to be drained by stepping out of their comfort zones.
Figuring out where you are on the introvert/extravert scale can help you to better understand yourself on your path.
Extraverts and introverts in the workplace.
Extraverts are better suited for high stimulus career paths such as public relations, being a reporter, a manager or an advisor. “In general, they are more likely to succeed in positions where communication and client interaction are priorities.” Owens notes.
Meanwhile, introverts are better suited to careers that require less day-to-day interpersonal interaction:
They excel in positions where they're not required to constantly work with others and are given the freedom to produce without constant oversight. Introverts make great social media managers, veterinarians, writers, creatives, engineers, and college professors.
Personally, as a writer and a bonafide extravert, I find this career stimulating and fulfilling because I'm writing such interesting, often sexually charged or controversial material.
I'm happy doing what I do because I can be out in the open. I also function well at Elite Daily because we have a laidback, friendly environment where interaction between peers is encouraged.
We didn't forget the introverted extraverts and the extraverted introverts, either.
As we know, not everyone falls perfectly into either an extraverted or introverted category. Don't worry, guys, we didn't leave you out of the mix.
As Owens tells Elite Daily:
If you're an extravert who loves people but thinks better in quiet, stimuli-free environments, find ways to escape when you need to get work done. If you're an introvert who loves working in an open office but has a difficult time opening up to the people around you, find ways to enjoy your work without overdoing your interactions with coworkers.
If you're a person with a combination of both introverted and extraverted personality traits, you have to test out different situations and find out what works for you.
Some of Briggs Myer's personality types sound more Type A or Type B than others, but they allow for a more comprehensive understanding of who you are and where you belong.
That's one of the main reasons going further into your assessment is not just to discover your level of introversion and extraversion but also determining the other three categories you subscribe to.
It can you help you make informed decisions about your life and your career that otherwise seemed hopeless confusing.
To figure out your personality type and to start your journey toward a career that fits you best, take Owens' TypeFinder test. And for more information check out these articles.
