| The key to finding a successful career is to begin your | | | | focus on the outer world, while introverts focus on their |
| search in a field about which you are passionate. In | | | | inner world. |
| order to pursue your true aspirations, it is imperative | | | | • Sensing (S) versus Intuition (N)--sensors place |
| that you know what type of work suits you best and | | | | value in information gathered directly, while those who |
| where your true interests lie. Matters that you feel | | | | favor intuition place more value on possibilities and |
| most passionate about are those in which you will | | | | patterns with the information they receive. |
| most likely invest yourself wholeheartedly and have a | | | | • Thinking (T) versus Feeling (F)--thinkers make |
| genuine interest to push for progress and success. | | | | decisions based on logic while feelers first examine the |
| While this may seem like an elementary concept, in all | | | | people behind the decision and any special |
| reality it is too often overlooked. Far too many people | | | | circumstances. |
| find themselves on a career path in which they can | | | | • Judging (J) versus Perceiving (P)--those who |
| find no interest, foresight, or direction. | | | | judge prefer to make decisions, while those who |
| According to a recent Harris Interactive Survey, only | | | | perceive are open to new information and options. |
| 45 percent of American workers are either satisfied | | | | When you understand your personality type and |
| or extremely satisfied with their jobs, 33 percent | | | | natural preferences, you can approach your own |
| believe they have reached a dead end in their careers, | | | | tasks in a manner that suits your needs. This |
| and a mere 20 percent feel very passionate about | | | | self-knowledge can be of value to you in the |
| their jobs. Knowing your interests and the things you | | | | workplace by giving you the expertise to thrive within |
| value is essential to choosing where you plan on | | | | the organizational culture and the understand the wide |
| spending the bulk of your professional life. | | | | variety of personalities you will most likely interact with |
| In order to examine which career path is appropriate | | | | on a regular basis. |
| for you, consider taking the Strong Interest Inventory | | | | Talk the Talk |
| (SII). Developed in 1927 by psychologist E.K. Strong, this | | | | No matter which career path you choose, all jobs rely |
| inventory has 317 items with three-choice answers | | | | on clear communication at some level. Just as there |
| that score results by your interest level in the following | | | | are many personality types, so are there many |
| six general occupational themes: | | | | communication styles. Knowing your communication |
| • Realistic--practical, physical, hands-on, and | | | | style can be a powerful tool in communicating your |
| tool-oriented careers | | | | ideas effectively. According to Southern Illinois |
| • Investigative--analytical, intellectual, scientific, and | | | | University's Mental Health Web, your communication |
| explorativecareers | | | | style falls into one of the following three categories: |
| • Artistic--creative, original, independent, and chaotic | | | | • Passive Style--you communicate by putting the |
| careers | | | | rights of others before your own, thereby minimizing |
| • Social--cooperative, supporting, helping, and healing | | | | your own self-worth, you are a passive communicator. |
| nurturing careers | | | | Passive communicators imply that their feelings are not |
| • Enterprising--competitive, leadership, and | | | | important, and are often apologetic and timid in tone. |
| persuasive careers | | | | Non-verbal clues include lack of direct eye contact and |
| • Conventional--detail-oriented, organizing, and | | | | poor posture. |
| clerical careers | | | | • Assertive Style--you communicate by ensuring |
| The SII will help you plan for the many different stages | | | | your rights and maintaining the respect of others' rights, |
| of your career, and helps match your interests with | | | | you are an assertive communicator. Assertive |
| satisfying career opportunities. With over 75 years of | | | | communicators typically exude confidence, maintain |
| research to support its methodology, the SII provides | | | | eye contact, and have relaxed posture. This type of |
| you with basic interest scales, the similarity between | | | | communicator generally places value in both the |
| your answers and those currently working for 211 | | | | communicator's and the target audience's message. |
| career classifications, as well as your personal style. | | | | • Aggressive Style--you communicate by ensuring |
| Getting to Know Yourself | | | | your own rights, but neglect others' rights, you are an |
| Have you ever worked on a team project and had a | | | | aggressive communicator. Aggressive communicators |
| lackluster experience? How about an experience | | | | imply that the listener's opinions are inconsequential and |
| where everyone seemed to click and things fell into | | | | exude a sense of superiority. Typically, these |
| place? The common thread in any project is, of | | | | communicators use 'you' statements and have rigid |
| course, the most important one--the people! You | | | | posture. |
| personality helps to set the team dynamics. | | | | It is important to note that you can adopt different |
| Possessing a keen understanding of your personality | | | | communication styles depending on the audience. By |
| type is a good indicator of what makes you tick, and, | | | | being aware of which communication style you most |
| more importantly, how to predict how those with | | | | often favor, you can adjust your style to communicate |
| whom you work operate and view the world. Know | | | | effectively with your target audience--both in the |
| your personality traits, your flaws, and your fortes. This | | | | workplace and in your personal life. |
| will help you identify areas where you excel naturally, | | | | The Impossible Dream? |
| and others where you may need to compromise or | | | | Regardless of which tools you choose to use to |
| shift responsibility to meet the objectives of an | | | | further your self-knowledge, it is important to have a |
| on-the-job assignment. | | | | solid sense of self-awareness. This sense of self |
| The ABCs of MBTI | | | | enables you to establish and maintain meaningful |
| The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is also a | | | | working relationships in your career. Being cognizant of |
| commonly used personality indicator. The MBTI uses | | | | your interests, personality traits, and communication |
| psychologist Carl Jung's theory of personality types, | | | | style is a valuable part of this process. In the famous |
| which assumes that variation in your behavior is | | | | words of Cervantes' Don Quixote, "make it thy |
| orderly and consistent, due to basic individualistic | | | | business to know thyself, which is the most difficult |
| differences in how we use perception and judgment. | | | | lesson in the world." If you can tackle this lesson, any |
| The system classifies respondents in one of following | | | | hurdle you face in your career path will surmountable. |
| 16 four-letter personality types: | | | | With adequate self-knowledge, almost any career |
| • Extraversion (E) versus Introversion (I)--extroverts | | | | goals are possible. |