Students looking to match their personality type with careers can take the nationally recognized career key survey developed by Lawrence Jones, professor emeritus at NC State. The career key survey is based on John Holland’s six-personality type classification and theory of person-environment fit and can be applied for anyone interested in learning about how to maximize their talent in their strongest field.
“The basis of the survey is the ability to assess individuals on the six personality types and then to relate them to compatible matching occupations or majors,” Jones said. “The value in that idea is that research and numerous studies show that the degree of match between a person’s personality type and the degree of education they are in is significantly related to success in careers and college majors.”
The survey can be found on the NCSU Career Development website and can be accessed by any member of the student body at NC State.
“The test did a good job of asking questions aimed at figuring out what type of atmosphere I would most like to work in addition to the field of study I would enjoy,” said Rachel Walter, a freshman in environmental science. “Taking the test was a journey of self-discovery in and of itself, and I am hopeful that the results will help me to narrow the focus of my potential career fields.”
The website also organizes all of the majors and concentrations of NC State into the six personality classifications: Social, Enterprising, Conventional, Artistic, Realistic and Investigative.
“The thing I like about the career key is that it is very well-grounded in terms of the Holland theory,” said Woody Catoe, assistant director of the Career Development Center. “Dr. Jones has been very diligent with testing and retesting, and he has made improvements throughout the years so it is a very fine instrument in that regard.”
Recently, Jones has also published an article about the connection between personality types and a successful workplace for introverted and extroverted people and how it correlated with his survey.
“There is a lot of emphasis in our culture for people who are extroverted,” Jones said. “About one-third of people are introverted. In matters of succeeding, it is all about how introverts take advantage of their personality.”
According to Jones, a recent study of the results from the 2013 ACT test reported that only 36 percent of students who took that ACT selected a college major that matched their personality type.
“This is a very alarming statistic because it shows close to two-thirds of the population who take the ACT are not working within their personality skills,” Jones said.
Personality plays an important role for college students and their majors, according to Jones.
“Based on a student’s major and how it corresponds to their personality, this can effect if students are more or less likely to stay in their major, do well and graduate on time,” Jones said.
The Career Development Center also strongly encourages all students to seek help and use the career counseling services in addition to taking the survey.
“Feedback from students has generally been positive,” Catoe said. “The only caveat I have, and this is true with most instruments, is that people tend to overinvest in these instruments by expecting the test to tell them who they are and what they are doing.”
As for the future of the Career Key assessment, Jones hopes to bring the survey into career planning before college admissions.
“We hope to perhaps incorporate this into college admissions later on so incoming students are more aware of their personality types,” Jones said. “I would like to see more students working in fields that truly suit them.”
