How career choices and your personality type relate

Have you ever wondered if your personality type affects where you land a job or end up in a certain field? Did you know that your personality type can predict how much money you’ll make, how many people you’ll supervise, even if you’ll like your job?

Personality type assessments are one of the most commonly used tools in career planning. In fact, they’re valued by career advisors for their strengths-based approach to helping people find satisfying work. But how does it work? This is where personality and career assessment site Truity comes in.

They’ve put together the infographic based on a study conducted amongst nearly 26,000 people. Each participant was required to complete a personality assessment and answer questions relating to their job satisfaction, income, employment status and basic demographics. The results displayed how personality type could be a predictor of job satisfaction and income, and how they’re usually associated with the type of jobs that someone is drawn to.

Infographic: Does your personality type predict your career destiny?

Does your personality type predict your career destiny

Your personality type is based on you preferences on each of 4 styles:

Energy style
Are you an outgoing extrovert, or reserved introvert? Extroverts report average job satisfaction at 3.77 out of 5, compared to just 3.39 for introverts.

Value style
Are you a logical thinker or compassionate feeler? Thinkers supervise an average of 3.78 employees, compared to just 3.22 for feelers.

Cognitive style
Are you a realistic sensor or imaginative intuitive? Intuitives are 52% more likely to be self-employed.

Life style
Are you the type of person who’s an organized judger or flexible perceiver? Judgers earn an average of US$46,571, compared to only US$36,332 for perceivers.

16 personalty types

ISTJ

This personality appears serious, formal, and proper. However, they also love traditions and old-school values that uphold patience, hard work, honour, and social and cultural responsibility. They are reserved, calm, quiet, and upright.

  • Only introverted type to manage more people than average
  • Less likely (-58%) to be self-employed, but tend to have high earnings (average US$71K) when they do
  • Less likely (-36%) to report being unemployed

INFJ

INFJs are visionaries and idealists who are full of creative imagination and brilliant ideas. Although they have a different way of looking at the world, they have a unique depth in the way they think; never taking anything at face value or accepting things the way they are. Others may sometimes perceive them as weird or amusing because of their different outlook on life.

  • More likely (+28%) to report being a stay-at-home parent
  • Showed one of the smallest gender wage gaps with female INFJs earning 87% of men

INTJ

As introverts, this personality type is quiet, reserved, and comfortable being alone. They’re usually self-sufficient and would rather work by themselves than in a group. Socializing drains an introvert’s energy, causing them to need to recharge. They’re interested in ideas and theories, observing the world and always questioning why things happen the way they do. INTJ’s excel at developing plans and strategies, yet don’t like uncertainty.

  • Average earnings of US$65K when self-employed compared to just US$56K in a standard job
  • Second least likely of all types (-160%) to report being a stay-at-home parent

ENFJ

ENFJs are people-focused individuals. They’re extroverted, idealistic, charismatic, outspoken, highly principled and usually know how to connect with others no matter their background or personality. This personality type mainly relies on intuition and feelings, and tends to live in their imagination rather than the real world.

  • Most likely of all feeling types to manage a large team
  • Second highest job satisfaction
  • Second highest of all feeling types in average income
  • Least likely of the feeling types to be a stay-at-home parent

ISTP

They’re mysterious people who are usually very rational and logical, but also quite spontaneous and enthusiastic. The traits of this personality type are less easily recognizable than those of other types. Even people who know them well can’t always anticipate their reactions. Deep down, ISTPs are spontaneous, unpredictable individuals, but they hide those traits from the outside world—often very successfully.

  • Lowest average income of all types
  • Second least likely (-93%) to be self-employed
  • Second lowest of all types in job satisfaction

ESFJ

ESFJs are the stereotypical extroverts. They’re social butterflies, and their need to interact with others usually ends up making them popular. The ESFJ usually tends to be the cheerleader or sports hero in high school and college. Later on in life, they continue to revel in the spotlight, and are primarily focused on organizing social events for their families, friends and communities.

  • Highest job satisfaction of all personalty types
  • Of the feeling types, highest in average income
  • More likely (+22%) to be a stay-at-home parent

INFP

Like most introverts, this personality type is quiet and reserved. They prefer not to talk about themselves—especially in the first encounter with a new person. They like spending time alone in quiet places where they can make sense of what’s happening around them. They’re usually lost in their imagination and daydreams, always drowned in the depth of their thoughts, fantasies, and ideas.

  • Second lowest income level of all personality types
  • Type most likely (+40%) to stay home with children
  • Slightly more likely (+8%) to be self-employed

ESFP

ESFPs have an extraverted, observant, feeling and perceiving personality. They’re commonly seen as entertainers, born to be in front of others and capture the stage. ESFPs are thoughtful explorers who love learning and sharing what they learn with others. They’re “people people” with strong interpersonal skills who are lively and fun, and enjoy being the centre of attention.

  • More likely (+33%) to be a stay-at-home parent
  • Less likely (-38%) to be self-employed
  • Third highest in job satisfaction, but forth lowest in earnings

ENFP

This personality type is highly individualistic and strives toward creating their own methods, looks, actions, habits, and ideas; they’re not cookie cutter people and hate when they’re forced to live inside a box. They like to be around other people and have a strong intuitive nature when it comes to themselves and others.

  • Tend to earn more when self-employed: US$60K vs US$40K in a standard job
  • Report above average job satisfaction, but below average income
  • Showed one of the highest gender wage gaps, with women earning only 72% of male ENFPs

ESTP

Governed by the need for social interaction, feelings and emotions, logical processes and reasoning, they have a need for freedom. Theory and abstracts don’t keep ESTP’s interested for long. They leap before they look, fixing their mistakes as they go, rather than sitting idle or preparing contingency plans.

  • Below average in job satisfaction, but above average in income
  • Less likely (-65%) to be a stay-at-home parent
  • Only SP type to manage more employees than the average

ESTJ

ESTJs are organized, honest, dedicated, dignified, and traditional. They’re great believers of doing what they think is right and socially acceptable; though the paths towards “good” and “right” are difficult, they’re glad to take their place as the leaders of the pack. People look to ESTJs for guidance and counsel, and this personality type is always happy to be approached for help.

  • Highest average income of all personality types
  • ESTJ men were highest earners of all type/gender groups, at US$75K
  • Second least likely (-45%) to report being unemployed

ENTJ

This personality type’s primary mode of living focuses on external aspects and dealing with all things rationally and logically. Their secondary mode of operation is internal, where intuition and reasoning take effect. They’re natural born leaders and like being in charge. They live in a world of possibilities and they often see challenges and obstacles as great opportunities to push themselves.

  • Most likely of all types to manage a large team
  • Least likely of all types to report being unemployed (-65%)
  • Least likely of all types (-413%) to be a stay-at-home-parent
  • Self-employed ENTJs earn more than all other types (US$84K)

INTP

INTPs are well known for their brilliant theories and unrelenting logic. They love patterns, have a keen eye for picking up on discrepancies, and a good ability to read people, making it a bad idea to lie to an INTP. People of this personality type aren’t interested in practical, day-to-day activities and maintenance, but when they find an environment where their creative genius and potential can be expressed, there’s no limit to the time and energy they’ll expend in developing an insightful and unbiased solution.

  • More likely (+17%) to be self-employed
  • Less likely (-137%) to be a stay-at-home parent
  • Showed one of the smallest gender wage gaps with women earning 88% of male INTPs salary

ISFJ

ISFJs are philanthropists and they’re always ready to return generosity with even more generosity. The people and things they believe in will be upheld and supported with enthusiasm and unselfishness. ISFJs are warm and kind-hearted, valuing harmony and cooperation. They’re likely to be very sensitive to other people’s feelings as well.

  • Second most likely of all types (+39%) to report being a stay-at-home parent
  • One of four types least likely (-48%) to report being self-employed

ENTP

Those with the ENTP personality type are some of the rarest in the world. Although they’re extroverts, they don’t enjoy small talk and may not thrive in many social situations, especially those that involve people who are too different from the them. ENTPs are intelligent and knowledgeable, but need to be constantly mentally stimulated. They’re also logical, rational, and objective in their approach to information and arguments.

  • Most likely of all types (+40%) to be self-employed
  • Earn more with self-employment: US$69K vs US$57K in a standard job
  • Less likely (-80%) to be a stay-at-home parent

ISFP

This is a personality type of introverts that do not seem like introverts. That’s because even if they have difficulties connecting to other people at first, they eventually become warm, approachable, and friendly. They’re fun to be with and very spontaneous, which makes them the perfect friend to tag along in whatever activity. ISFPs want to live their life to the fullest and embrace the present, so they make sure they are always out to explore new things and discover new experiences.

  • Least likely of all types to be self-employed (-149%)
  • More likely (+13%) to be a stay-at-home parent
  • Least likely of all types to hold a managerial role

Too much psycho-babble? If you’re looking for a different path to career destiny, check out the best jobs according to your zodiac sign.


Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/surprising-ways-your-personality-affects-your-career-2015-7

4 Comments
  1. Siobhan

    This is really cool, Daniel! I definitely think I’m ENTP.

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