PERSONALITY AND
CAREER DECISIONS
Find or create the job you were
made to do and start thriving
By Greg Skloot, President of
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TIME IS MONEY 3
UNDERSTANDING PERSONALITY 6
UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF 10
Find your motivation
Identify energy behaviors
THE RIGHT FIT 14
The right position
The right workplace
JOB FIT TOOL 18
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 2
Intro
Time is money
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 3
MY JOB
TIME IS TALKING TO PEOPLE
IS MONEY
Time is money; the old adage is used so often that it has turned into a truism for business book
authors, or a blunt hammer for impatient managers. It’s true in some senses, but if you look at your
life in any timeline beyond 24 hours, you’ll realize that the two are not equal. Your time is finite, which
makes it your most valuable resource.
The time we spend working accounts for over 30 percent of our waking lives—and most of us don’t
start full-time jobs until we’re between the ages of 18 and 22. If we’re going to invest so much of our
lives into our work, we need to make sure we aren’t wasting our efforts in jobs that stress and exhaust
us, regardless of the paycheck.
A study done by the nonprofit Mental Health America (MHA) and The Faas Foundation found nearly
81% of people believe stress from their jobs negatively affects the relationships they have with their
family and friends. About 63% of respondents reported that their workplace stress significantly impacted
their mental health, leading to unhealthy behaviors like drinking or crying regularly. Nearly 71% said
they were actively thinking about or looking for another job.
In the EU, the ESENER survey
found that work-related stress
is a concern in almost 80% of
workplaces, but only 30% of
those spaces have a system in
place to help workers cope with
the stress.
Now, we cannot place judgment
on any of the people reporting
this high level of stress at work.
People have important reasons
for getting up in the morning,
driving to the work, and putting
in their hours. They have families to feed, kids to send to college, dreams to save up for, futures to
plan, and countless other responsibilities that do not go away. It’s not easy to make a career change,
specifically one that involves a lot of risk. However, as we have explored this world of personality
models and data, we have found that most people underestimate how much they can improve their
joy and effectiveness at work, often without even changing jobs.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 4
Here at Crystal, to figure out how to make these positive changes, we use a measurement concept
called Job Fit. It’s all about understanding the true motivations and behavioral tendencies of your
personality, and thoughtfully analyzing and planning your job responsibilities in a way that energizes
you, rather than drains you.
This guide will help you understand how to look at your own job (or those on your team) through the
lens of Job Fit, so you can feel more energized, less stressed and ultimately spend more time excelling
in your work.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 5
Section 1
Understanding
Personality
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 6
MY JOB IS TALKINGPERSONALITY
UNDERSTANDING PERSONALITY
TO PEOPLE
We built our product, Crystal, to help people improve their communication and build stronger
relationships with others. We do this by inviting anyone to take a free personality test and view
the results for themselves and any friends or coworkers they choose to share it with. By learning
to understand people better, you can communicate with them in an empathetic way that accounts
for the uniqueness of their personality.
When you can see personality insights, provided by tools like Crystal, you’ll better understand
how someone else thinks, acts, and prefers to communicate. This understanding is critical for
identifying someone’s Personality/Job Fit.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 7
Without getting too technical, when Crystal determines someone’s personality, it uses a
framework called DISC to classify their personality into a few categories which we refer to as D
(dominance), I (influence), S (steadiness), and C (conscientiousness). Each of us has a primary DISC
type in one of these categories and sometimes a secondary DISC type in another. To keep things
simple, we separate these into easy-to-remember labels called Archetypes.
You can see them all on this graphic called the Personality Map:
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 8
Below is a breakdown of common personality traits
within each of the categories in DISC.
D Personality Types: Captains, Drivers, Initiators, Architects
• Motivated by control over the future and personal authority
• Tend to prefer instant, concrete results and having an advantage over competition
• Communicate clearly and succinctly
I Personality Types: Influencer, Motivator, Encourager, Harmonizer
• Motivated by innovative, unique, creative ideas and excited by the future
• Tend to prefer building new relationships and experiences
• Communicate in a casual, expressive way
S Personality Types: Counselor, Supporter, Planner, Stabilizer
• Motivated by peace, safety, and others’ wellbeing
• Tend to prefer security, reliability and trust
• Communicate in a friendly and genuine way
C Personality Types: Editor, Analyst, Skeptic, Questioner
• Motivated by logic, information, and problem solving
• Tend to prefer accurate information and quality solutions (quality over quantity)
• Communicate in a business-like, fact-based way
These differences are extremely important for your approach in every conversation. For example,
someone who is a warm, people-oriented Supporter (S) is less likely to engage in a discussion
about facts and data. They’d usually prefer to engage in more personal, get-to-know-you
conversation. An Analyst (C), on the other hand, tends to enjoy learning more about specific,
concrete information.
By identifying someone’s personality type, we can learn how to best communicate with them.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 9
Section 2
Understanding
yourself
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 10
FIND
MY YOUR MOTIVATION
UNDERSTANDING
JOB IS TALKINGPERSONALITY
TO PEOPLE
Once you’ve figured out your personality type, you can learn to identify what most motivates
you. Your primary motivations are important to keeping you actively engaged in and excited by
your work. Primary motivations are what drive people; understanding different personality type’s
motivations offers insights into why people seek certain environments, behaviors, and positions.
For example, a Planner (Sc) will likely thrive in a position which involves building relationships
with people over time, taking time to help others with projects, and following a consistent daily
routine, since this position includes three of their primary motivations.
Here are a few insights into common motivations for DISC personality types:
DISC TYPE PRIMARY MOTIVATION
• Exceeding performance expectations and overcoming challenges
D Personality Types • Competition and winning
Types: Captain, Driver,
• Producing results and making tangible progress
Initiator, Architect
• Efficiency and timeliness
• Exploration and discovery
I Personality Types • Fun, novelty, and excitement
Types: Influencer, Motivator,
• Feeling accepted and welcomed by others
Encourager, Harmonizer
• Learning through open discussion and brainstorming
• Long-term trust and loyalty.
S Personality Types • Harmony and predictability.
Types: Counselor, Supporter,
• Environmental and relational predictability
Planner, Stabilizer
• Being able to help others
• Accuracy and precision
C Personality Types • Building an effective process
Types: Editor, Analyst,
• Building more skill, competence, and expertise
Skeptic, Questioner
• Environments where thought and analysis are valued
By considering positions which allow you to engage in motivating tasks or making an effort to
adjust your current responsibilities, you’re more likely to feel engaged and excited by work.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 11
MY
UNDERSTANDING
JOB ISENERGY
IDENTIFY TALKINGPERSONALITY
TO PEOPLE
BEHAVIORS
Personality profiles can also help you understand which actions tend to inspire you to work
effectively. Just as each personality type has unique motivations, they are also energized by
different behaviors.
D- and C-type personalities tend to enjoy more logical,
autonomous tasks, while I- and S-types usually prefer more
engaging, social-related actions. Those near the top of
the Personality map, D-types and I-types, also tend to be
naturally high-energy and thrive in fast-paced environments,
while personalities near the bottom, S-types and C-types,
are generally calmer and prefer a more methodically-paced
environment. For example, if someone with an Encourager
(Is) personality type is able to regularly engage with others,
they’re more likely to feel energized by their position.
DISC TYPE ENERGY DRIVING BEHAVIORS
• Completing ambitious projects on a tight deadline.
D Personality Types • Communicating with quick conversations and messages, only
Types: Captains, Drivers,
when necessary.
Initiators, Architects
• Taking primary responsibility and ownership over large projects.
I Personality Types • Regularly interacting with a large, diverse group of people.
Types: Influencer, Motivator, • Providing verbal encouragement and telling stories.
Encourager, Harmonizer • Explaining things with emotional, expressive language.
S Personality Types • Paying attention to the needs and concerns of other people.
Types: Counselor, Supporter, • Playing a supporting role on the team and staying out of the spotlight.
Planner, Stabilizer • Responding to difficult situations with empathy and compassion.
C Personality Types • Solving problems with thorough analysis of the existing data.
Types: Editor, Analyst, • Taking time to meditate on a problem before making a final decision.
Skeptic, Questioner • Working on projects independently and bringing results back to a group.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 12
Though many tasks can excite and energize each of us,
there’s no denying certain responsibilities can really drain
and exhaust us. Actions that deplete our energy tend to
require us to step well out of our natural comfort zone.
In personality terms, if a Skeptic (Cd) has to entertain and
engage with people as regularly as an Encourager (Is),
they’ll tend to feel overwhelmed. This stress can weigh
heavily on someone’s life and even affect their mental
health or relationships with their friends and family.
DISC TYPE ENERGY DRAINING BEHAVIORS
• Listening to questions from other people and responding thoughtfully.
D Personality Types • Building long-term trust and loyalty with consistent, predictable
Types: Captains, Drivers,
behavior.
Initiators, Architects
• Responding to difficult situations with compassion and empathy.
I Personality Types • Solving problems with thorough analysis of the existing data.
Types: Influencer, Motivator, • Spending a lot of time researching the root causes of a problem.
Encourager, Harmonizer • Creating procedures, rules, and guidelines for other people to follow.
S Personality Types • Making decisions on behalf of other people without much group input.
Types: Counselor, Supporter, • Communicating with quick conversations and messages.
Planner, Stabilizer • Critically questioning existing practices and procedures.
C Personality Types • Discussing abstract ideas instead of concrete ones.
Types: Editor, Analyst, • Taking the time to understand how someone else thinks.
Skeptic, Questioner • Bouncing between multiple ideas at once.
By understanding your energizers and stressors, you can more easily identify what daily
responsibilities will excite and energize you. If you find you’re unhappy in your current position, try
starting a conversation with your boss about the issue. Communicate tasks you think would better
suit you, while sharing how your improved efforts may benefit your coworkers and the organization.
However, if you’ve made this effort in the past and still feel very stuck or exhausted in your current
position, you can look for more fulfilling positions that include more of your energy driving behaviors.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 13
Section 3
The right fit
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 14
THE
MY RIGHT FIT
UNDERSTANDING
JOB IS TALKINGPERSONALITY
TO PEOPLE
THE RIGHT POSISTION
Once you have a better idea of the responsibilities that encourage you, try considering what jobs
might offer you the best chance to make use of your strengths. Try researching different positions
in a field you’re interested in; look for your energizing tasks or behaviors and at least one of your
primary motivations. Many people don’t realize just how many unique positions are out there.
If you feel overwhelmed, here are a few ideas to get you started:
D TYPES I TYPES S TYPES C TYPES
Mechanical Engineer
President Marketing Director Professor
Chemical Engineer
CEO Recruiter Financial Advisor
Actuary
Entrepreneur Director of Talent Ministry
Investment Analyst
Lawyer Acquisition Director of
Software Developer
Operations Manager Entrepreneur Partnerships
Data Scientist
Police Officer Public Relations Human Resources
Director Financial Analyst
Sales Representative Counselor
Creative Director Systems Administrator
Account Executive Executive Assistant
Designer Director of
Recruiter Physician Assistant
Engineering
Founder Realtor Pediatrician
Project Manager
Sales Director Travel agent Nurse
Architect
Business Executive Artist Nurse Practitioner
Sales Operations
Project Manager Musician Dental Hygienist Manager
Architect Executive Coach Researcher Chief Technology
Finance Director Trainer Pharmacist Officer
Teacher Risk Management Quality Assurance
Engineer
These ideas are just the beginning—they hardly scratch the surface of possibilities. There are
thousands of unique positions and roles, so don’t be discouraged if none jump out at you
immediately. Ultimately, the job title is much less important than the responsibilities involved in
the position and the people who work alongside you.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 15
THE
MY RIGHT FIT
UNDERSTANDING
JOB IS TALKINGPERSONALITY
TO PEOPLE
THE RIGHT WORKPLACE
Your perfect workplace likely involves the ideal communication style for your personality type, so
you can avoid feeling overwhelmed, while still finding the right amount of interaction with others.
If you feel like your current workplace isn’t working for you, try communicating your needs to
your boss, peers, and direct reports. Make an effort to openly share how you’re feeling before you
resign yourself to disliking your workplace.
If, however, you’ve tried talking to others about this issue, then it might be worthwhile to look for
other options. Choosing the right workplace for you can be tricky. Hundreds of organizations have
similar positions, but it’s important you choose a team in which you can interact comfortably. If
you’re someone who is reserved and independent, you probably won’t enjoy working for an open-
office organization where daily meetings and frequent collaboration are required.
Crystal’s Playbooks can help offer insight into how you like
to communicate in the workplace, based on your specific personality.
Take the free personality test at crystalknows.com/personality-test.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 16
For example, here is how an Analyst (C) might want to interact with their boss, peers and direct reports:
YOUR BOSS YOUR PEERS YOUR DIRECT REPORTS
• Provides enough time to • Explain the reasoning
research and process behind their claims and
• Consistently deliver high
information independently. recommendations.
quality results.
• Answers questions • Give you opportunities to
• Provide compelling logic to
thoroughly and specifically. demonstrate your skills and
back up their ideas.
expertise.
• Provides a logical, accurate,
• Avoid taking unnecessary
and precise description of • Work within an established
risks.
performance expectations. set of systems and
standards. • Ask for feedback frequently,
• Gives you autonomy to
especially in writing.
discover new ways to • Communicate with formal,
complete an assignment. business-like language. • Work within the rules you
have established
• Values careful planning and • Respect your schedule and
preparation. routine.
When you have a better idea of your communication preferences, you’ll know what to look for in
a work environment. You may find a seemingly perfect position -- it allows you to do work you
enjoy and gives you a chance to avoid stress-causing tasks -- but if the communication within the
team doesn’t suit you, then you may feel uncomfortable and out-of-place. Communication issues
can cause as much frustration and stress as energy-draining responsibilities.
The perfect career results from a position that allows you to engage with motivating work,
complete energizing tasks, avoid draining responsibilities, and communicate comfortably. It may
seem impossible to find a job like this, but with a healthy level of awareness, both about yourself
and your career path, you can find a job where you fit in well.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 17
Section 4
Job fit tool
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 18
JOB
MY FIT TOOL
UNDERSTANDING
JOB IS TALKINGPERSONALITY
TO PEOPLE
The free Job Fit tool on Crystal shows how well your current job responsibilities align with your
natural personality. Take the Job Fit survey regularly to track how your personality aligns with
your current position and tasks. After taking the brief survey, you will be given a score based on
how often your current job requires you to partake in draining tasks, compared to how often your
position energizes you. If you get a low score, you’re more likely to feel exhausted by your job
than someone with a high Job Fit score.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean your job isn’t right for you. It’s possible you’ve learned
how to make your role work best for you; maybe you have taken up hobbies to keep yourself
energized, you like your coworkers, and you feel like you’re fairly compensated. If you’re happy,
then ultimately, your position works for you.
If you find, though, you’re unhappy in your current position and your personality indicates a low
Job Fit, you should either make an effort to adapt your current position to better fit with your
personality or consider pursuing other opportunities that allow you to take advantage of your
strengths, participate in energizing tasks, and distance yourself from draining activities. Whether
you’re fresh out of school or 30 years into working, you can always make the choice to pursue a
new opportunity if you aren’t able to adapt your current position.
Much of your adult life is
centered around work, so it’s
important to feel happy with
what you do.
When you feel excited by your job,
you’re likely to enjoy every aspect of
your life more. With some personal
insight and career re-centering or
role adapting, you can find or create
the position that works best for you.
PERSONALITY AND CAREER DECISIONS 19
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insights with their clients, enhance their workshops, and improve retention.
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