“Never continue in a job you don’t enjoy. If you’re happy in what you’re doing, you’ll like yourself, you’ll have inner peace. And if you have that, along with physical health, you will have had more success than you could possibly have imagined.”
– Johnny Carson
Think back to all of the different jobs you’ve had in your life.
What jobs or workplaces seemed to energize you to the point where time just flew by?
What jobs seemed to suck the life out of you, where going to work every day felt like a chore?
Well, there’s a good chance that the jobs you’ve enjoyed most suited your personality, while the jobs you intensely disliked were incompatible with your personality.
Career Choice is All About Personality
For John Holland, a psychologist with a particular interest in career theory, the degree of career satisfaction you feel is influenced by your personality. When you find a job that gives you a lot of satisfaction, it’s likely because the job suits your personality.
And if you can’t stand the career you’ve chosen, it’s likely because you’ve chosen something opposite to your personality.
Holland created a hexagonal diagram to represent the different personalities and career options that suits them. The acronym representing the different personalities is RIASEC. I’ve included an illustration below. (If you’d like to read about his theory in more detail and even do a short quiz related to seeing where you lie on this diagram, you can click here.)
Image copied from Personality Junkie on July 22, 2023.
You Have Multiple Parts to Your Personality
Whenever I bring up Holland’s Career Theory in a therapy session, there are two points I like to highlight with clients.
First, when you look at the diagram above and try to identify which area best represents you, know that you will never fit 100% into just one category. Instead, you will be dominant in one place (usually about 65%) and have almost a third in the two adjacent areas.
For example, I have always found myself to fit mainly into the “Social” category above. But, I also enjoy being part of a team and describe myself as outgoing and energetic (Enterprising).
There is also a part of me that enjoys working in unstructured situations, and in my spare time, I enjoy artistic pursuits like playing the guitar and singing (Karaoke, anyone???). I also daydream and use my imagination to develop different ideas (Artistic).
So, as you can see, about three areas best describe me. While I’m primarily dominant in one place, I also have personality traits that address the two adjacent regions.
The point here is that you will never fit strictly into one triangle, instead, about three areas best capture most of your personality.
Opposites Can Be Difficult and Unsatisfying
The second point I like to share with clients is that when you search for a career or occupation, stay away from jobs directly opposite to where you mostly fall into.
For example, since I’m heavy on the “Social” domain, I will want to avoid jobs in the “Realistic” category. If most of your personality falls into the “Artistic” domain, you’ll want to avoid a career in the “Conventional” field, and vice versa.
Chose A Job That Best Represents You
Holland’s theory of careers is just one approach to help you understand the degree of satisfaction you would feel as you search for a career or job.
But I also find his theory insightful for understanding why someone might be unsatisfied and depressed whenever they go to work. If they are unhappy and struggle to perform in their occupation, there’s a good chance it’s because the current job is too far removed from their personality.
Being aware of the relationship between career and personality can provide valuable insight into why you feel the way you do whenever you go to work.
Richard