Personality assessments and your career

As part of coaching clients to help them discover their ideal career, I ask them to take a Myers Briggs personality assessment. Knowing your personality type raises your self-awareness and gives you thought provoking information on areas including your values and  strengths – information which is vital to choosing a career that’s a good fit for you. The report can feel extremely accurate – some clients have described it as “like looking in the mirror”.

For others their initial result feels less like them. This is fine too, it’s often because their preference is less defined in one area and by looking at a profile that’s near to the initial one, they might find one that feels more true to them. Even if they don’t, the profile is still useful for kicking off their thinking about who they are, the strengths they want to play to and what makes them happy.

If you want to do the profile cheaply, you can find it at www.personalitypage.com for $5. I talk through the results with clients to help them get under the skin of their profile, so if you decide to do it, try doing this with a friend.   Bear in mind that the results are not intended to label you as a certain type forever. They simply reflect your current preferences which can change over time. If your results tell you that it doesn’t come naturally to you to do something that’s essential to a job you’re considering, you can use this knowledge to help you decide what you can do to develop in this area.

© Michelle Bayley

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Michelle Bayley is a Certified Professional Life, Executive and Career Coach based in Twickenham, South West London.

Read about Michelle’s career, life and executive coaching services, or contact Michelle to arrange a free consultation.