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Taylor Davenport

Christy Trotter

CCP English 1201

21 March 2021

Personality Mixing with Career Decisions

How can taking a personality test show you a potential career path? My personality type

is a Mediator. This personality type tends to be on the more creative side. Mediators often work

in art, music, engineering, and psychology. This relates to me because I either want to be a civil

engineer or an architect. A common misconception is that you can assume someone's personality

by meeting them once. A lot of people have walls up and hide their true colors. It’s impossible to

know one's personality without really getting to know them. There was study to see how

different personalities work in different job environments. Denissen stated, “These researchers

also found that “Occupations emphasizing people (vs. things) and data (vs. ideas) were more

likely to be occupied by extraverted employees; occupations emphasizing things and data were

more likely to be held by conscientious individuals”(para.8). Which means some jobs are more

likely to attract people based on how they interact with others. So the question is what are the

sixteen personalities and how can they affect the field of work we decide to go into?

There is almost a perfect career path for each personality. A personality is what makes

people different from one another; they define a person's character. It becomes a trait when it

happens repeatedly like Wisse Jong explains, “Personality traits are aspects of personality that

are relatively stable over time, differ across individuals and are relatively consistent over
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situations”(Para. 4 Line 1). Having distinct characteristics can show how people react to

situations which can give an idea of what career would be enjoyed. For example if a person had a

more extroverted personality and loved to engage, they should go into business, marketing, or

sales. If a person has a caring, motherly personality, they might enjoy the medical field. The link

to try this quiz will be in my works cited so if you’d like take the quiz and see if your personality

has any relation to what you might want to be in the future. The questions aren’t extremely

personal and there is a short version to take if it seems too time consuming!

Personalities have gone all the way back to ancient Greek times. This has always been a

human curiosity. It was discovered from the Greek philosopher Theophrastus. He believed that

personalities were structured to life. It also fascinated him that people would have different

reactions to different situations. There were 30 personality traits that he believed populated

ancient Athens. The most common of the 30 were the Argonaut Man, the Social Climber, the

Obnoxious Man, the Newshound, and the Flatterer. Most of the names speak for themselves but

the Newhound is the most interesting. These people loved gossip and spread word around like

wildfire. In the modern world we have a lot of Newshounds. He wanted to learn more about why

we all are unique but unfortunately he never was able to finish his work and died twelve years

after writing his first book. This book was the foundation of learning and identifying different

personalities. Luckily his favorite student continued in his footsteps.

Personality originates from the Latin word persona which means mask. The Greek

philosopher Hippocrates believed human personality traits were based on four temperatures in

our body called humors. An individual personality would balance the humors. Of course this

theory was proved untrue but this led us to the discovery of personality. Now it’s been

discovered that some of our personality is from our DNA and the brain. Personality can be
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affected by the brain if this is a dramatic injury. A skull was documented because of a spike

penetrating the frontal lobe. The man did not live very long but this injury completely changed

who he was. This was studied and created interest in how the brain impacts our personality. The

frontal lobe is associated with personality functions.

Personality is what makes an individual distinct from everyone else. They are patterns of

feelings that can define how people behave. This being said, careers sometimes require the right

fit for the employee to get hired. It’s common for careers to have requirements. For example,

someone that is loud and extremely opinionated probably shouldn’t be a therapist. Figuring out

one’s traits can help in finding the perfect career. Studies show ways to identify these traits and

personalities which can help the process even more.

There was a study conducted where people of different traits answered questions about

career satisfaction. Data was collected from two large groups of subjects in the United States and

Europe. Being extroverted related positively to career success, promotions, and salary in both the

United States and Europe. Neuroticism ,commonly anxiety or self doubt, has a drastic negative

effect on career success in both examples. Being overly agreeable can negatively affect feeling

towards the career. On the other hand extreme openness was relayed to a negative salary. People

wanting to create their own products or business tend to have better career adaptability. The

social cognitive career theory recognizes the differences in traits and backgrounds that can affect

career decision making. This study tested the role of personality, efficiency, support, and

expectations that affect actions in getting a career.

Career role preferences are identifying with a career mentally and personally. There are

six career roles: Maker role, Expert role, Presenter role, Guide role, Director role, and Inspirer

role. Each one of these roles is a building block to discovering a career that fits one's self. The
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most common study of personality is the Big Five. The Big Five provides factors that represent

personality at each level. The factors include: openness, agreeableness, extraversion,

neuroticism, and conscientiousness. Each factor narrows down a more specific trait. This makes

identifying traits easier and can provide information on what career path might fit best. The study

shows that personality traits will make some jobs more desirable than others.
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(Pg 3. de Jong)

There are four main types of personalities; they are analysts, diplomats, sentinels, and

explorers. Total there are sixteen personality types but they are put in these four categories. Each
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category has a mix of introverts and extroverts. The analysts tend to be intelligent and curious

which makes them very strong people whether introverted or extroverted. Diplomats are very

caring, kind people. They specialize in advice and are eager to help a good cause. Sentinels are

productive and focused. They work hard to help others and not let people down. Explorers tend

to be quick thinkers and can handle stressful situations. They usually like to take the world in at

first glance and try new things. In these four categories there are sixteen personalities. For the

most part, they are similar to the group they are in. There are some differences though, mostly

based on if the person is quiet or talkative.

The architect's personality is more introverted. This personality tends to be the loneliest.

Architects have a non-stop mentality. They have extreme willpower which helps to reach goals

and dreams. Quiet, calm, and focused is the best way to describe Architects. Architect

personality types can settle for almost any job but they like to use their skills to do more complex

work. The extroverted version is known as the commander. They are natural born leaders and

embrace their confidence. Commanders love a challenge, whether it’s big or small. They’re

extroverted so they can easily keep others motivated. Commanders like a job where they feel

they’re taking the lead. Entrepreneurship and the world of business helps commanders bring out

their assertive side which gives them higher confidence. The last two analysts are Logician and

Debater. The Logician is introverted and the Debater is extroverted. They take pride in their

creativeness. Logicians like to problem solve which explains why “Logicians have been

responsible for many scientific discoveries throughout history”(Dreneth page 6). They tend to be

inventors, scientists, and in forensics. Debaters are naturally engaged and productive. They like

to come up with solutions to problems and try to fully utilize their skills. It’s common for

debaters to be engineers, entrepreneurs, or a photographer.

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Diplomats are all helpful and nice people but they differ in how talkative they are. The

first diplomat is the Advocate. Advocates are passionate people but can get lost in a

conversation. Usually they’re soft spoken and prefer to stay out of conflict. Advocates love to

help so you can find them as teachers, psychologists, social workers, and spiritual leaders.

Mediators ,my personal favorite, are kind, caring people that always help a good cause.

Mediators want a job that not only pays the bills; they also want a job to excite them and bring

genuine happiness. Some feel stuck because they can’t find that perfect job but they have

creative brains.They come across shy but as Drenth stated, “their caring nature can help them

create and sustain deep relationships with their loved ones”(pg. 11). Commonly Mediators work

as engineers, writers, artists, psychologists, or work for nonprofit organizations. The Protagonist

is a natural born leader since they have an extroverted side to them. They’re full of passion

which makes them come across genuine. Most Protagonists are politicians, teachers, coaches, or

trying to make a difference in the world. Campaigners are free spirits. Often they are the life of

the party and love social interactions. They can be confident talking to any crowd. Campaigners

love change and different, new ideas. They can be torn when choosing a job because there is so

much they want to do. Commonly Campaigners get into system analysis, working machinery,

counciling, and politics.

Sentinels are well educated, protective, and eager to help. Logistician is the first Sentinel

personality. Logisticians are practical and have serious dedication. They also love working

towards goals and take pride in their work. Logisticians are flexible but are focused on getting a

stable career. They usually have jobs that give them authority like the military officials, lawyers,

detectives, and judges. Defenders have excellent people skills and come across as protective and

loyal. They usually work in human resources, the medical field, and natural counselors. The
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Executive personalities are honest, dedicated, and love to give guidance. They like structure and

to be organized. Most can be found in law enforcement, hospitals, and the military.

Explores tend to be open minded and enthusiastic about life. The more extroverted ones

are very energetic and social butterflies. Virtuosos are experimenters, vivid, and like to build or

create things. They are very hands on people and enjoy challenges. They can also jump project to

project, teaching themselves as they go. Virtuosos are often mechanics, engineers, or work in

construction. Adventurers are charming, artistic, and like trying new things. They are natural

artists and have an eye for detail. They also love exploring different ideas rather than traditional

ways. Adventures like to step out of the box and enjoy riskier behavior. They tend to artists,

musicians, photographers, and designers. Entrepreneurs are educated, energetic, and like

adrenaline. They are extroverted and love being around people. They are not well organized and

can be easily distracted. Entrepreneurs are often in marketing, sales, or business because they are

people persons. Entertainers are energetic, spontaneous, and hate to be bored. They are

extremely extroverted so they feel their best in a crowd of people. Entertainers are generous and

always help others have a good time. They love being the spotlight and most likely will be

wearing flashy, vibrant clothes. Entertainers work extremely well in the medical field. The

productiveness and bright personality of entertainers make others smile. They also make great

social workers, coaches, photographers, and musicians. What can’t they do?

Another study was conducted at Michigan State University. They found specific

occupations correlate to certain personality traits. They did research on 23,000 employees. They

were categorized in nineteen job groups, forty organizations, and 115 job titles. The employees

filled out a quiz made by psychological scientists. The scientist based the quiz on the Big Five
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personality traits. The researchers found that some workers in an organization share traits but not

as many as the workers with the same job description. This study shows that it is common for

employees with the same job description to have similar traits.

On the other side of this, people believe personality has no connection between their job.

Some feel as if their job doesn’t relate to their personality. This might be because of the

unenjoyment or potential feeling of being trapped in that job. It’s understandable if people don’t

feel like they’re personality affected the choice of their minimum wage job. The point is

personality can show what career might be most exciting and interesting for the particular

person. People that are in the mindset that their work is only about money may find this hard to

believe too. It’s very understandable to feel stuck in a job. Things can get old and feel repetitive

so finding something else that interesting should always be an option. The goal should be to find

something that you can at least relatively enjoyable and can still pay the bills. Never settle; go

get the job that fits!

Some may ask, can personality change? Why get a job that fits my personality now? Our

personalities stay relatively the same our whole lives. The only things that tend to change are

friendliness, eagerness, and anxiety levels. Life lessons may change perspective but this makes

us receive even more traits. Traits can’t be lost, they can only be gained. So if that job just isn’t

doing it anymore try and find something new. Personality traits are inherited genetically so there

is no initial control of them. Over time though there can be gradual changes because of one's

upbringing. Nature and nurture plays a huge impact on personality. Nature is genetics that people

have no control over. Nurture is how life has influenced the person’s decisions. This means our

nature will always remain the same but how life has impacted us can change our viewpoints.
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Holland's theory is people seek environments that are aligned with their personality types

and engage in activities that utilize their abilities. Holland’s theory has six personalities:

Investigative, Realistic, Artistic, Social, Conventional and Enterprising. It makes sense that

people would want to use their skills and traits. Being good and having interest creates passion.

Personality traits differ according to the activities related to the person. There have been several

studies conducted that all lead to a similar answer. The answer is we’re finding ways to identify

personality that can make career decision making easier for young adults.

(Tom Staunton)

It’s clear that personality can affect the decision making process of finding a career.

Others may say their specific personality had nothing to do with the job they have, which is

valid. Subconsciously everyone does this though! It’s a fact that introverts and extroverts tend to

have different career paths. An extrovert tends to be around people and socialize. A job that is

behind the scenes might bore them. To an introvert that job may sound like a dream come true.

Introverts can socialize and be around people too but they usually can only do it for a said

amount of time before their social battery runs out. Traits and skills also play a huge role in

career decision making. Our traits are what truly makes others different from one another.

Identifying traits and personality makes the career finding process simple.
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It makes sense how someone's reactions and traits could affect their job making

decisions. Some people are great with numbers and organization so maybe business would be

good for them. Others have a more creative side to them and might be artists or musicians. This

has made researchers state, “The many uncertainties and challenges during an employee's career

journey have stimulated growing scholarly interest in personality”(Morrison 3). Studies are being

done to make choosing a career less stressful. A lot of young adults make these life decisions

feeling like they’re not sure what they want yet. If this is studied more we could make finding

careers simple and less stressful.

The link is below to see if personality relates to a potential career plan. There are two

quizzes. One is short and the other is a little longer. This quiz goes into extreme depth about the

personality that is selected. It gives background information and will even show celebrities who

also share the personality. It will also explain traits and skills that are common for the specific

personality type. This can give an idea of what job might fit that specific personality. If the quiz

seems too time consuming here’s a chart that shows the basics of each personality type.
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(Cunningham pg. Personality Basics)

https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
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Works Cited:

● Cunningham , Nikolai M. “Personality.” American Psychological Association, American

Psychological Association, Feb. 2019, www.apa.org/topics/personality.

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● Denissen, J. J., Bleidorn, W., Hennecke, M., Luhmann, M., Orth, U., Specht, J., &

Zimmermann, January, 2017. Uncovering the power of personality to shape income.

Psychological Science. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/minds-

business/linking-personality-with-organizations-occupations-and-income.html

● de Jong, Nicole, et al. “Personality Traits and Career Role Enactment: Career Role

Preferences as a Mediator.” Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers Media S.A., 25 July 2019,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6671867/.

● Drenth, Andrew J. “Personality Types.” 16Personalities, Feb. 2015,

www.16personalities.com/personality-types.

● Jong N, Wisse B, Heesink JAM and van der Zee KI (2019) Personality Traits and Career

Role Enactment: Career Role Preferences as a Mediator. Front. Psychol. 25, July, 2019,

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01720/full

● Kohn, Melvin L. “Job Conditions and Personality: A Longitudinal Assessment of Their

Reciprocal Effects.” American Journal of Sociology, 1 May 1982,

www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/227593.

● Morrison, Heather, et al. “Open Access Article Processing Charges: DOAJ Survey May

2014.” Publications, vol. 3, no. 1, 2015, pp. 1–16. doi:10.3390/publications3010001.

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● Olaru , Gabriel, et al. “AAFP Home Page Http://Www. Abfp.com/Aafp.” PsycEXTRA

Dataset, vol. 14, no. 2, 4 May 1997, pp. 1–19., doi:10.1037/e307212004-021.

● O'Reilly, Charles A. “Personality-Job Fit: Implications for Individual Attitudes and

Performance.” Organizational Behavior and Human Performance, Academic Press, 26

Aug. 2004, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0030507377900174.

● Tett , Robert, and Dawn Burnett. “APA Upgrades APA PsycNET Content Delivery

Platform.” PsycEXTRA Dataset, vol. 11, no. 2, 8 Aug. 2017, pp. 6–13.,

doi:10.1037/e500792018-001.