Book Nook - Do What You Are

Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type by Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger:



DH found a really funny thing online somewhere that shows you which Harry Potter character you are based on your Myers-Briggs score (I'm Luna Lovegood).  There's also one out there for Star Wars characters (Luke Skywalker here).  We got such a kick out of these, that it got me thinking about Do What You Are, a book that I have pored over in the past and still get out from time to time.

The book starts by giving you a mini Myers-Briggs test to determine your personality type.  There are four dimensions: extraversion vs. introversion; sensing vs. intuition; thinking vs. feeling; judging vs. perceiving.  Your answers in relation to these four areas make up your personality type.  After you determine which type you are, the next part of the book gives a run-down on each type.  There's also some interesting information about your dominant vs. auxiliary function and type in relation to your age.

Then, the next chapters are devoted on more in-depth information about each personality type, specifically how each relates to work.  Examples of individuals with your type are given, as well as your career strengths and weaknesses, what career satisfaction would look like for your specific type, good occupations for your type and pathways to job search success (and potential pitfalls).  This section is really in depth and takes almost the rest of the book.  But this is what you came for: to read all about your own type and how things are for you out in the real world.

Obviously, this book is going to appeal most to people who are looking to make a career move or switch jobs, someone hunting for their very first job, or someone who might wonder what their true calling is.  I used this book a lot when I was first out of college (my edition is older, obviously - I think it's been updated a couple of times since then).  But, even if you don't fall into any of those descriptions career-wise, it's still a really interesting book, and may open your eyes on why you chose the career or job you are in.  For me, I found it very interesting that almost all of the careers I considered at one point are listed in my pages (except for astronaut.....I really wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid!  It must have been a personality "fling.").

So, which Myers-Briggs type are you?  I'm an INFP - anyone else?

-Cheryl