Deciding on a career path is one of the biggest life choices we ever make. So why do 85% of professionals hate their jobs? It might be because they failed to factor their career personality type into the equation.
Personality type plays a larger role in career satisfaction than most people think. Many people suffer years of career frustration before coming to this realization.
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Why did you choose this career?
Common answers to this question include “there are good growth prospects”. “The benefits are great”. “It’s a job for life”. “There’s good earning potential”.
There is no golden equation for choosing a career path. The reality is most people don’t know why they ended up in the career that they’re in. We often find ourselves in jobs quite by chance. We make practical decisions that make sense at a certain point in life, or we do what we see those around us doing.
Why do people become unhappy in their careers?
Practical career decisions rarely take into consideration our personality types. People tell us that our natural interests don’t make great careers. This might be true in some situations. But personality plays a big role in career satisfaction and so we should pay greater attention to it.
The negative effects of poor career planning
It was only after many years in corporate sales roles that I realized I needed to make a change. It didn’t dawn on me that as an introvert and creative, I was not suited to fast-paced sales environments.
Being with people all the time, chasing targets and never creating anything got me down. Too many elements of my role rubbed against my natural personality traits.
By the end, I felt burnt out, exhausted and unfulfilled. No amount of money, extra responsibility or fancy titles made a difference.
It’s taken me years to align my work with my personality type. But I have learnt that it’s never too late to make a change!
How can you choose a career that’s right for you?
Career satisfaction is a journey, not a destination. You have to be prepared to make adjustments along the way. From time to time life presents us with opportunities for self-reflection and change. These might come at a time of crisis, as a result of a layoff or simply out of the blue.
When these opportunities arise it’s important to take the time to seriously ask the question “what career path is right for me in this next season?”
A great place to begin
During the 1950s, the now-famous psychologist John Holland determined that careers can be split into categories, just like people.
Holland developed 6 main career types that became known as the Holland Code System. Through a series of practical questions, the Holland Code matches people’s interests with possible career options. These career options are much more likely to be fulfilling and enjoyable over the long term.
There are a number of places online where you can access this system. One such place is Truity. The team at Truity has developed a Career Personality Test (ad) based on the Holland Code.
What’s your career personality type?
The below decision tree has been developed by Truity. It’s designed to help you to discover your career personality type. Whether you’re at the beginning of your career or 25 years in, this is a very helpful exercise.
Click here to try Truity’s free Career Personality Profiler test. (ad) Based on the Holland Code, it’s very accurate and the results are often surprising!
What are the Holland codes?
The Holland codes categorize people based on their interests. These classifications make it easier to match people to more appropriate careers. In total there are six classifications into which Holland groups all careers.
We use the same six classifications to describe individuals. Taking into consideration their interests and personality traits.
What are the six classifications?
All 6 classifications describe a broad field of similar work and activities. Most job search and career advisors are familiar with the system of Holland Codes. You might have seen them referred to by the acronym RIASEC.
- Realistic
- Investigative
- Artistic
- Social
- Enterprising
- Conventional
How can the Holland codes help you decide on a career path?
Holland codes match what you like to do with appropriate career options. Begin by taking the free Holland Code career test with Truity. From there you can use their tools to find a career path that you’ll find more satisfying and fulfilling.
