Personality and Career Choices: How your personality influences yourprofessional path

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In an era of ambition and achievement, where career success has taken center stage, it is quite intriguing to delve deeper into the question of whether we consciously choose our career paths or if our personality type makes that choice for us “subconsciously’’. We are constantly surrounded by situations that require us to make decisions that direct our personal and professional path, and the majority of individuals constantly find themselves at a crossroad: “Do I make a choice that fulfills me, or do I make a choice that is expected to be the right one, which will bring me some kind of unknown but guaranteed benefit?”
There is no right or wrong answer to that question; it is all dependent on the circumstances you are in, your personal values and priorities, and many other aspects.
However, in the end, it always comes down to the conclusion that the right choice exists within yourself. The field of personality psychology offers valuable insights into how our individual characteristics influence the paths we choose professionally, and it sheds light on how understanding oneself can pave the way for a more fulfilling and successful personal and professional path.
Holland’s theory
The idea that there is a connection between personality and career choices occurred to many scholars, one of whom is John Holland, who brought forward his interpretation of the interconnectedness between the two. His theory, often referred to as the Holland Codes or RIASEC theory, categorizes both individuals and work environments into six distinct personality types. According to Holland, people tend to surround themselves with like-minded individuals, hence creating environments that reflect their type. The behavior they display is a further result of the interaction between their personality and the environment. The level of content they experience is dependent on the extent to which there is a match between their personality characteristics and the occupational environment they find themselves in.
Grounded in the belief that individuals are naturally inclined towards certain careers based on their unique combinations of interests, skills, and preferences, the theory introduces the acronym “RIASEC,” representing Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Entrepreneurial, and Conventional personality types. Each personality type corresponds to specific career preferences and work environments.
Realistic individuals are inclined toward practical and hands-on tasks. They usually prefer dealing with things rather than people. These individuals require manual, technical, and mechanical competencies, interaction with machines, tools, and objects, and are mostly drawn to occupations in construction, engineering, or technical fields.
Investigative individuals stand out in analytical and research-oriented roles. They engage in systematic observation and find satisfaction in solving problems through research and analysis. They exhibit curiosity and prefer dealing with ideas rather than things or people, often excelling in scientific, research, or technology-oriented careers.
Artistic individuals gravitate towards creative and expressive fields. They are imaginative, prefer self-expression, and engage in ambiguous, free, and unsystematic activities that foster the creation of art. They perceive the world in unconventional, flexible ways and are often attracted to careers in the arts, design, writing, or any field that allows for creative expression.
Social individuals thrive in people-oriented professions. They like helping and understanding others and enjoy activities that include informing, training, and assisting in the development of individuals. They have sociable and empathetic qualities, thriving in careers that involve interpersonal interaction, such as teaching, counselling, or healthcare.
Enterprising individuals are natural leaders and persuaders; they prefer activities that entail convincing others to attain certain goals, as well as possessing leadership and speaking abilities. They often excel in entrepreneurial roles, sales, or business management.
Conventional individuals excel in structured and detail-oriented environments.
They appreciate order and attention to detail. These individuals like engaging in activities that involve manipulation, systematization, and processing of data. They thrive in careers where organization and management of information are included, such as finance, administration, or data management.
Naturally, there can always be exceptions to the written rule, as nothing is set in stone.
However, these theories are a valid systematic collection of evidence, suggesting that there is a connection between personality and career choices. The question is: to what extent do they explain certain choices each individual makes? The most important conclusion is that honest dedication to understanding yourself, your values and priorities, and your personality type is the key to unlocking a sea of opportunities
tailored to your strengths and passions.

Zoi Pavlovska
zoi.pavlovska01@icatt.it

Bibliography

“The Development, Evolution, and Status of Holland’s Theory of Vocational Personalities: Reflections and Future Directions for Counseling Psychology” – Margaret
M. Nauta Illinois State University
(https://www.counseling.org/docs/david-kaplan’s-files/nauta.pdf?sfvrsn=2)
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/hollands-theory
https://academicjournals.org/journal/AJBM/article-full-text-pdf/D46694524797
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Uma-Segal/publication/232476114_Values_personality_and_career_choice/links/57e03b2e08ae52b3078a768f/Values-personality-and-career-choice.pdf