MYERS BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR (MBTI) Introduction to Your Personality Type and How It Influences Your Career Choices

Agenda…  Discuss MBTI types  Relate types to careers  Relate types to learning styles  Relate types to teams/projects

Career Decision Making  Aptitudes  Skills  Interests  Values  Personality Type

Assumptions Underlying Type Theory  Preferences are Inborn  Environment Enhances or Impedes Expression of Type  Type is Dynamic, Not Static  All of the Types are Equally Valuable

Things to Remember About Type  There is no right or wrong type, and there are no better or worse combinations of types  The purpose of learning your type is to help you understand yourself better

More Things to Remember…  Everyone uses each of the preferences to some degree  You are the final judge of your best-fit type  Type should not keep you from considering any career, activity, or relationship.

What are Preferences?  Preferred Hand Feels Natural Didn’t think about it Effortless, easy Writing looks neat, legible, adult  Non-preferred Hand Feels unnatural Had to concentrate while doing it Awkward and clumsy Writing looks childlike

Why Do We Want To Use Our Preferences ?  When we use our preferred methods, we are generally at our BEST  Feel most competent  Natural  Efficient  Energetic and Successful

Here we go…..

The E-I Scale: Extraversion vs. Introversion Where do you prefer to focus your attention?

Extraversion(E)  Focuses on the outer world of people and external events  Directs energy and attention outward  Receives energy from external events, experiences, and interactions

Characteristics of Extraversion  Active  Outward  Sociable  People-Oriented  Expressive  Breadth of Interests

Introversion(I)  Focuses on their own inner world of ideas and experiences  Directs energy and attention inward  Receives energy from their internal thoughts, feelings, and reflections

Characteristics of Introversion  Reflective  Inward  Reserved  Private  Quiet  Depth of Interest

The S-N Scale: Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N) How do you take in information?

Sensing(S)  Like to take in information through their eyes, ears, and other senses  Observant of what is going on around them  Able to recognize the practical realities of a situation

Characteristics of Sensing  Detailed  Present-Oriented  Practical  Factual  Sequential  Reality-Based  Trusts Experience

Intuition(N)  Like to take in information by seeing the big picture  Want to grasp patterns, relationships and connections between facts  Especially good at seeing new possibilities and different ways of doing things

Characteristics of Intuition  Insightful  Future-Oriented  Imaginative  Innovative  Theoretical  Looks for Possibilities  Trusts Inspiration

The T-F Scale: Thinking vs. Feeling How Do You Make Decisions?

Thinking(T)  Thinkers look at logical consequences in decision making  Remove themselves mentally to examine a situation objectively  Seek universal truth and the application of principals

Characteristics of Thinking  Objective  Logical Problem Solvers  Non-Personal  Reasonable  Analytical  Precise  Fair  Strive for the Objective Truth

Feeling(F)  Consider what is important to them and others when making decisions  Utilize person-centered values in decision making  Seek harmony and recognition of individuals

Characteristics of Feeling  Subjective  Sympathetic  Caring  Guided by Personal Values  Appear Tender-Hearted  Appreciative  Compassionate  Accepting

The J-P Scale: Judgment vs. Perception How do you deal with the outer world?

Judgment (J) (or Structure)  Tend to live in a planned, orderly way, wanting to regulate and control life  They make decisions, come to closure, and move on  Seek structure and organization, and like to have things settled

Characteristics of Judgment  Organized  Structured  Decisive  Deliberate  Likes Closure  Planned  Deadline Oriented  Productive

Perception (P) (or Spontaneous)  Prefer to live in a flexible, spontaneous way  Seeks to experience and understand life rather than control it  Plans and decisions feel confining. Prefer to stay open to experience and last-minute options

Characteristics of Perception  Flexible  Curious  Spontaneous  Open to Change  Casual  Adaptable  Receptive

What Type Are You?

How Does This Relate to Careers?

SF Types  Tend to pay attention to detail, and approach things with warmth and value  Seek a highly personal work environment  Enjoy providing practical help and services for people

Typical Occupations for SF’s  Elementary Teachers  Child Care Workers  Nursing  Bank Employees  Community Service Workers  Receptionists  Secretaries  Health Professionals  Dental Assistants  Salespeople  Clergy  Customer Relations  Speech Pathologists  Social Workers  Medicine  Pharmacists  Library Assistants

ST Types  Prefer to focus attention on facts and handle them with impersonal analysis  Enjoy using technical skills with facts, objects, or money  Have a preference for putting facts in logical order with an eye toward accuracy, fairness, and consequences

Typical Occupations for ST’s  Retail Store and Small Business Managers  Mechanical Engineers  Bookkeepers  Police Officers  Purchasing Agents  Accountants  Computer Programmers  Voc-Tech Teachers  Lawyers  Bankers  Medicine: Surgery, Dentistry, Medical Technology

NF Types  Prefer to focus on possibilities for people  Enjoy understanding and communicating with people  Seek meaning, authenticity and social significance in work

Typical Occupations for NF’s  Teaching: Secondary or Post-Secondary  Musicians  Social Scientists  Researchers  Actors  Writers  Peace Corps Workers  Counselors  Psychotherapists  Social Workers  Journalists  Clergy  Medical: OT, PT, Speech Pathology, Psychiatry

NT Types  Prefer to focus attention on the possibilities and handle them with impersonal analysis  Enjoy theoretical and/or technical developments and work that requires re- organizing, designing, or project planning  Enjoy working on series of projects/activities that don’t require detailed follow-through

Typical Occupations for NT’s  Scientists  Inventors  Management Consultants  Securities Analysts  Architects  Actors  Federal Executives  Technical Writers  Systems Analysts  Computer Programmers  Corporate Executives  Lawyers  Photographers  Medical: Dentistry, Pharmacy, Medical Technology

How Does This Relate to College?

Learning Styles  Learning styles classify different ways people learn and how they approach information.  Learning style assessments provide you an opportunity to learn how you are likely to respond under different circumstances and how to approach information in a way that best addresses your own particular needs.

MBTI and Group Projects