17 Things Your Job Can Reveal About Your Personality
Do you work in media? You're a highly adaptable person.
Along with your age, your gender, and, for a certain stargazing subset of the population, your birthday, there's another surefire way to instantly glean info about what type of person you are: Your job title. Yes, it's common knowledge that certain personality traits are better suited for different jobs—a musician might be more creative and sensitive than a nurse, while a nurse might be more sympathetic and nurturing than a musician—but the inextricable connection between the two has never been more clear than it is today.
As Truity Psychometrics, a California-based career assessment firm, recently revealed, in a series of research based on the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, you can acutely pinpoint personality traits by looking at someone's career choice. Are you a PR agent? Well, you're likely a charitable fellow. A lawyer? Good luck finding a more persistent person in your friend group. Herein, based on 17 of the most identifiable careers in America, we've compiled a career horoscope of sorts. Read on and see how close we are to the mark. You'll be surprised (unless you're a doctor, that is). And for more on how your personality affects different aspects of your life, check out these 13 Things Your Home Can Reveal About Your Personality.
1
You're a banker = You're skilled and ambitious.
Whether you're a local-branch type or a Wall Street exec, your command of numbers (and people) shows that you're a skilled leader and enjoy the hard work it takes to make your business flourish. Outside of work, you are still eagerly ambitious, and sometimes alienate others who may move at a slower pace, says Otto Kroegar, author of Type Talk At Work. On the other hand, though, your optimistic and outgoing personality unites even the most divisive characters, creating unity in the workplace and in your home. And for more personality signifiers, Here's How Your Personality Affects Your Workouts.
2
You're a lawyer: You're perseverant.
Above all, perseverance is a lawyer's best and most admirable trait. Additionally, your ability to solve even the toughest problems not only comes in handy during courtroom proceedings, it can also be extremely helpful in your personal life, helping you to create healthy relationships and a secured independence. You're also likely to be a perfectionist, which can both hurt and help your social and professional lives. Our advice: take a second to calm down with these 20 Best Ways to Be More Mindful at Work.
3
You're a doctor = You're empathetic.
Your humanitarian attitude—along with a desire to turn even the most far-fetched ideas into reality—carries you far in this field. At the end of the day, you just want to work on projects that will inevitably help others. Your commitment to creating a harmonious environment for all humans carries over into your personal life, where you are intuitive and empathetic, nurturing a trust in others who can look past your shy tendencies.
4
You're a teacher = You're charitable.
As a teacher, you are an idealist and a giver—willing to give whatever it takes to make sure your students have a better understanding of the world. For many teachers, this career is more of a calling than a job, as the salary isn't exactly flush and the work can often be difficult. Whether you're in the classroom or at home, you're capable of seeing the potential in everyone and open yourself up to the good and the bad that they may possess. Teachers also tend to be very sensitive to feedback, whether it's positive or negative. Outside of the school, you might enjoy a day at the museum or reading a book at home. And if you're in need of a change of pace, check out these 40 Best Ways to Jumpstart Your Career.
5
You're in media: You're highly adaptable.
Whether you're an editor at the local newspaper or a tech support guru at a large media conglomerate in the city, if there's one thing about media types, it's that they're well-rounded champions of change. Since you often are bored and restless, this can lead to the never-ending hunt for inspiration for your work life and beyond. You enjoy being intellectually enlightened and, more often than not, are constantly inspiring others to seek out the unknown.
What's more, while you are a born leader, you often tend to shy away from controlling others (though you probably do so in your personal life). Further, if you find yourself unhappy in your current field, your well-rounded bag of tricks will likely help you score a job in many other fields like public relations and politics. (Pro tip: listen to music while you work. It will help with any workflow issues.)
6
You're a public relations agent = You're loyal.
The combination of creativity and need for organization and control turns out to be the perfect concoction for the public relations professional. As a PR agent, your compassion for others and overall likability comes in handy while dealing with clients who require your constant attention. Similar to teachers, you enjoy humanitarian efforts, and are more likely than others to turn to charity work as a form of relaxation. In your personal life, you are incredibly outgoing and fiercely loyal, drawing a large group of friends and family who turn to you for advice or a home-cooked meal.
7
You're an IT developer = You're crafty.
Your intelligence and logical thinking will get you far in the IT world. You're masterful at problem-solving and would rather work in a secluded environment, as you are not one to socialize during work hours. While your career may have you pegged as a traditional "nerd," this often isn't the case, as your personality type suggests that you like to travel and catch up with friends during free time.
8
You're a recruiter= You're intuitive.
To be a great recruiter, you have to be a people person. What makes recruiters so great at their jobs is their love for sharing goals and stories—and listening to these tales in return. You strive every day to achieve happiness, whether that's through career success, dollar bills, or growth in your personal life. To achieve these goals, you tend to be extremely straightforward and competitive—which is often the reason why firms lean so heavy on competitive incentives. Aside from working hard, you're likely to be musically-inclined, whether that means performing in a band on the weekends or just playing guitar for fun during downtime.
9
You're a fashion designer = You're uninhibited.
As an artist or fashion designer, your work and personal life are closely intertwined, and you never want to miss out on social events or PR invites, as networking is your strong suit. You are incredibly talkative, warm, and spontaneous, and are easily able to build a cult following looking to see what it is that you're doing next.
10
You're a bartender = You're open-minded.
As a professional bartender, your personality is suited perfectly to problem-solving on the fly and constant exposure to new issues and ideas. You like to avoid a set plan or procedure in the workplace and work much better when pushed into the unknown. Bartenders, or those professional servers and restaurant staff, are often athletic and require more hands-on activities, as the thought of sitting behind a desk is more fear-inducing than dealing with drunk people every day. Additionally, your personality type suggests that you are more open-minded and tolerant than others, meaning that you might be involved in politic issues or movements outside of work.
11
You're a scientist = You're innovative.
Scientists are true innovators, lending their curiosity and intelligence to find and solve problems every day. This innovation is also applied to their approach to solving tasks, as you go about this in unstructured, casual ways. As a scientist, you aim to be a top-tier expert and like to surround yourself with powerful people who can further aid in your achievement. Though what you do might seem clinical, scientists are incredibly open-minded and empathetic, often maintaining a masterful balance between the head and the heart in all professional projects.
12
You're a retail salesperson = You're hard-working.
Whether you're in a lead role or enjoy a more hands-on retail experience, your desire for efficiency and productivity pay off in this field of work. Your personality thrives in an environment with rules and innovation, meaning that while you like to be told what to do, you're still able to equally thrive under leadership that allows you to make your own decisions when it is required. You are motivated and hard-working and have a desire for your accomplishments to be rewarded, either through a raise or through a promotion.
13
You're a politician = You're a leader.
The politician, while valuing a stable work environment with a direct set of expectations and guidelines, enjoys finding innovative ways to make these rules work better as a whole. Not surprisingly, you're a born leader and possess a great ability to work through issues with a team. Though, because you are equally masterful at working to a conclusion on an issue on your own, this problem-solving doesn't have to take place as part of a group unit. Sometimes, you prefer to go at it alone to save time and resources.
14
You're a musician = You're vivacious.
Contrary to popular belief, musicians aren't the most introverted crowd, as they long to be in the thick of any social activity. You are vivacious and energetic—a born performer. You're fueled by interactions with others (note the plethora of love songs circulating the known universe at any given moment), and would rather stick to spontaneous and casual meetings. Additionally, you are able to create music filled to the brim with emotion because you are often ruled by feelings, rather than by anything concrete.
15
You're an entrepreneur = You're curious.
Those who are brave enough to embark upon their own business venture are those who value innovation and ingenuity over any 9-to-5 ball-and-chain. As an entrepreneur, you continually seek additional knowledge and skills, and through this quest, gain a deeper understanding of a subject on your own terms—which is very important to an entrepreneur. You don't enjoy following the rules, so you instead set out to create your own.
16
You're an athlete or personal trainer = You're imaginative.
Athletes and personal trainers are unique in the fact that they have a desire to perform but also a need to use their talents to better the human condition. You derive pleasure from using your imagination and creativity to solve problems, often finding new approaches to old tried-and-true approaches. These traits make athletes and personal trainers so great at the job. To get a behind-the-scenes look at this gig, learn the 14 Secrets Your Personal Trainer Won't Tell You.
17
You're a police officer = You're tenacious.
As a police officer, you are a born leader, and seek out situations that need solving. Your bravery and tenacity make it possible to get things done in an efficient manner. You seek out structured environments and thrive under rules and regulations. And for more about how your brain affects your life, check out how These Personality Traits Will Extend Your Life.
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