Monthly Archives: October 2012

How can I tell if my personality fits my job?

by Katie 22/10/2012

In our last blog post we explored whether your personality may affect the type of job you enjoy. This week, we give you some tips on how to establish if your job and personality match up

According to a recent study by consulting firm Mercer, fifty percent of employees are checked-out or actively looking to leave their current jobs. This can be the result of a miss-match between an individual’s personality and the job that they are working in, or the company and people they are working with.

personality

 

To uncover whether or not your personality fits your job, here are a few questions to ask yourself:

 

  • Do you feel appropriately challenged or stretched? The right job should challenge and grow you as a professional, but not to the point that you feel uncomfortable all of the time. Try to identify what about the role that is particularly difficult challenging.
  • Do you feel motivated? You can take our poll to shed some light in this area. Some people are naturally more motivated at work than others, but constant lack of motivation could be a sign of trouble.
  • Do you fit in with your colleagues? Discover how you compare to your work colleagues by inviting them to join you on PersonaBubble. If you share some personality traits in common, chances are that you will understand and get along with them more easily.
  • Do you share the same values as your company? Aligning your values and those that the company stands for is critical.
  • Do you feel comfortable in the working environment? Take our poll to find out more about your preferences toward working environment. For example, if you feel like a creative nearly suffocating in a stiff suit, you may not be in the right place.

 

If you answered yes to the questions above, you are a part of the lucky half and probably feel happy and energized at work. However, try not to get too comfortable and continue seeking opportunities to be challenged and building relationships with your colleagues.

 

If you answered no to the questions above, it’s likely that you are constantly feeling stressed, drained or de-motivated (or maybe all of these emotions at once). There are many ways to improve the issue, but diagnosing the source is the first step. Once you have identified the drivers of stress and dissatisfaction, talk to your supervisor about them, as there are likely to be many ways of solving the issue. You may be able to craft your job content to be a better fit with your personality. Next, ensure that you are taking time to build relationships with the people around you at work. Sometimes just having friends around will help keep you motivated. If you have tried all of these things without success, it might be time to consider making a career change.

 

Are certain personalities better suited to certain jobs?

by Katie 11/10/2012

With so many options, how do you make the ‘right’ choice when selecting a new job? There are a plethora of factors to consider, such as your passions, the job location, your income goals, etc. However, one of the most important considerations is how well your personality fits the role, industry, team, and organization you are considering joining.

personality test

 

Finding the right fit with the role and your personality can lead to greater job performance, satisfaction and happiness. For example, here are a few suggestions in terms of fit between personality and roles:

  • Extroverts tend toward jobs that require interaction with others. Roles in sales, marketing and customer service often suit them well.
  • Introverts prefer roles that require less interaction with others as they can find it draining. They may find that technical roles, such as computer engineering, suit them better.
  • Influential types often prefer leadership positions where they are the decision maker. Roles in management often suit them well.
  • Tough Minded types generally prefer roles involving facts and logic. Therefore, roles involving math and science can be good choices for them.
  • Structured types prefer specific plans and precise detail. This is a useful trait for roles such as administrators, solicitors and compliance officers.
  • Reactive types may find it more difficult to deal with stressful jobs than others. Therefore, they may not thrive as an emergency room doctor but prefer roles that involve limited daily stress.

 

It is important to note while certain personality types tend to gravitate toward certain roles, there are no strict right or wrong answers when choosing your career. It is also possible to mold your role around your preferred style.

Discover the Right Fit

By fully understanding your personality, you can make better-informed choices about your career. Taking a personality test is a quick and simple way to do this. Just remember that personality tests results should not be relied on as an absolute assessment of which career or job is best for you since there are many other factors to consider as well. You can review your free personality profile on PersonaBubble and take one of our careers polls for additional insight.

Is your personality suited to your career? Let us know what you think by posting a comment below.