In a world where change is the only constant, sticking with just one career or life path is, for many, becoming a thing of the past. A better understanding of your personality type can help inform wiser decision making and a healthier mental state in a shifting landscape.
Psychiatrist Dr Tendani Netshilata, who practises at Netcare Akeso Arcadia, says that being aware of your personality type helps to identify your strengths, weaknesses, and values, empowering you to navigate the relationships that form the basis of your daily experience.
“Personalities play a major role in work and personal relationships, influencing various key aspects of our emotional intelligence such as how we communicate, how we perceive our world and receive interaction from others, and our ability to resolve conflict and cope with stress. This is central to how our relationships play out, from the romantic to the platonic and professional, and impacts the types of careers we choose,” she says.
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Multiple factors, such as technological developments, economic and geopolitical disruptions, and growing social and environmental pressures, are driving rapid changes in the job market. According to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, 40% of employees’ core skills will be disrupted by technological change by 2027, resulting in a need for a culture of lifelong learning.
Dr Netshilata points out that noticing how your personality type influences your life’s path is crucial for personal development and that greater self-awareness can contribute to a stronger career match and a more fulfilled life.
Understanding personality
“Everyone has enduring characteristics that make up their unique approach to life, such as major traits, interests, drives, values, abilities, emotional patterns and how you see yourself. This makes personality one of the more complex aspects of human behaviour, all the more so because it is moulded by a combination of genetics, life experiences, culture, beliefs, parenting styles, brain structure, and environment. Along the way, parts of your personality can change as you go through life.
“While today it is commonly accepted that there are sixteen core personality types, made up of a combination of psychological and functional archetypes, the simplest and most recognised classification gives us three basic personality types – introversion, extraversion, and ambiversion – as categorised by psychiatrist Carl Jung some 100 years ago,” explains Dr Netshilata.
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“Introverts focus on their inner world, are reflective and thought-orientated, and tend to prefer solitude. Extraverts are individuals who focus on the outer world, are action-oriented, and social. According to Jung, no individual is solely introverted or solely extroverted; instead, personality is on a spectrum between these two dominant types, with ambiverts falling somewhere in the middle.
“While extroverted people are likely to thrive in a social, team-based or customer-facing workplace, introverts fare better with independent, analytical tasks. When it comes to romantic relationships, the old saying ‘opposites attract’ can often ring true but is not necessarily the case,” she says.
Dr Netshilata points out that individuals often find themselves in careers or relationships that are not entirely suited for them, which can negatively affect their mental health in the long term. Therefore, getting to know more about your personality type can better help you to understand your needs.
She advises individuals to be cautious about online personality quizzes, which are often unverified and superficial. Seeking professional, personalised help from a therapist or other qualified practitioner may be more beneficial for those seeking to further their personal development.
Careers for people with personality disorders
“Unfortunately, there are cases where the mixture of genetics, life experiences, parenting styles, and environment has been detrimental to an individual’s development resulting in them having a personality disorder.
“Personality disorders tend to negatively impact work and relationships to the extent that clinical intervention is required. That, however, does not mean that people with personality disorders cannot have successful careers,” she notes.
“Borderline Personality Disorder, for example, makes it difficult for a person to regulate their emotions, putting strain on their relationships with others. This impacts how they cope in stressful situations and how they relate to colleagues and loved ones.
“For individuals with borderline personality disorder, a creative or hands-on career path in a supportive and flexible environment would be a good choice. Implementing boundaries and avoiding stressful situations is crucial, as is a continued effort to develop greater self-awareness and understanding.
“Ongoing mental healthcare is imperative for people with personality disorders, but with help, they can lead productive and fulfilling lives and enjoy fruitful careers,” she concludes.
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Notes to editor
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