by Todd Pheifer

Created on: January 09, 2008

Most people struggle at some point in life with a job or their career. Some of this stems from the fact that we spend a lot of energy while we are growing up worrying about our future job. In western society, we tend to define ourselves with the question, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Here are a few suggestions on how to find the best job for your personality type.

Be honest with yourself about yourself

One of the hardest things in life sometimes is being honest with ourselves about who we are. Sometimes we are so used to putting on a front for others that we forget the face of our natural self. Other times we experience a disconnect between who we want to be and how we actually come across. Therefore, self-assessment can be a major first step in finding the best job. We may need to question things like our values, life goals, and extra-curricular involvements. By doing this, we may get closer to understanding and accepting ourselves, even if we discover we aren't exactly who we thought we were or hoped we would be.

Ask people for advice

Some people struggle with self-assessment and must ask a friend or family member. This can be somewhat humbling, so it should be someone who knows you fairly well and who will give you an honest opinion. Sometimes friends and family members will just tell us what we want to hear. We might ask the person, "what do you see me doing with my life" or "what do you think I would be good at". There is often great value in an outside perspective, so don't be afraid to ask for some honest feedback in regards to your career path.

Be patient and don't expect it to happen today

The average number of jobs that a person occupies today is rising. Some experts say that the current generation will have 10-15 jobs in their vocational life. Therefore, you may need to be patient and wait for another opportunity to come along. That doesn't mean that you should engage in vigorous job-hopping because that can have a negative impact on your resume. Rather, keep in mind that it is nice to stick around in a job for awhile but you don't have to stay forever. Be patient, and another opportunity may present itself sooner than you think.

Be alright with a job just being a job

Sometimes in life we have to just let go of wanted to have a wonderfully fulfilling job. A job can be a means to pay for things that are more attuned to your personality type. As mentioned before, we should be honest with ourselves, but that doesn't mean we have to let our natural tendencies dictate all of our behavior. If we conclude that we aren't cut out for a 9- 5 job, that doesn't mean we should just quit and go hang out at the mall. Some parts of jobs are simply work, and drudgery, and inconvenient. Finding a job that you love is a great thing, but you also have to be a grown-up.

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