Empowering career search and enrichment

(Managing Your Transition Home – Part 3) 

Written by Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh

Being in the military means adopting and living by important values such as camaraderie, teamwork, loyalty, and order. These are ideals that you honored during your service and continue to hold in high regard. Now, as you reenter civilian life, it’s time to discover what you value personally. Knowing about your Myers-Briggs^® personality type can help you identify your values so that you can find work environments that honor who you are and what really matters to you.

One way to zero in on your values is to consider your approach to evaluating options, which is reflected in whether you prefer Thinking or Feeling. Understanding this aspect of yourself can help you find career opportunities best suited to you.

For example, when comparing potential employers or career options, people who prefer Thinking and Feeling tend to look at different criteria. If you prefer Thinking, you might ask yourself:

“Do people in this company value objectivity, critical analysis, and data? Would pursuing this career path offer me more positives than negatives?”

Alternatively, if you prefer Feeling, you might ask yourself:

“Do people in this company value warmth, appreciation, and relationships? Does pursuing this career path feel right to me?”

Reentering the civilian job market, or entering it for the very first time after serving, offers you a unique opportunity to get in touch with your core values. Use your Myers-Briggs results to help you choose work environments that mirror and reward your personal style. Whether you lead with the head (Thinking) or the heart (Feeling), your specific approach is needed to make the world run—so get out there and contribute as only you can.

You can learn more on the topic of psychological type and reintegration in our booklet Introduction to Type^® and Reintegration.

Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh are coauthors of several publications, including Introduction to Type® and Teams, MBTI® Teambuilding Program: Leader’s Resource Guide, Introduction to Type® and Decision Making, and the MBTI® Decision-Making Style Report.