By Kristen Carter
Contributor, Career Services
I appreciate self-knowledge and jump on any opportunity to learn more about myself and how I can work better with others. When you are aware of and acknowledge your unique traits, you will be able to recognize certain areas that may need attention and how your personality may positively or negatively affect your job search.
The first step to finding out about yourself is to take a personality assessment, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which will help you better understand yourself in relation to a career field as well as how you relate to those around you. If you do not evaluate your likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, or skills and experiences, you may not optimize your potential.
Lack of personal insight may make it difficult to recognize any potential roadblocks in your job search. This might include toning yourself down in your approach or stepping up your game in a certain area. For instance, some assume that extroverts are more effective at networking than introverts, who are often presumed to be shy, because they are comfortable working a room at a networking event. However, this isn’t necessarily true. If an introvert is aware of their inclination to avoid crowds or small-talk, for instance, he or she can recognize the need to overcome that for the job search and strategically put him- or herself out there. On the flip side, a self-aware extrovert, while gregarious, would know that when interacting with other personality types, he or she can come across as aggressive and unfocused and may choose to tone down his or her networking approach.
Now, I am not insinuating that one personality type is better than another. We all bring unique experiences and skills to the table. I am also not asking you to try and change who you are; it is important to embrace those qualities that distinguish you in a crowd. What I am saying is that there are some positive outcomes to consider when you take an inventory of your personality traits and discover which parts of yourself will shine during your job search and which might hinder you if you aren’t careful.
Assessing your personality will help you with the following:
- Find the best job for your personality, which may save you from working in an unfulfilling career field.
- Communicate most effectively with an interviewer. By having a basic understanding of your own personality and those of others, it will help you recognize communication cues and adapt your responses accordingly in an interview.
- Become a great employee. Every manager and co-worker likes to have people on their team with whom they can easily work.
With self-knowledge comes direction, and being in tune with yourself can help you make positive decisions regarding your career. As our personalities are continually evolving, self-evaluation is an ongoing process. So, remember to periodically revisit your results.
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