Does your career match your personality?

April 15, 8:23 AMEntry Level Careers ExaminerHeather Huhman

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Many students choose careers based on potential earnings, the “cool factor” and perceived prestige. But, what about personality fit? Often, people don’t find out their careers don’t match their personalities until it’s “too late”—after they’ve already spent a lot of money earning a degree and time gaining experience. Just because a career fits your friend does not mean it will fit you, and vice versa. Here’s your opportunity to learn if you’re on the right track or if you should veer down another path.

Michael Farr and Laurence Shatkin, PhD, recently released the second edition of “50 Best Jobs for Your Personality.” A person’s personality type plays one of the most indicative roles in how much he or she will enjoy their job and get along with their colleges, Shatkin says.

“People who have a certain personality feel more capable of doing certain things and dealing with certain problems; they also feel more accepted when they are among people with personalities similar to their own. This is especially true for one place where people spend a major portion of their time—at work. People want to feel that they fit in with the people and with the activities where they work,” says Shatkin.

In “50 Best Jobs for Your Personality,” Shatkin connects occupational researcher John Holland’s RIASEC personality types to rewarding careers that suit them best. He selected the occupations based on a score of their combined earnings, growth and annual openings. 

When asked to define “RIASEC,” Shatkin provided the following descriptions:

• Realistic: People with realistic personalities tend to enjoy work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. Generally, they like dealing with plants and animals and working with tools and machinery. People with these types of personalities also tend to enjoy working outdoors. Examples: Civil engineers, surveyors and computer support specialists.
• Investigative: If you have an investigative personality type, you’re likely to enjoy work activities that have to do with ideas and brainstorming, rather than physical activities. You’re also more likely to enjoy searching for facts and working out problems on your own, rather than trying to persuade or lead people. Examples: Computer software engineers, anesthesiologists, and family and general practitioners.
• Artistic: People with artistic personalities often thrive in jobs that allow them to deal with the artistic side of things, such as forms, designs and patterns. Often, the work activities they enjoy the most are the ones that allow them to express themselves creatively, without a clear set of rules. Examples: Multi-media artists and animators; postsecondary art, drama and music teachers; and architects (except landscape and naval).
• Social: Someone with a social personality type tends to enjoy work activities that assist others and promote learning and personal development. This means that, often, they’d rather spend their work day teaching, helping and guiding other people, instead of working with machines or data. Examples: Registered nurses, postsecondary health specialties teachers and physical therapists.
• Enterprising: If you have an enterprising personality, you’re likely to enjoy work activities having to do with starting up and carrying out projects, especially business ventures. Often, people with this personality type prefer to be in leadership and decision-making roles at work. Examples: Securities, commodities and financial services sales agents; financial managers; and computer and information systems managers. 
• Conventional: Conventional personalities like work activities that follow a set routines and procedures. Unlike investigative personalities, which thrive on ideas, conventional personalities prefer working with data and details. Also, these types of people prefer work situations where there is a clear line of authority. Examples: Accountants and auditors, financial analysts and cost estimators.