GABRIELLA BIEDINGER - HER LIFE Magazine

herlife | working womenMatching a Career to Your Personalityby heather noble, ph.d.Is your work a source of satisfaction and fulfillment, or does it feelmore like a drain on you that you dread? If you work full time, youspend more than 2,000 hours a year doing it. Since work takesup so much of your time, there is value to carefully consideringwhat kind of work will truly bring you joy. People who feel the mostfulfilled are doing work that matches the unique traits of their personality.Do what you enjoy and what comes naturally, but also importantly,try to avoid or at least minimize the kinds of work that will inherently bean uphill battle for you. It is true that some occupations are much bettersuited for you than others.One way to consider this further is through a popular and wellfoundedtheory that matches careers with personality types, developedby the late psychologist Dr. John Holland. He identified six categories or“types,” and as you read each one described below, consider whetherone or more of these fit your personality.Are you known for your creativity, imagination and self-expression?If you appreciate aesthetics and originality, you may also have a passionfor working with music, writing, performance and other forms ofart. Some careers that best fit such interests include composer, writer,interior decorator, editor and actor/actress. Careers that are less likelyto appeal entail routine and rule-following. You will not likely be content,long-term, by sitting behind a desk and doing clerical work.Consider being practical, following rules and having concreteaccomplishments, and enjoying physical activity. Is that for you? If so,do you also have mechanical abilities and enjoy using tools? Someoccupations that match this personality include carpenter, truck driver,mechanic, farmer and electrician. This kind of work places less emphasisupon interacting with others, and in fact, socializing may be less thanappealing to you anyway.Are you analytical, scholarly and intellectually-driven with a passionfor in-depth learning through reading, studying and investigating? In otherwords, if given the choice, would you like to be a perpetual student?If so, you might enjoy using your scientific and mathematical skills fortrouble-shooting, in addition to relishing how you create and apply yourknowledge. Careers to top your list include biologist, chemist, physicist,psychologist and medical technologist. You are less inclined to enjoy46 HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM