What’s Your Personality Type? (And Why It Matters)

Are you aware of your personality type? Personality type isn’t about whether you are an easygoing or grouchy person or a morning or night person; it’s about how you are hardwired. Each of us has differences in the way we approach problems, make decisions, and communicate with others.

Understanding your personality type impacts your resilience because when you understand your natural personality preferences and how they affect you and others, you can adapt your style to enhance overall productivity, reduce stress, and increase career satisfaction. You may also realize that some sticky or challenging situations are out of your control because they involve personality issues.

Understand your Personality Type with these steps:

• If you haven’t had an opportunity to learn about your personality type by taking a personality assessment, there are several available, including TypeCoach, the DiSC® Assessment, True Colors®, the Big Five Personality Test, the Myers- Briggs Type Indicator®, and the Enneagram. These tools, like the 4 lenses personality test, offer valuable insights into your character and behavioral tendencies.
• Know the strengths that come from your preferences and ask yourself if you are using them in your career—you are more easily productive and less stressed when you are. If you’re not using them, can you make changes so you can leverage your personality type strengths in your career and in your personal life?
• Be aware that when you become seriously stressed, it can amplify the more negative aspects of your personality type. Notice when you are not yourself at work and in your personal life, and remind yourself to pause and recharge. You are on overload and need to employ your stress-management strategies in the present moment.
• Remember that what stresses one personality type can be relaxing to another. Remind yourself not to take personally something a colleague says to you—it may just be their natural personality type and how they like to deal with an issue. Learn to let it go and move forward!
• Pick one person with whom you work closely, such as your manager or a team member, and write down how you can flex your style with them for more effective social interactions. Even focusing on just one aspect to flex can make a difference in long term collaboration, communication, and productivity with this individual.

The 16 Personality Types of the MBTI

Just for fun, take a look at one of the most popular personality tests used today, the Myers-Briggs. Do one of the below personalities sound like you? Maybe it is. Take a look at their career paths.

Remember, this is not a rulebook. These personality types include general tendencies that may not apply to you even if you have that particular personality type. However, it can definitely help you understand future career opportunities. Take a look!

1. ISTJ (Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging) – Practical, detail-oriented, and responsible. They tend to do well in careers that value organization and stability, such as accounting or project management.
2. ISFJ (Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) – Caring and supportive, they excel in careers that involve helping others, such as social work or nursing.
3. INFJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging) – Idealistic and empathetic, they are often drawn to careers that allow them to make a positive impact on the world, such as counseling or non-profit work.
4. INTJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging) – Strategic and analytical, they are well-suited to careers that require problem-solving and innovation, such as business or engineering.
5. ISTP (Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving) – Independent and adaptable, they tend to do well in hands-on, technical careers such as mechanics or software development.
6. ISFP (Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving) – Creative and spontaneous, they may be drawn to careers in the arts or design.
7. INFP (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving) – Idealistic and imaginative, they often find fulfillment in careers that allow them to express their values, such as writing or teaching.
8. INTP (Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving) – Intellectual and curious, they excel in careers that involve analysis and innovation, such as research or technology.
9. ESTP (Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving) – Bold and adventurous, they do well in careers that require quick thinking and risk-taking, such as sales or entrepreneurship.
10. ESFP (Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving) – Outgoing and energetic, they excel in careers that allow them to perform and entertain, such as acting or event planning.
11. ENFP (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving) – Charismatic and innovative, they are often drawn to careers that allow them to inspire and motivate others, such as advertising or public speaking.
12. ENTP (Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving) – Confident and visionary, they do well in careers that involve strategy and leadership, such as politics or management.
13. ESTJ (Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging) – Practical and organized, they excel in careers that involve administration and management, such as finance or human resources.
14. ESFJ (Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) – Outgoing and responsible, they do well in careers that involve helping and caring for others, such as education or health care.
15. ENFJ (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging) – Charismatic and empathetic, they excel in careers that involve leadership and mentorship, such as coaching or counseling.
16. ENTJ (Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging) – Confident and assertive, they do well in careers that require strategic planning and executive decision-making, such as business or law.

Spending time discovering your personality type and how it affects your energy and impacts work situations can help you continue to build your career path. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to create strategies for adapting your style to people and situations.

By Beth Benatti Kennedy, MS, LMFT – PathWise Advisory Group Member