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"The Perfect Job" – it’s the elusive Holy Grail
for anyone who has ever dragged himself out of bed on a Monday morning,
overcome with dread at facing another dismal work week. Is it really possible
to find work that is interesting, rewarding, and enjoyable? According
to a new book, What’s Your Type of Career? Unlock the Secrets of
Your Personality to Find Your Perfect Career Path (Davies-Black
Publishing, April 2001) by Certified Human Resources Professional Donna
Dunning, yes, it’s possible. But, like any worthwhile pursuit, it will
require a bit of time, thought, and effort.
"What’s Your Type of Career?" is based on a common-sense
premise: We all want to find work that is personally satisfying, but one
person’s dream job may be another person’s worst nightmare. So, before
each of us can find work that is meaningful and rewarding, we first have
to determine our basic personality type and our natural "Way of Working."
This is accomplished via easy-to-use, comprehensive worksheets provided
in the book. Once the reader has determined which of the eight "Ways of
Working" is most suitable for him or her, he/she then explores the work
preferences, strengths, areas for development, learning, teamwork, and
leadership styles of each type. The author also provides practical suggestions
on which career paths are best suited to each personality type.
Based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the eight "Ways of Working"
outlined in Dunning’s book are:
Extraverted "Ways of Working"
1. Responders: Act and Adapt
2. Explorers: Innovate and Initiate
3. Expeditors: Direct and Decide
4. Contributors: Communicate and
Cooperate
Introverted "Ways of Working"
5. Assimilators: Specialize and Stabilize
6. Visionaries: Interpret and Implement
7. Analyzers: Examine and Evaluate
8. Enhancers: Care and Connect
Shari Lifland conducted the following exclusive interview with Donna Dunning,
author of What’s Your Type of Career? Unlock the Secrets of Your
Personality to Find Your Perfect Career Path:
Shari Lifland: In light of the current economic downturn,
many people who may not wish to change jobs or careers are being forced
to do so. What advice can you give to these people, many of whom may not
be naturally inclined to embrace change, on transforming their job loss
from a disaster into an opportunity?
Donna Dunning: I think it can be very helpful to look at your career
as a path you are traveling on rather than a place you are. Work duties
and roles are changing to meet the day-to-day demands of the changing
world around us. People change over time. They learn and grow, develop
skills, have families, face health issues, are involved in relationships
that end, begin or need maintaining and have changing interests, needs
and situations. We continue to shape our careers and our lifestyle over
our lifetime to adapt to these winds of change. The best advice I can
give is to try to keep a focus on finding work that makes you want to
get up in the morning. During a transition, take the opportunity to assess
what, for you, makes work satisfying. I hope that "What’s Your Type
of Career?" will be a helpful tool in that regard.
SL: What’s the most common mistake people make when choosing a
career?
DD: They don't do enough research or take the time to learn about
a career before they start. They may have a general idea about a certain
career, but lack information about the details. I remember counseling
one young woman who was determined to be a systems analyst. When I asked
her why she chose that type of work, she replied that she liked computers
and wanted to make lots of money. However, as I discussed the occupation
further with her, it became apparent that she had no idea what the day-to-day
tasks of a systems analyst were! And yet, there she was, planning to attend
a four-year university program.
A career path is one of the biggest projects you take on during your life
and it deserves an investment of ongoing self-assessment and adjustment.
Unfortunately, I think many initial educational and career choices are
made without a strong focus on self-understanding or without a clear understanding
of the world of work. Many people have chosen educational programs or
careers based on haphazard criteria --seeing a job posting, a parent or
friend getting them a job, going to a school that was close or convenient
or where their friends went. When people do attend an educational program,
they often feel they "should" remain in the field that they are trained
for, whether they like it or not, because of the time and money they have
already invested. Likewise, when they start generating income, they feel
obligated to remain in a job, even if it is not satisfying.
SL: Do people sometimes have inflated expectations of finding their
"dream job?" Is there really any such thing as a "perfect job?"
DD: I personally don't think that there is one perfect job. However,
I do believe that some types of work are a better fit for a person than
other types. If you can find work that is enjoyable most of the time rather
than just some or none of the time, then it is easier to get up in the
morning. With some focus and effort, we can find a career path that provides
us with a sense of life and work satisfaction.
SL: Don't many people have to take a job based on factors other
than "satisfaction?" – i.e., location, salary, benefits, flexibility,
etc.
DD: Of course we need to generate income so we can pay the bills,
meet our medical needs, and plan for retirement. It would be naåve to
assume that financial and situational needs are not strong drivers in
our choice of work. However, it is helpful to consider the factors that
are limiting us and to recognize that some of our limitations are choices.
For example, we may choose to live in the country or to live near aging
parents. These choices may limit some career options; however, they can
also help us to identify what is important in our life and to shape our
career accordingly. The choices we make can enhance our lives inside and
outside of work.
Work and life satisfaction will mean different things to different people.
People need to consider their personality, interests, values, skills,
constraints, and lifestyle when they choose the work they do. All of these,
in varying amounts, will contribute to an individual’s total work and
life satisfaction.
SL: What advice can you give to the person who truly wants to complete
the personality tests in your book, yet has a natural resistance to fitting
into any defined "box?"
DD: I dislike being stereotyped as much as anybody. I find that
understanding your natural approach is more freeing than limiting, because
it helps you see how you are likely to approach things initially. You
will, of course, learn to adapt and develop other approaches, as you need
to deal with a variety of experiences. I like to think of it as your favorite
room in a house, or your initial comfort zone. You can move in and out
of it, as you need to, but it is always there to give you comfort and
grounding. It is also important to remember that you will express your
preferences in a unique way, since no one else has your exact same experiences,
interests, skills, values and situation.
SL: Do you ever come across a person who is wildly successful in
a career that, according to the self-assessments described in your book,
may be the polar opposite of what he or she is best suited for?
DD: Sometimes people carve out niches in areas that seem to be
at odds with what the statistics predict. The occupations listed in the
book should be regarded as food for thought, rather than as being set
in stone. Research over the years has shown that certain personality types
tend to be attracted to certain types of work. The lists of occupations
help people think about options, but people should not be slotted into
or out of types of work because of their personality preferences.
For example, Responders are very focused in the moment and like to take
immediate and practical actions. It is no surprise that they show up as
firefighters and emergency response workers. However, that doesn't mean
that they are not capable of working in any other type of work that interests
them. I know one Compassionate Responder who is a Human Resources Manager.
He didn't give up his responding way of working when he took the job.
He is one of the most practical, adaptable managers that I know. Employees
find that he is highly accessible and quick to address their needs. He
dislikes meetings immensely and struggles with the strategic planning
part of his position, but has learned to adapt to those features of his
work in order to do what he does best: respond immediately to the needs
of people.
SL: Talk a bit about what you call one’s "natural way of working."
Don't we often have to sublimate our natural instincts in order to act
in a manner that is most acceptable in a given corporate culture? In other
words, isn't conforming often the way to success within an organization?
DD: There are definitely corporate pressures, especially to be
outgoing, logical, decisive and results-oriented. However, I believe (hope?)
that more and more organizations are recognizing and utilizing the diversity
within their human capital. So, rather than teaching one management approach,
we are focusing on different management styles and are taking the time
to help managers learn to customize their approach to accommodate the
needs of different types of people. I think that organizations will be
more effective when they allow people to approach work in their characteristic
way.
However, individuals do need to recognize their own blind spots and adjust
their style to work within a structured environment. Someone who is quiet
and prefers to stay in the background will find it helpful to understand
that they are being underestimated and perhaps are not contributing their
ideas as effectively as they could. They can utilize this information
to learn to step outside their personal comfort zone.
SL: Are there certain personality types who have the most problems
getting along in a work environment?
DD: All personality types have their own struggles and strengths
when working in an organization. There are a number of types of work environments,
so personality types tend to gravitate to ones that suit them. A highly
innovative software game company will have very different expectations
and norms than a traditional hierarchical organization. Responders, Explorers,
Analyzers and Enhancers all tend to approach work in a flexible and open-ended
manner. Rigid, rule-bound organizations and highly structured procedures
will especially frustrate them. Some types will be strongly affected by
organizational morale. Other types will find change and uncertainty uncomfortable.
Incompetence or inefficiency will have a more negative impact on others.
The solution is for individuals to understand what they need from a work
environment and choose their work or adapt to their situation as well
as possible. Teamwork is an especially good example of this. Each personality
type sees teamwork differently. Some see it as a participative, collaborative
event, while others see it as an opportunity to delegate or divide work
efficiently so each member can go and independently accomplish tasks.
None of these is right or wrong, only different ways to work within a
team.
SL: Although your book is designed to help individuals choose a
career that will bring them happiness and success, how can your descriptions
of personality types and ways of working help us improve our relationships
with superiors and co-workers?
DD: Understanding personality types can be an excellent tool for
understanding others. It provides a language that is positive and respectful
of individual differences and allows us to see those differences in a
new light. For example, an innovative change agent can realize that others
trust and value past experiences more than new ideas. They can find ways
to link the new with the old by building on existing systems rather than
reinventing the wheel. They can listen to the voices of experience that
will tell them about what has already been tried and what worked and didn't
work. In this case, a focus on appreciating and utilizing the approach
of others in the organization may lower the resistance to change. This
is just one example of the many ways that we can use personality differences
constructively in the workplace.
Donna Dunning, M.Ed., C.H.R.P. is an award-winning psychologist, teacher,
certified human resources professional, and director of a consulting business.
She focuses on the areas of adult learning, career development, and performance.
Dunning has over twenty years of experience assisting thousands of adults
to successfully manage career transitions. She is also the author of Learning
Your Way and Ready-Set-Go.
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