My Personality Type
Recently I slipped into an internet spiral that led me to 16Personalities.com, a personality test site based on a simplified model of the Myers-Briggs theory. After filling out the questionnaire, I got my results and have been intrigued by the conclusions. Below is a summary of what I found interesting— especially as it relates to my career goals and thoughts about the future as we start the new year.
Survey says… I am an INFJ-A which stands for Advocate (assertive). This type is in the Diplomats category, and I already feel like I’m being understood.
The breakdown of the 16 different personality types into 4 main categories.
A quick bullet introduction to Advocates:
This personality trait is rare - makes up less than 1% of the population
Has an inborn sense of idealism and morality, but is set apart by not being idle dreamers
Capable of taking concrete steps to realize goals and make a lasting positive impact
Tends to view helping others as a life purpose
Soft spoken, but with strong opinions - will fight tirelessly for ideas that are believed in
Decisive and strong-willed while rarely using that energy for personal gain
Acts with creativity, imagination, conviction, and sensitivity to create balance rather than advantage
Attracted to the ideas of egalitarianism and karma
Can easily connect with others - has a talent for warm, sensitive language, and speaking in human terms
Often viewed as quiet Extraverted personality types
Takes great care of others’ feelings, and expects the favor to be returned
My 5 personality aspects results
My personality breakdown, according to my results on 16Personalities.com
Mind: Introverted (but just barely!) | Introverted individuals prefer solitary activities and get exhausted by social interaction. They tend to be quite sensitive to external stimulation (e.g. sound, sight or smell) in general.
Energy: Intuitive | Intuitive individuals are very imaginative, open-minded and curious. They prefer novelty over stability and focus on hidden meanings and future possibilities.
Nature: Feeling | Feeling individuals are sensitive and emotionally expressive. They are more empathic and less competitive than Thinking types, and focus on social harmony and cooperation.
Tactics: Judging | Judging individuals are decisive, thorough and highly organized. They value clarity, predictability and closure, preferring structure and planning to spontaneity.
Identity: Assertive | Assertive individuals are self-assured, even-tempered and resistant to stress. They refuse to worry too much and do not push themselves too hard when it comes to achieving goals.
My career as an advocate
I’ve always considered myself to be sensitive to people around me and a bit of a peacekeeper at times, but I was interested to see how this plays into being a creative and a critical thinker. Turns out that part of the INFJ-A personality includes confident individualism which is a trait I definitely see influencing my behavior:
Confident Individualists typically trust in themselves, and they often embrace solitude to pursue their own interests rather than seeking out social activity. Fascinated by personal projects, people following this Strategy often have an impressive range of skills and interesting ideas… These personality types are proud of who they are, what they know, and what they can do, but they don’t feel the need to prove themselves to others.
Confident Individualists engage their internal inspiration instead of searching for motivation outside themselves… These personalities often favor substance over superficiality and personal honesty over playing along, and prefer a utilitarian approach, even when pursuing esoteric goals.
Self-reliance is central for these types, and they handle difficult situations well because they tend to be emotionally secure, bold, and resistant to stress. They rarely seek leadership or the spotlight, but when they do find themselves in these positions, these personalities lead by an example of self-determination and uncomplicated honesty – they appreciate grace, class, and form, and rarely seek to impress by appearances alone. When acting with knowledge and wisdom, Confident Individualists can be noble pillars of strength.
Excerpt pulled from the Confident Individualism description
As for career context, it appears that Advocates can excel and be fulfilled in many different careers as long as the work aligns with their values and allows for some independence. Opportunities to learn and grow while contributing to the well-being of humanity on a personal level is key. Because of this, many Advocates pursue creative and expressive careers and find great success!
While themed entertainment may be viewed by some as a frivolous and superfluous industry, I (as an Advocate) have to confidently disagree. This is the business of fun, of memories, and of play - all of which can be tools for education, for understanding, for health, and for building strong communities.
So, does this mean that I could take the quiz again and get totally different results? Perhaps.. especially because I was close to 50% on many of the personality aspects, but I’ve always known this about myself. I think people that know me would be surprised to hear that I consider myself as introvert. Yes, I love a good party, but I also love my quiet time — not more or less, but equally as important. The dichotomy is a part of me. It’s why I went to business school and art school during my undergrad, and it’s why I’m great at both client service and creative ideation.