Interesting article below... I've taken Myers-Briggs several times throughout my career; results are always the same. DISC Profile, says that you can't change your personality. What do you think?
Would You Change Your Personality to Advance your Career?
~Anthony Portuesi
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been on the road quite a bit and with each flight I find some needed time to catch up on industry journals, books, and whatever I can get my hands on. My last trip to Chicago proved to be just such an occasion, yet this time I found myself grazing the most recent issue of Spirit (Southwest’s in-flight magazine). Flipping through the pages, I came across an interesting article by Executive Editor Brad Cope, pondering an interesting question – is it possible to change your personality type to advance your career?
While there is no single personality type that can be label the “best” or “most successful,” it’s no secret that certain personalities seem to excel in the business. If you’re familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), you will find that “ESTJ’s” or those labeled as - Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging - are among those most frequently on the fast track for the corner office.
“More executives and managers are ESTJ’s than any other personality type,” says Rich Thompson, divisional director of research for CPP Inc., the organization that publishes the Myers-Briggs test. “ESTJ’s are the preferred personality of America’s business culture.”
To provide a little background, the MBTI enables one to discover and understand their personality preferences. Not necessarily a concrete picture of your every action, but in general, the natural preferences that make you who you are. The theory contends that:
An individual is either primarily Extraverted or Introverted
An individual is either primarily Sensing or iNtuitive
An individual is either primarily Thinking or Feeling
An individual is either primarily Judging or Perceiving
The possible combinations of these basic preferences form the 16 different Personality Types of which we all possess. (To learn more about each personality type visit the Myers-Briggs Foundation website.)
While I won’t ruin the fun of Doug’s adventure in changing his personality, his article brings to light the importance of understanding our own behavior, how we are likely to deal with different situations, and in which environments we are most comfortable. This understanding of our strengths and weaknesses will aid us in becoming a better leaders. Conversely, learning about others’ Personality Types help us to understand the most effective way to communicate with them, and how they function best - essential pieces to creating a winning team.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
You Have More Experience Than You Think
Posted in Career Advice First Job Out of College
Generation Y Job Hunting on September 28, 2009
~Lindsey Pollak
Remember those days when your first assignment back at school in September was to write an essay about everything you did that summer? In recalling those memories, I started to think about the way people recount and catalog their experiences.
When young professionals in particular think about their accomplishments, they don’t often view their experiences and skills as relevant to their job search. But many seemingly non-professional experiences are more relevant than you might think.
I recently wrote about how even the most professionally inactive summers may have qualities applicable to your job search. To find out why summer jobs, self-improvement and summer socials are important, read my blog post, Slacked off This Summer? Time to Turn up the Heat! on The Huffington Post.
As I was writing that post, I realized that most young people are indeed more experienced than they think. We all know that jobs and internships are relevant, but it’s important to take inventory of all your talents and experiences so you don’t freeze up when writing your resume, interviewing for your dream job or filling out your LinkedIn profile. Whether you’re crafting a cover letter for a new job or negotiating a higher salary a current one, it’s important to take inventory and gain confidence in your experiences and abilities.
How far back should you go in your analysis? As a general rule, resume-relevant experience goes back four years for students and recent grads, unless you’ve done something super impressive like winning an Olympic medal or starting your own business, which you should always mention. Read more on the timeline for recalling your achievements in my blog post, Career Q&A: Is it lame to put high school achievements on my resume?
I’ve put together a laundry list of valuable experiences and skills that may not automatically come to mind when conducting your job search. Here are the first five as a teaser — stay tuned for the rest in days to come:
Part I: Education
1. Writing. Do you write for your school newspaper? Did you start a blog? Book reviews, short stories and letters to the editor are all important uses of your communication skills. If you’ve acquired bylines, don’t be shy about showing potential employers what you’ve done. Any well-written content labeled with your name holds value in the marketplace, especially in a business world where writing skills are often lacking.
2. Course work. Every student takes classes, but what have you done specifically that demonstrates the skills and knowledge you bring to the workplace? Notable accomplishments include completing projects from beginning to end, writing research papers, building presentations or models, testing theories, conducting labs and participating in an organized debate. Be selective in what you share, but don’t be shy about it either.
3. Group projects. Though they often seem like a drag, group projects teach us a lot about ourselves and how we work with others. Did you face challenges in working with different types of people? Was your group stuck in a last minute crisis? Did you somehow save the day and pull off a killer presentation? Since most companies value teamwork, these types of experiences add value to your candidacy for a position. If you’re the go-to group leader because everyone knows you’re organized and efficient, mention this as well.
4. Second language. Are you fluent in another language from college courses or Rosetta Stone? Have you learned sign language to help a parent or aid your volunteer efforts? Whether you’ve been bilingual (or more) since birth or learned through time, knowledge of multiple languages is a significant asset in today’s marketplace.
5. Study abroad. Have you lived in another country? Did you participate in an exchange program or live with another family while overseas? The desire to live in another place shows curiosity and confidence. The ability to adjust to another culture demonstrates flexibility, resilience and resourcefulness. These traits are extremely important when adjusting to a new work environment, and employers want to know you’re adaptable.
In my next post, I’ll outline often-overlooked work and extra curricular experiences that are relevant to your job search activities. Stay tuned!
Generation Y Job Hunting on September 28, 2009
~Lindsey Pollak
Remember those days when your first assignment back at school in September was to write an essay about everything you did that summer? In recalling those memories, I started to think about the way people recount and catalog their experiences.
When young professionals in particular think about their accomplishments, they don’t often view their experiences and skills as relevant to their job search. But many seemingly non-professional experiences are more relevant than you might think.
I recently wrote about how even the most professionally inactive summers may have qualities applicable to your job search. To find out why summer jobs, self-improvement and summer socials are important, read my blog post, Slacked off This Summer? Time to Turn up the Heat! on The Huffington Post.
As I was writing that post, I realized that most young people are indeed more experienced than they think. We all know that jobs and internships are relevant, but it’s important to take inventory of all your talents and experiences so you don’t freeze up when writing your resume, interviewing for your dream job or filling out your LinkedIn profile. Whether you’re crafting a cover letter for a new job or negotiating a higher salary a current one, it’s important to take inventory and gain confidence in your experiences and abilities.
How far back should you go in your analysis? As a general rule, resume-relevant experience goes back four years for students and recent grads, unless you’ve done something super impressive like winning an Olympic medal or starting your own business, which you should always mention. Read more on the timeline for recalling your achievements in my blog post, Career Q&A: Is it lame to put high school achievements on my resume?
I’ve put together a laundry list of valuable experiences and skills that may not automatically come to mind when conducting your job search. Here are the first five as a teaser — stay tuned for the rest in days to come:
Part I: Education
1. Writing. Do you write for your school newspaper? Did you start a blog? Book reviews, short stories and letters to the editor are all important uses of your communication skills. If you’ve acquired bylines, don’t be shy about showing potential employers what you’ve done. Any well-written content labeled with your name holds value in the marketplace, especially in a business world where writing skills are often lacking.
2. Course work. Every student takes classes, but what have you done specifically that demonstrates the skills and knowledge you bring to the workplace? Notable accomplishments include completing projects from beginning to end, writing research papers, building presentations or models, testing theories, conducting labs and participating in an organized debate. Be selective in what you share, but don’t be shy about it either.
3. Group projects. Though they often seem like a drag, group projects teach us a lot about ourselves and how we work with others. Did you face challenges in working with different types of people? Was your group stuck in a last minute crisis? Did you somehow save the day and pull off a killer presentation? Since most companies value teamwork, these types of experiences add value to your candidacy for a position. If you’re the go-to group leader because everyone knows you’re organized and efficient, mention this as well.
4. Second language. Are you fluent in another language from college courses or Rosetta Stone? Have you learned sign language to help a parent or aid your volunteer efforts? Whether you’ve been bilingual (or more) since birth or learned through time, knowledge of multiple languages is a significant asset in today’s marketplace.
5. Study abroad. Have you lived in another country? Did you participate in an exchange program or live with another family while overseas? The desire to live in another place shows curiosity and confidence. The ability to adjust to another culture demonstrates flexibility, resilience and resourcefulness. These traits are extremely important when adjusting to a new work environment, and employers want to know you’re adaptable.
In my next post, I’ll outline often-overlooked work and extra curricular experiences that are relevant to your job search activities. Stay tuned!
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