Jeremy Kaplan
How many blog posts have you seen that give generic advice about how to find the perfect job? Too many, I’m guessing.
The problem is that none of the information is tailored to individual need. We’re all different, and complex personality traits inform our preferences about where to work.
Getting the perfect job isn’t just about doing up your top button, it’s about finding something that suits you. It’s about knowing a little about yourself so that you can come to an informed conclusion.
The Freelancer
Freelancing is one of the fastest growing job types. That’s because many companies are looking for people to perform one-off jobs, like write a report or create a logo.
Many people are jealous of the freelance lifestyle. You get to choose your hours. You don’t have any bosses (apart from your customers of course). And the work is often a lot more interesting.
But for many, this jealousy can’t be transformed into action. It takes a special person to be able to freelance. They need to be intrinsically motivated to succeed. They need to love producing quality work for the client. And they need to be dedicated to finding new leads.
Being a freelancer certainly has its positives. But these can equally become negatives if paired with the wrong personality type. If you’ve always struggled with procrastination, freelancing is not the work for you.
The Nine-To-Fiver
In spite of the trend towards a gig economy, the traditional 9 to 5 is still going strong. And, as with freelancing, there are benefits here too. For one, you get paid a salary. So if you are somebody that gets anxious about money, knowing you have a regular income can be a bonus. Visit this link to see what jobs are on offer in your area.
But also, the 9 to 5 is perfectly suited for those who love routine. Routine is what gives many people a sense of efficacy and purpose. And it is what makes them feel comfortable. If you like the fact that there is always somebody there, breathing down your neck and making sure that you do your work, 9 to 5-ing is for you.
Many people see the 9 to 5 as a chore, but often forget that they would find freelance, self-directed work even more difficult.
What’s more, there is a sense among many people that there is a dream job out there for them somewhere, just as there is a perfect partner.
But often the real impediment to finding that perfect match isn’t the work itself, but the person doing it. If for example, you find that you can’t get out of bed on weekdays before 10 am, then you aren’t going to succeed in any job. The real question is what is stopping you from achieving your goals? And what can you do to change, personally?
The Entrepreneur
The final category of people are the entrepreneurs. These are the people who can’t rest for a second. At every opportunity, they want to be pushing a new frontier. They want to bring something new to the world that solves a problem and will stop at nothing.
They are, on the whole, the people who feel strongest about purpose. They believe it is their role, even their duty, to provide the world with some innovation.
Grinding away at a regular job for years on end is a nightmare for these people. They want new challenges all the time to satisfy themselves that they’re doing something worthwhile.
Entrepreneurs need to be reality focused at all times. They need to have a passion, but they also have to be realistic about what they can and cannot achieve. It’s the down-to-Earth, high-achiever type who are best suited to entrepreneurial work.
Above all entrepreneurs have to love solving problems. Almost always, it’s the person at the top of an organisation that is saddled with the most difficult issues. Those lower down tend to pass the hardest things up the chain of command.
That is, of course, their duty. Often the most difficult problems to address are precisely those that must be addressed by the owner. And, because this does not make for a comfortable life, the entrepreneur needs to be somebody that revels in difficulty. They must be prepared, in some cases, to give up their social life to ensure that their enterprise succeeds. And they must be willing to stay in the office after dark to make sure that problems are resolved and that customers get what they want.
