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.

by Jim Larkin and Jack Powers

People don’t learn the same way, and much of what’s required in school favors certain learning preferences over others. One common place where we see conflicting learning styles play out is the famous -- or infamous --  “study group.” You know the drill -- the teacher breaks you up into random groups and assigns a theme -- the Holy Roman Empire, it was neither holy, nor was it Roman -- and then leaves you to talk amongst yourselves. 

People’s reactions to this experience are often polarized, and for good reason. The human population is roughly equally divided between those with a preference for Extraversion, who are energized by social interaction, and those with a preference for Introversion, who have to expend mental and emotional energy in social settings. Those preferring Extraversion, not surprisingly, operate much more naturally in group study. If one or two people dominate the conversation, it doesn't mean they’re smarter, more interested, or harder working than the others -- most likely it just indicates they’re predisposed toward Extraversion. Likewise, if other members of the group aren't talking, it doesn't always mean they’re less engaged in the assignment -- just that they prefer Introversion, and don’t operate as naturally in a group study setting. 

Does this mean we should abolish group study? Certainly not. Not only does it provide a valuable learning experience, but it also allows us to explore how those preferring Introversion can more effectively engage with Extraverts, thereby gaining communication skills that will serve them far beyond school.  

In my first post of this series, I shared some tips on how to tailor your career counseling strategies to students with a preference for Introversion. Here are a couple more suggestions: 

Provide reading material as soon as possible.  Those who prefer Introversion learn best by reading before discussing.  So talk less, and provide something to read early in the appointment, which can be read either during the session, or on their own after the session. 

Give some form of homework.  Students who prefer Introversion usually enjoy an assignment where they can explore without a counselor.  Provide a reference list of websites or a research assignment in the career library is right up their ally.  Remember, these are the students who usually prefer a shorter session with the counselor, and more time on their own thinking through what they learned with you.

Next week I'll share the last few strategies before moving on to Intuition. 

Click here if you missed part 1.
Click here for part 3.

Managing Your Transition Home – Part 2

Written by Elizabeth and Katherine Hirsh

In high-stakes conflict situations, cooperation and single-minded adherence to command are vital. You need to know that you can count on those around you to follow the script. Going your own way is a last, rather than a first, resort. When pursuing a job or career development, however, there is no one-size-fits-all prescription. You need to find an approach that works for you. Knowing about your Myers-Briggs^® personality type can help. Type theory recognizes that there are many different personal styles and thus many different ways of being effective.

One example of these style differences involves your preferred mode of taking in information—Sensing or Intuition. Understanding this and starting with the information most meaningful to you should help you narrow your search for a new job or career development opportunity.

What does it look like when people with these two different styles are investigating career options or job openings? In reading an online posting, for example, those who prefer Sensing are more likely to focus on the facts, specifics, and details contained in the posting. They want to learn about the daily realities of the job, its essential demands, and how well it fits their particular experience and skill set. Those who prefer Intuition are more likely to be interested in the possibilities, options, and themes suggested by the posting. They want to learn about how the job could offer opportunities to use their imagination, explore cutting-edge ideas, or innovate.

Searching for a new job or career after service can feel overwhelming. Using the Myers-Briggs assessment to help you systematically approach opportunities can bring a sense of order and clarity to the process. Knowing your preference for Sensing or Intuition can help you target your search to better suit your needs, interests, and skills.

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.