How to Determine Your Career Path (Pt 3. Use Myers Briggs to Find the Ideal Job)

Myers Briggs is an absolutely fascinating tool that helps people to understand themselves a little bit more. A lot of people are already familiar with this test, but for those of you who are not, Myers Briggs is a personality test (the most used and trusted to date) that is based off of Jung’s psychological types.  Most Fortune 500 companies use some form of the Myers Briggs to evaluate their employees.  This is because Myers Briggs helps people understand how to relate to each other in work environments.

Saying this is a personality test is actually not completely correct. Personality is unique to each person, and generalizations fall very short of being able to capture the essence of who you are.  It’s not a personality test, it’s a temperament test.  Myers Briggs determines how you would process information and ideas around you on a normal day to day existence.

That’s enough of an introduction.  If you want to learn more, go to the best source of information created in the 21^st century: www.wikipedia.org.  With that being said, let me cover the 4 core components of the Myers Briggs, link a site where you can actually take the test, and explain how it can help you discover your potential career.

Extrovert or Introvert (E vs. I) in Myers Briggs

The first component of the Myers Briggs test deals with how you process social situations. Are you Extroverted or Introverted?  This means exactly what it sounds like. You either enjoy social situations and “thrive” in those atmospheres, or you prefer isolation and generally do not thrive in situations where there are a lot of people.

Sensing or iNtuition (S vs. N) in Myers Briggs

The second component of the Myers Briggs test deals with how you process the information around you. Do you process information through Sensing or Intuition? Let me give a hypothetical situation and through that explain how each function works. Let’s say that Bob (an imaginary person that I just met) meets my friend Sally (although I’m sure Sally will think I’m insane if I ever tell her about Bob).

If Bob is a Sensing type, he will evaluate Sally based on his observations through his five senses. He will notice things that Sally is wearing, how she has her hair, what she smells like, etc. If he’s an Intuitive type, he will notice more what he “feels about” how Sally acts toward him. Does she treat him well?  Does she seem interested? Intuition people rely on their “gut feelings” about situations

Thinking or Feeling (T vs. F) in Myers Briggs

The third component of the Myers Briggs test deals with how you process decisions. Are you a thinker or a feeler? Let’s say Bob wants to go to England over the weekend. If Bob is a “thinker”, the way that Bob is going to process the information is on a completely rational level. Does this trip make sense financially? Are there enough reasons why I should go? Is this trip the best use of my time? Most of the times, thinkers have to think about a decision very extensively before they come to a conclusion. Feelers, on the other hand, rely more on what they “want to do” and how they “feel” about situations.  Do I feel like going?  What does my heart say?

Once again, this does not mean that Feelers don’t think and Thinkers don’t feel. It just means that on the norm, how do you usually come to your decisions? What is the PRIMARY motivating factor that leads you to a conclusion on a specific decision? Do your feelings primarily dictate what you decide to do, or your rational thought?

Judging or Perceiving (J vs. P) in Myers Briggs

The final component of the Myers Briggs test deals with how you handle your responsibilities. People who “judge” situations are usually a lot more organized and structured in the way that they handle their responsibilities. They are the types that can really handle a work schedule very well, and love updating “calendars” as often as possible. People who “perceive”, on the other hand, like to get work done on the fly. They do not like the burden of preparing a calendar, and mostly just want to take care of things when they can or when the need arises. Generally speaking, Judging types are less likely to procrastinate than Perceiving types.

How Myers Briggs Can Help You Find a Job

Based on how you process reality, certain jobs are more suited for you. For instance, a person who is introverted may not be that successful at a job that requires a lot of social interaction (like being a salesman, for instance!). Or, if you’re a perceiving type, it may not make the most sense for you to be an administrative organizer (if you can’t even take care of your own schedule, how are you going to take care of other people’s schedules?).

First take the test here. After you take the test, go to personalitypage.com and look at the “portrait” of who you are. I guarantee you will find the read absolutely fascinating, especially how accurate it is (if you are honest and truthful while taking the test itself). Then go this page about what careers best match your personality type, and get some ideas of what types of jobs can match you. The reason why this is very helpful is that you can see how others (who are similar to you in the way that they process reality) have been successful in the professional world! It REALLY can help you understand what types of jobs you could be successful at.

Take the test!  Get some career ideas!  If you want some input and discussion on the topic, comment on what YOUR personality type is and what jobs YOU found interesting on the provided link pages!

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