November has arrived, bringing with it a dusting of snow, but more importantly, it’s Career Month — a time when we celebrate and delve deep into the world of career development. This month is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of effective career development practices and improving access to career services and education so that all Canadians are better prepared to develop their careers.
In the world of career development, professionals will come across a whole bunch of different tools and assessments aimed at helping people find meaningful, long-term work, and it can be overwhelming with so many great choices, but Personality Dimensions is a great way to get started working with a client on their career development journey.
Think of personality types as a guiding compass, leading individuals through the maze of career choices. By delving into who they are, and understanding their needs and values, we empower them to make more informed decisions. Self-awareness is a huge asset when clients are navigating career transitions, job changes, or aiming for promotions.
Why is Personality Dimensions important in Career Development?
- Self-Discovery
Understanding one’s personality type is like having a roadmap to strengths and weaknesses. It unveils natural inclinations, communication preferences, and work style. This level of self-awareness is so important in career development for helping clients make well-informed choices.
Whether a client is starting off on a new career path or looking for a shift in their current role, an appreciation of their personality type can have a huge impact. It lets them align their aspirations with who they are, ultimately contributing to their career success.
- Effective Networking
Networking is arguably one of the most important aspects of career development, but it isn’t a one-size-fits-all exercise. Clients can have varying degrees of comfort when it comes to networking. Understanding their personality dimensions allows us to tailor our advice and guidance to suit their specific needs. The best part is, with a little bit of knowledge about themselves, it will boost their confidence and effectiveness in building valuable professional connections.
- Career Satisfaction
The well-known adage “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life” carries a profound truth. An understanding of personality empowers us to guide clients toward roles and career paths that genuinely connect with their interests and passions. When individuals find joy in their work, it leads to greater job satisfaction and long-term success… plus who doesn’t want to be happy at work?
Why is Personality Dimensions important for Career Development Professionals?
You may wonder how understanding Personality Dimensions® benefits us as career development professionals. The answer is clear: it allows us to be better at our jobs. By understanding how and why people act the way they do, we can provide personalized and relevant advice to our clients that really sticks, and has a lasting impact. As a result, our clients are better equipped to make successful career decisions.
It’s not about labelling people or putting them into tiny boxes that can only do certain roles, based on their personality dimensions. Really, it’s about empowering people to recognize their strengths, develop them, and align their careers with their authentic selves; all through self-awareness. In the end, this approach benefits both our clients and us as professionals.
As we celebrate Career Month in Canada, think about how personality plays a big role career development, for us and our clients. By harnessing the power of personality, by understanding our selves and our clients, we can offer more insightful guidance, build better relationships, and ultimately lead our clients toward fulfilling and successful careers. Your expertise can reach new heights, and your clients will be better equipped to navigate their career journeys.
Brad Whitehorn – BA, CCDP is a lifelong introvert, and the Associate Director at CLSR Inc. He was thrown into the career development field headfirst after completing a Communications degree in 2005, and hasn’t looked back! Since then, Brad has worked on the development, implementation and certification for various career and personality assessments (including Personality Dimensions®), making sure that Career Development Practitioners get the right tools to best serve their clients.
