In Career Bliss, I identify ten categories of happy working women. Which one are you?
Determine your category and narrow down the type of job that best suits your nature.
Read through the following descriptions, honestly assessing to what degree they apply to you. Chose A if the statement truly reflects your personality and primary motivations; B if the description only somewhat applies to you, and C if it reflects only a small part of who you are or does not apply at all. Then, read on to discover your type(s) and the work opportunities that are most likely to fulfill you.
1. You have an intense hobby or an innate, almost irresistible passion for one thing, such as animals, fashion, or cooking.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
2. You have an artistic bent and gravitate toward activities like writing, painting, or performance. While you have an undeniable talent, most do not deem your talent a practical career option.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
3. Either you, a friend, or family member has spent significant time and energy trying to overcome a personal or professional obstacle in life, be it sickness, discrimination, or financial woes. As a result, you seek out others who have also struggled in the same way.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
4. You regularly seek out opportunities to learn new things, and it is common for you to get lost in thought whether you are tackling complex issues, reading, or conversing with others.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
5. You are ambitious, determined to succeed at whatever you put your mind to, and you routinely set new goals for yourself. Some might call you a type A personality or a high achiever.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
6. You are social, patient, and jump at opportunities to assist others no matter how minor their problem. Just knowing that you improved someone else’s circumstances is extremely fulfilling to you.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
7. You are comfortable with risk and can easily envision something that does not yet exist – be it a company or a new and better product. Overseeing a project from idea to conception is intensely fulfilling.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
8. You consider yourself quite spiritual and/or religious, and tend to make decisions from your heart rather than your head, often trusting gut feeling over fact.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
9. You are a good listener who is empathetic and nonjudgmental. Others feel comfortable asking for your guidance, and advisor is a role you pursue.
A. Truly reflects me.
B. Somewhat reflects me.
C. Not me at all.
About the Answers
(Note: Chapter references are to “Career Bliss, available here.)
If you answered A to #1, you may be a Lover.
What to do: Consider starting your own business selling whatever it is you adore. If entrepreneurship is not for you, identify positions – from administrative to management – at a company that is associated with your passion. Surrounding yourself with people who share your interests is more important than a job’s day-to-day tasks. To learn more, read about Mary Ann Eiff and Keri Wright in chapter 1.
If you answered A to #2, you may be a Surviving Artist.
What to do: With a little creativity and compromise, you can incorporate your art into your work. Isolate the specific activity that you truly enjoy and find ways to replicate it in a commercial endeavor. For example, do you love to draw? The act of drawing, in and of itself, may contribute to your happiness more than the subject you are drawing (i.e., you could be just as happy drawing a tube of toothpaste or a flower.) To learn how other artists make a living, read about Tracy Lee Stum and Sam Racine in chapter 5.
If you answered A to #3, you may be a Heroine or a Sister.
What to do: Work for a cause to which you have a personal connection. Consider starting or joining an organization – not for profit, university, small business, government – that is dedicated to helping others overcome obstacles similar to the ones you, or others, experienced. While you must be skilled at the job’s day-to-day tasks, your daily activities are less important to your happiness than the mission at hand. To be inspired, read about Catherine Simpson, Neva Walker, and Julie Ratner in chapter 4.
If you answered A to #4, you may be a Thinker.
What to do: Look for jobs where the majority of your time is spent in some form of critical thought, such as writing or analyzing, or where the goal is to solve a problem, be it how to market a new product or invest people’s money. Consider science, engineering, or finance as well as management positions that require strategic planning and high-level decision-making. To see the variety of jobs for Thinkers, read about Shelly Lazarus, Lesley Stahl, and Richele Scuro in chapter 2.
If you answered A to #5, you may be a Determinator.
What to do: Look for positions with unlimited potential for promotion, feedback, and where you are a visible player. You will enjoy jobs where your work touches many people, and where your ideas and actions have the potential to affect change. Don’t limit your job to senior titles, but do surround yourself with other high achievers. Apply to companies that are leaders in their industry, and strive to work with people who are smarter than you. To see what jobs made other Determinators happy, red about Christine Jacobs and Margaret Peterson in chapter 3.
If you answered A to #6, you may be a Healer.
What to do: You’ll find true fulfillment in a job that lets you interact one-on-one with others in a caretaking role. Health care and social sciences are obvious areas to investigate, but also consider management positions that require you to assist people with business and on-the-job problems. To learn about unconventional ways you can make people feel better, read about Sally Ayotte and Anita Mucci in chapter 4.
If you answered A to #7, you may be a Builder.
What to do: Not surprisingly, many engineers are builders. But if engineering is not your cup of tea, consider any position that requires you to influence, organize, and motivate others, and to create camaraderie and a sense of community, and to share and present ideas. To learn about how Builders find happiness at work, read about the careers of Michela O’Connor Abrams and Jennifer Todd in chapter 7.
If you answered A to #8, you may be among the Faithful.
What to do: It is very important for you to work for an organization whose product or service you truly believe in and whose values coincide with your own. When you go on interviews, look for workplaces that boast strong cultures, a sense of community, and where making money is valued but not over doing meaningful work. To understand how faith and happiness mix at work, read about Kim Simon and Lori Rodney in chapter 6.
If you answered A to #9, you may be a Counselor.
What to do: You have the potential to be a successful manager regardless of the organization you work for. The key: Don’t limit your job search to specific industries. Do consider the social sciences, but also focus on jobs that allow you to lead a team of people and assist customers and colleagues, jobs that position you as an expert and require one-on-one interaction. Anna Pinto and Donna Lindsay hold some of the surprising jobs for counselors in chapter 8.
