• Perfector (43% of the population): These personalities are “organized detailers who value responsibility and conformity.”

• Harmonizer (12% of the population): These personalities are “nurturing communicators who value harmony and friendship.

• Enforcer (12% of the population): These are “goal-oriented analyzers who value competency and logic.”

• Socializer (33% of the population): These are “spontaneous, out-of-the-box thinkers who value freedom and flexibility.”

Which one are you?

My friend and I, are unequivocally, in the last category.

How can personalities help your job search?

By identifying your unique strengths and pertinent information that will help you make effective career decisions.

Enforcers, and perfectors, to a certain extent, will be less likely to see the value in asking for help (particularly on the telephone) or making cold calls. The major reason why people resist making cold calls refers to one commonality about humans: we dislike rejection. There’s little solace in knowing that rejection is part of a job search, but job seekers must acknowledge this. Now the good news… By continuing to ask for help from others and by making cold calls, rejections (plural!) get you closer to acceptance by an employer to attend an interviewer.

A quick sales lesson: No= not right now

If you are making a cold call (in person or by phone), remember that you will probably hear 99% of the time,” We’re not accepting resumes” or “We’re not hiring.”  Not right NOW. Employers’ needs change as fast as technology, especially as far as hiring needs are concerned. If you are an introvert and are still loathe to asking for help or making contact to a stranger, via email, in person or by phone, think of how you seek out information. When I have had introverted clients who misunderstand the “hidden job market” and the necessity to “name drop” and to follow-up with employers, I use the “restaurant analogy.”

If you and a significant other wanted to dine at a Chinese restaurant (it’s the Chinese New Year-the year of the tiger right now!), how would you get the information? Ask a friend for a recommendation of a good Chinese restaurant!

Remember a fact about hiring: employers hire based on referral, recommendation and reputation.

Would you go to a restauarant  that lacked these things?
The same with employers who want to hire. They want to protect their investment, and get a return on investment.

Back to asking for help. Here’s a proven technique that gets results:

Once you do your elevator pitch on the phone (up to 54 words, according to recruiting expert David Perry), ask something like” Now that you know my skills, experience and talents (the person’s name), if you were in my shoes, who ELSE would you be calling?” Try to get 2-3 names before hanging up or emailing a contact. My friend referred to a phrase in the Bible that says “the meek don’t inherit the earth.” Step out of your comfort zone. Ask for help. Make cold calls. The more rejection (NO’s), the closer you are to YES (acceptance).

My thanks to David Dean, certified management consultant, David Dean Management, of Brockville, Ontario Canada, for providing the information on personalities.

Use the finest characteristics of your personality to work in your favour.

“Fortune favours the bold,” Virgil, Ancient Roman writer

Using Your Personality in Your Job Search

How do you think your personality effects your job hunt?