SAMPLE NAVIGATING YOUR CAREER. Published by Center for Applications of Psychological Type, Inc NW 13th Street Gainesville, FL

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1 How understanding your personality leads to a more rewarding work life - PREPARED FOR - Sample Published by Center for Applications of Psychological Type, Inc NW 13th Street Gainesville, FL

2 OverView... This guide is intended to help you use your results from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI ) assessment in your career exploration, decision making, and development. Whether you are making early career decisions, thinking about a career change, or exploring your options for career development, the information in this guide can be of use to you. Research shows that type preferences are indeed linked to career choice. However, it is very important to remember that there is much more to you than your personality type. As you consider your career development and job options, you will definitely want to consider your interests, values, skills, life goals, and lifestyle and leisure needs as well. You should never make a career decision only on the basis of the MBTI instrument (or any other inventory), and you will especially want to gather information using tools designed specifically for the assessment of career interests and skills. Research shows that every type is represented in every career. So rather than simply using type primarily as a way to match yourself to a career, instead use an understanding of your type to figure out how to get what you want in a career. That is, identify what you want in a career through self-examination and through the variety of career questionnaires and tools that are available, learn about who you are at a very individual level, and then use knowledge of your type to clarify how you can find, create and/or carve out a niche that meets your career aspirations and sense of self. If you are uncertain about your type, read the descriptions of closely related types to help you make your choice. Resources for other type descriptions and for learning more about type and careers are provided at the end of this guide. You may also wish to seek the assistance of a counselor trained in career planning and personality type. 2

3 What s in This Guide This guide describes the impact of your type preferences on career exploration, career choice, and career development. In it you will find the following: 1) A description of your reported type preferences. 2) How your type may influence five clusters of behaviors that relate to career exploration, choice, and development. a. A description of potential strengths and favored approaches on which to build b. A description of potential obstacles of which to be aware and/or address 3) Career interest areas and occupations often found to be more attractive and less attractive to persons with your type preferences. 4) Environments, tasks, and roles your type may find appealing. 5) Suggestions on how to use the information in the guide and where to learn more. Your Indicated Type The type you indicated is: INTJ ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ ISTP ISFP INFP INTP ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ Personality type represents a set of mental habits in how we direct our energy, gather information, make decisions, and interact with our environment all things that can have impact on career exploration, choice, and development. On the MBTI assessment, you report preferences on four scales, and each of these four scales has two opposite halves yielding eight different mental habits. Everyone uses all eight of these preferences at different times, but people tend to prefer and use some more than others. 3

4 Your results on the MBTI instrument, report which of the pairs of opposites you may most prefer. Your combination of preferences on the four scales represents a personality type. There are sixteen different combinations of preferences on the four scales, representing the sixteen personality types. A type is not a pigeonhole or stereotype; it is a particular way that mental energy is organized. The preferences you indicated are shown in the following diagram. Interest in the people and things around you E I Interest in what is real and can be seen, heard, touched S N Interest in what is logical and works by cause and effect T F Interest in acting by organizing, planning, deciding J P Interest in the ideas in your mind that explain the world Interest in what can be imagined, seen with the mind s eye Interest in knowing what is important and valuable Interest in acting by exploring, trying out, adapting Your INTJ Career Description INTJs are most likely to find interesting and satisfying those careers that make use of their depth of concentration, their grasp of possibilities, their use of logic and analysis, and their ability to organize. INTJs are very often found in academic, scientific, theoretical, and technical positions that allow or require periods of solitary concentration and tough-minded analysis. Their task orientation, powers of abstraction, perseverance, and willingness to look at situations or systems in creative ways often draw them to careers where they can pursue the implementation of an inner vision and/or create new systems. 4

5 Impact of Your Type on Career Exploration, Decision Making, and Development This section provides you with clues to some of the most important applications of type in your career. Here you will learn how your type can influence four clusters of behaviors that relate to career exploration, decision making, and development. Whether you are a first-time job seeker, pursuing a midlife career change, or looking for development within your current field or position, this section provides useful clues on how your type may help you in your career development and may potentially hinder you as you pursue what you want in a career. You will also find included, some hints for stretching your style so you can make the most of your career development. 5

6 Your INTJ preferences may show in the following ways: { 1 } Domain One: Be Proactive and Take Focused Action Natural approaches and strengths (Build on these behaviors ) Thoughtfully focus on future possibilities and consider a number of long-term career options. Get moving by searching for a career or job that challenges you intellectually and creatively, provides opportunities to learn new things, where you can design systems, and where you can use your knowledge/understanding to make things happen. Potential obstacles (Watch out for these behaviors ) You may be overly immersed in your inner ideas and the possibilities in your career development that is, you may consider so many options or become so focused on the ideal position that you may consider or plan too much or to the exclusion of taking concrete action. You may spend too much time second guessing decisions you make, which can hinder action. 6

7 { 2 } Domain Two: Know Yourself and Connect with Others Natural approaches and strengths (Build on these behaviors ) Willing to do some introspection and self-assessments, using both traditional and creative methods. Connect with a small and carefully chosen number of contacts. When connecting or interviewing, your insight, ability to make conceptual connections, and analytical skills can communicate that you are a quick learner, competent and can get the job done. Potential obstacles (Watch out for these behaviors ) You may miss opportunities through minimal or no networking. You may undersell your skills and/or come across in an interview as too toughminded and not attentive to the people aspects of a job. 7

8 { 3 } Domain Three: Identify Options and Gather Information Natural approaches and strengths (Build on these behaviors ) Read and get excited about new career ideas; read about strategic trends and patterns in career data that give clues to the best choices. Look for options that meet your needs for autonomy and achievement. Potential obstacles (Watch out for these behaviors ) You may neglect to register key facts and details about an exciting career option. You may miss job opportunities that are in front of you but which don t seem to meet the ideal image you have. 8

9 { 4 } Domain Four: Make Decisions and Set Goals Natural approaches and strengths (Build on these behaviors ) Logically weigh pros and cons of career and job options and the fit between your skills/qualities and the career or job. Set goals and have a plan to approach the career or job search and your career development. Potential obstacles (Watch out for these behaviors ) In your desire for logical analysis and decision making, you may neglect what you really care about, whether or not you would like a position and the impact of the choice on your personal life. You may delay deciding and taking action because your list of interesting and exciting careers is too large, or your idea of the best choice may prevent you from settling, even temporarily, on an actionable set of choices. 9

10 { 5 } Domain Five: Be Aware of and Utilize Strengths, and Address Potential Obstacles That May Be a Reflection of Your Preferences Natural approaches and strengths (Build on these behaviors ) Your thoughtful, creative, planful, and organized style. Your ability to trust your vision, give form to a concept, consider options strategically and analytically and to choose something that will allow you to implement your knowledge and ideas. Address potential obstacles (Stretch to do the following ) Consider taking action before everything is completely clear or planned. Reach out to others and connect. Build on a known network first and then expand. In addition to your intellectual and problem-solving skills, be sure to show your people skills in interviews and in the workplace. Practice connecting, showing tact and appreciation, and noticing the people behind the job. Practice tact and diplomacy so you don t come across as too distant or tough-minded. Remember to gather actual facts about career options and to try things out, rather than operate only from your idea of what a position would be. In decision making, consider narrowing (at least tentatively) your focus on interesting possibilities to explore a practical, short list so you can take concrete action. Also, take into consideration what you personally like and care about. In your work, don t pursue your ideas in a vacuum. Talk to others about the actual concrete steps needed to implement a plan, and especially learn to take into consideration the reactions and impact on people of plans you may have or decisions you may come to. Remember that it takes a team to implement a plan; it s valuable to recognize the contributions people have made, as well as celebrate accomplishments. 10

11 Career Interest Areas and Occupations This section of the guide describes career interest areas and occupations that INTJs often find attractive. As suggested earlier, it is very important that you use additional information beyond your personality type preferences in your career exploration, decision making, and development. Remember to follow your values, interests, talents, and needs. Then use knowledge of your type to figure out how to get to where you want to go, what niche you might consider in a particular field, and how to develop in and manage your career. The descriptions and lists in this section are intended to provide you with information for your career exploration, not to encourage or discourage you in a given career pursuit. The careers and occupational patterns listed are intended to suggest patterns of interest for your type, and to provide you with ideas you may not have yet considered. They are not intended to be a list of careers, occupations, or tasks that would absolutely be right for you. Please be aware that not all careers and occupations are represented in these lists. Career and Occupational Patterns INTJs Find More Appealing People with INTJ preferences are often attracted to careers and occupations in the following areas: Physical, life, and social sciences Architecture Law: lawyer, judge Executive and manager: sciences, architecture, legal Computer sciences Economics Executive and manager: military, protective services Management consulting Human resources Engineering: nuclear, electrical, aeronautical, computer, materials Psychology: clinical, industrial/organizational Social services 11

12 Executive and manager: education, community, social services Urban planning Arts and entertainment: actor, musician, composer Photography Multimedia arts and design Teaching: university Research Writing, editing, journalism Medicine: internal, pathology, and research Remember, you may find satisfaction and success in an entirely different area. Uncover what you really want, and then build on the strengths of your type and address the potential obstacles your type may bring as you approach the tasks needed to get you where you want to go. Career and Occupational Patterns INTJs Find Less Appealing Every type is found in virtually every career, and clearly people are drawn to careers for many reasons other than their type. People with INTJ preferences are, however, less often attracted to careers and occupations in sales, office administration, personal care and services, health care support, food preparation and service, and construction. They are also typically found less often in careers characterized by a great deal of nurturing work; relationship-oriented work; or work that requires practical, routine production, or delivery of services; or careers that depend predominantly on hands-on work, attention to detail, and/or adherence to structures imposed by others. Environments, Tasks, and Roles Regardless of overall career choice or occupation, people with INTJ preferences are often attracted to the kinds of environments, tasks, or roles where they can do the following: Be creative and/or use their long-range vision. Find the opportunity to be independent and have a degree of privacy in their work. Be intellectually challenged and feel they are learning. 12

13 Analyze complex problems and generate solutions. Think strategically, plan/design systems, and organize the resources needed to implement a plan or realize a vision. Have the chance to work on the cutting edge of something and work with team members who are knowledgeable and competent. Experience an environment that supports innovation, offers interesting and complex problems to solve, and where achievement is rewarded. Using the Career and Occupation Information A wide variety of types are found in all career areas, and in any given occupation, because people are drawn to careers for many reasons other than their type. As you clarify what you want in a career, using all that you know about yourself, you may be drawn to a field that seems less frequented by people with your type preferences. If this is so, then ask yourself some of the following questions. Will I be called on to use type preferences that may not be as well-developed for me? Am I willing to develop (or have I already developed) the skills of those preferences? As an unusual type within that career, how might I take a different approach to make a valuable or innovative contribution to the field? Is there a niche, path, or role within that career that would make use of my preferences? If you find yourself already in a field or a job that seems to be less frequented by people with your type preferences, you have several options to consider. You can certainly consider a career or job change. However, there may be many good reasons why you want to be where you are, including having chosen such a career based on your interests, skills, and values. In that case, you might consider some of the following suggestions. Find, cultivate, or create a niche or specialty for yourself where you do get to use your preferences in a way that meets your needs. Find an environment and/or colleagues with whom you share some personality qualities. 13

14 Modify how you approach and accomplish your work so you are taking on tasks that fit for your personality style. Consider especially how you will ensure that your Introverted needs will be met if you re in a job or environment that requires you to behave opposite to your preferences for long periods. For ideas on modifying your current career or job, look again at the list of Environments, Tasks, and Roles attractive to your type. Next Steps Resources for Learning More If you have questions about anything in this guide, it may help to discuss them with a career professional. A good resource for finding a professional in your area is a nearby college counseling or career center. You can call to ask for a referral to a local counselor. You may also wish to take some time on your own to further explore the topics and careers in this guide. Here are some resources for doing so: Visit a local library or a career resource center to learn more about careers and occupations listed in this guide. Read Looking at Type : Your Career by Charles Martin, Ph.D. Gainesville, Florida: Center for Applications of Psychological Type, Inc You can find other career type descriptions and career lists in this booklet. For each type, there is a lengthy description of the impact of type on career exploration, choice, and development. Go to The O*NET Project is administered and sponsored by the Department of Labor s Employment and Training Administration and provides assessment resources and occupational information. At the Online Center link ( you can look up the specifics of occupations in the database, and get a detailed summary of skills, knowledge, interests and activities for each. You can also browse for occupations based on knowledge, interests, skills, values, and industry. Visit the CAPT website at or call (352) , (800) (toll-free in the US and Canada).... The career and occupational data in this guide are drawn from the following sources: (1) The databank of the Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT), (2) Unpublished dissertations and theses in the CAPT research library, (3) The Journal of Psychological Type, (4) Conference proceedings of the Association for Psychological Type International (APTi), (5) The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Atlas of Type Tables (Macdaid, McCaulley, & Kainz, 1986), and (6) MBTI Manual: A Guide to the Development and Use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator$mdash;3rd edition (Myers, McCaulley, Quenk, & Hammer, 1998). 14