Exploring My Personality Test Results: A Journey Through Careers
Written on
Chapter 1: My Medical Journey
After completing medical school in 2007, I embarked on a year-long internship. Many of my peers had already determined their specializations by that point, having seemingly made their choices during their time in school. While I was drawn to public health, I couldn't fully commit to that path due to the overwhelming demands of my internship. Each day felt like a challenge, leaving little room for long-term planning.
Following my internship, I faced the mandatory national service, which required a year of work for the government, often with minimal compensation. During this period, my colleagues began preparing for their specialty exams, while I was still in the process of refining my own career aspirations.
Taking the Personality Test
At this juncture, I decided to take a personality test, feeling somewhat lost and searching for direction. I tried the Truity test, which revealed that I have an ESFJ personality type—Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging. According to the results, ESFJs are known for their sociability, practicality, and decisive nature, guided by a strong moral compass. We thrive on structure, which enhances our organization and productivity.
As ESFJs, we are dedicated, sensitive, and energetic, prioritizing relationships by investing our efforts into caring for others. We are enthusiastic communicators and often excel as motivational leaders. However, we may struggle with rigidity in our viewpoints and have difficulty accepting criticism.
To confirm the results, I retook the test several times, always receiving the same outcome. I also tried a different assessment, the 16 Personality Factor test, which yielded a similar result with slight variations:
Your personality type: "The Consul" (ESFJ-T)
Strength of individual traits: Extraverted: 49%, Observant: 48%, Feeling: 37%, Judging: 18%, Turbulent: 61%.
Role: Sentinel
Strategy: Social Engagement
The ESFJ Personality in the Workplace
According to the 16 Personality Factors, ESFJs exhibit consistent traits regardless of their roles. We thrive on social order and harmony, leveraging our warmth and social skills to ensure that everyone understands their responsibilities. We are comfortable with well-defined hierarchies and expect authority to be upheld by established rules.
As Colleagues
Teamwork comes naturally to us. We often forge friendships at work and readily offer assistance. Our networking abilities allow us to connect the right people for timely project completion. While we take pride in these attributes, we can be sensitive to criticism, often internalizing rejection of our suggestions.
As Managers
We enjoy the responsibilities that come with organizing social situations. Our enthusiasm for management translates into effective team leadership, as we creatively engage everyone, fostering collaboration and smoothing relations to achieve goals. Nonetheless, we may be sensitive about our status and prefer environments where roles are clear.
My Work Experience
In my previous positions, including office manager and clinical assistant to a medical director at a bustling family practice, I received consistent feedback: “I love working with her. We miss her.” I have always prioritized practicality. In 2023, I focused on training new staff, recognizing their strengths and allowing them to shine as we navigated a demanding workload.
The CEO, noticing my dedication, continued to delegate more responsibilities to me, expanding the clinic’s business. Despite the challenges, I managed to handle it all, although it took a toll on my mental health. I appreciate hierarchy but remain open to recognizing when subordinates possess solutions we've been seeking.
Exploring Career Options for ESFJs
The Truity personality website lists several ideal careers for ESFJs, many of which I have explored throughout my life:
- Counselor
- Health Care Administrator
- Caterer
- Family Physician
- Medical Assistant
- Physician Assistant
- Event Coordinator
- Office Manager
- Fundraiser
- Customer Service Representative
Seeing this list gave me hope, highlighting potential career paths should I decide to pivot from medicine. Conversely, there are roles less suited for ESFJs, as indicated by survey data:
- Auditor
- Actor
- Editor
- Recreation Worker
- Electrician
- Mechanical Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Chemist
- Social Scientist
- Economist
While I’ve never felt drawn to most of these roles, I did excel in acting during high school and enjoy editing my articles now.
Limitations of Personality Tests
While personality tests, like any tool, have their limitations, they can serve as a valuable starting point for self-discovery. They are especially beneficial at various life stages, such as:
- Understanding your work style and thought processes.
- Navigating post-school uncertainty.
- Overcoming career stagnation.
- Seeking change or grappling with identity crises.
- Assessing if you're on the right path.
- Enhancing team dynamics in various settings.
Ultimately, engaging with these tests offers insights without much risk—just the time invested.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story, and special thanks to Chelsea Marie and Jason Edmunds for their inspiring writing prompts.
Chapter 2: Reflections on Personality Testing
A doctor takes a personality test and reflects on its accuracy and relevance.
A personal journey through taking a personality test and the insights gained.