As a resume writer and career coach, I run into many clients who dislike their job, but don’t know why. Sometimes it all has to do with personality.
When Someone’s Personality is Not a Good Fit for the Job
I could not do a job that required me to be calm, cool, and collected. I easily get flustered, so I could not be an airline pilot or a surgeon. And I’m not alone. I once had a client who wanted to be a 911 dispatcher. She twice took the required personality assessment. She didn’t fit and they would not hire her.
Sometimes a mismatch might not be with the job, but with the industry. I worked with two women who were each a Director of Human Resources. One was at an engineering firm; the other was at an advertising agency. Neither one of them would have been happy at the other company because of who they would have been working with.
There is a Job for Everyone
I once had a client who worked in Registration for huge conventions. She was the person you went to if the airline lost your luggage, your laptop had died, or you needed a doctor. That kind of job would drive me crazy. She loved it because she was able to find solutions to real problems for people. It matched her personality.
I met a physical therapist who specialized in working with patients with breast cancer. All of her patients were scared, as anyone would be when dealing with something that dangerous. She was very empathetic and calm, which was part of what made her good at her work.
Different Jobs in the Same Profession
I asked my dermatologist why she chose to be in that field. She said she was good with her hands and loved talking with her patients. She said her husband was also a doctor, but he hated talking with his patients. What type of doctor was he? An anesthesiologist! They both picked specialties that matched their personalities.
Consider the Options
I have helped many clients understand their personality and why some career paths might be better than others. We can’t change who we are, but we can find work that suits us.