Category Archives: Career Secrets & Career Tips

Find your ideal career for 2015

Finding Your Ideal Career for 2015: 5 Things you Shouldn’t Do

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Find your Ideal Career: don’t make a mistake!

You’re fed up with the status quo of your career! You are finally ready to find a new career. Not just a new job, but a new career. A brand spanking new, love-my-job career! Your ideal career for 2015.

But don’t make the mistakes many people do every year searching for their perfect career.

Here’s the top 5 things you shouldn’t do when seeking your ideal career.  Some maybe obvious, but others might surprise you.

5 things you shouldn't do when looking for your new career

Don’t make these mistakes when looking for your ideal career in 2015

  1. Don’t fish around looking through job ads trying to find your career. Job titles are not careers. They are company labels for a salary slots. Moreover, they just might make you more confused about what you like because you may find so many. You could become more discouraged because none of them sound appealing at all. Searching for a career like this is a waste of your time!
  1. Don’t waste your time taking free career tests. They are scams to hook you into buying their product or getting your email. And they cannot produce valid, reliable, or accurate results because they haven’t been researched and tested.
  1. Don’t employ the services of a touchy-feely, dreams-based counselor who uses fun, free form exercises. A career expert who can’t nail down your strengths, talents, abilities, values, and interest with research-based testing in within a month is only testing your patience. You need ideas or clues to launch your imagination in the right direction and pique your interest in areas your mind hasn’t yet found. Don’t waste your time fishing for the right pond of careers. Get the clues as to which pond your career lies in.
  2. Oh, and don’t just rely on career tests! Even the best tests have great clues but don’t have everything. Sadly, most people who just take career tests (1) Can’t see past their former expectations and re-frame their understanding of themselves and success. (2) Not only that, but they can’t possibly see a path to that career from where they are or (3) see how they can make the money they need and want. Career testing without the expert advice of a seasoned career counselor sets you up for disappointment.
  3. Don’t just take one type of career test. You  might find a test that gives you a good lead on your perfect career in this new year. But can you pick out your perfect career from a list? Or which job utilizes the abilities in you that scream for expression? Always remember: one type of career test only gives one perspective.

And, for the young adults. . .

  1. Don’t rely on an interest test if you are a young adult. I used to say that the Strong test was all you needed. But the information and recreational overload available to us today, in addition to increased authoritarian structures, suck the creativity out of young people. They no longer really know what they like – they haven’t had or taken the time to find out. Maybe you do understand yourself and your interests. Or maybe you, like many young adults, have allowed pitiful engagements instead of personal passions determine your interests. To be safe, you need more than an interest test to point the way.

Next, “What 3 Things to Do to Find your Ideal Career . . . With Clarity and Certainty”

3 things to consider when looking for a new career

New Career New Year 2014 – New Career Factors to Consider (part 2)

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Historical article. The dates, pay figures and employment projections below reflect the article’s original sources. For current occupational information, consult the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook.

There are many reasons why someone looks for a new career. But regardless of the reason, one should always consider three main factors when looking for a new career.

Employment Projections

First of all, it is always prudent to consider employment projections for the potential new career. Look for a new career which is forecasted to grow faster than the average. By doing so, you’ll improve your chances of getting hired, given that you have the right skills, experiences, and education or training. Check out the post on fastest growing industries by 2020. There’s also a post on the fastest growing jobs with low education requirements. The information here is a great place to get started to find data on growing industries.

Follow 3 steps to find best new career

Which new career is right for me?

However do not choose a new career based on employment statistics alone. People who choose a new career solely on external factors such as employment projections often find that they are not well suited to their new career. As a result, it’s hard to succeed. They don’t get chosen for promotions, get a small bonus pay, and are often the poorest performers. In addition, when lay-offs come around, these employees are usually the first to go. Therefore, it is equally if not more important to consider personal, internal factors when deciding on a new career.

Career Interests

Secondly, finding out how your career interests (what you like) correlate to occupations is the best way to find a career you will enjoy and commit to in the long run. Most new career tests measure only interests. This is fine if you’re in the early stages of your career.  High school and college students should definitely complete at least one such test before choosing their college major. On the other hand, for working adults, an interest test can give them “clues” about where to begin their search for their new career. It is, however, typically inadequate as a stand-alone new career test. Why? Because no one chooses a new career based on “likes” alone. This is just a helpful starting point.

Internal Factors

Lastly, similar to the second point, your values, personality, and abilities or aptitudes play a large role as well. Let’s look at abilities or aptitudes first. Oftentimes we “like” careers for which we possess a natural ability. In other words, we enjoy work that we are naturally good at doing. Maybe you’ve had a carer that felt like an uphill battle, where you couldn’t master the techniques and nothing came easy. When this happens, it will be very difficult for you to be successful or happy in this carer. Therefore, it is useful to consider your abilities when choosing a new career. To find out more about these, read the blog post on the career abilities test.

Many people have “demanding” abilities. These abilities unconsciously “demand” expression for themselves in a new career. If these abilities not not expressed, the worker will probably feel discontent or dissatisfied. Over time, this can slide into depression. Should you be one of the individuals with “demanding” abilities (and most have at least one), it is absolutely imperative to take one of the two ability career tests that measure these abilities before choosing a new career.

Your personality also plays a significant role in choosing a career. Personality career tests identify suitable careers based on more than your interests. They identify your career preferences. Career preferences account for the tendencies and predispositions of your working style. Therefore, your natural style of operating in a job is a crucial factor to consider when choosing a career.

Values play a subtle but powerful secondary role. What I mean by this is that you only notice how important your values are when you experience a career dilemma. The two most common career dilemmas are:

  1. Feeling unsure about why a career does not sound perfect even though it should
  2. When you can’t decide between two job opportunities.

Clarifying your values is the step that enables you to sort through the career dilemmas to reach a decision.

It’s a new year; I’m ready for a new career. What’s next?  

  1. Get in touch with The Career Profiler to start your journey in understanding yourself. I will help you find the right tests to measure your abilities, personality, and interests. With all of this information we’ll make a career plan guaranteed to get you a job that makes you happy and successful. If you want to get a head start, take a new career test.
  2. Find a career in which you can actually gain employment. Consult any of the blogs I’ve written about finding a career in a growing industry. Don’t forget to combine the results of steps one and two. It is wisest to choose a job you will love and succeed in, as well as one where the likelihood of being hired is highest because it’s a growing industry.
components of career personality

Career Personality: Your Personal Style at Work

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Reviewed October 28, 2026

Career Personality and Career Personality Tests — Part 2

Career personality is mainly about your personal style: how you approach and do your work. Personality assessments examine aspects of that style. Interest assessments focus more specifically on the activities and subjects you enjoy.

Your style can illuminate some interests, but the two are not interchangeable. Knowing how you prefer to work does not fully answer what you want the work to involve. That is why I consider personality and interests separately, then bring the findings together in your profile.

What does personal style tell you?

Personal style concerns the way you engage with work and other people. Depending on the assessment, it can help you explore questions such as:

  • How do I prefer to take in information and make decisions?
  • How do I organize my approach to responsibilities?
  • How do I communicate, collaborate and respond to other styles?
  • What does my style contribute to leadership, and where do I need to adapt?

Different instruments use different models and measure different features. A personality type or style is a way to understand patterns, not a complete description of a person or a substitute for their skills and experience.

Career direction and career development

Career direction concerns the fields and kinds of work you choose. Career development concerns how you perform, relate to others and grow within your work.

Personality information can contribute to both, but the report matters. A report designed for communication or team development answers a different question from one designed to explore occupations and work roles.

Why I use MBTI for career direction

I use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator for personality-based career direction because its career reports connect personality preferences with work tasks, environments, job families and occupations to consider. The Myers & Briggs Foundation describes applications to career exploration and development.

MBTI Step I identifies four preference pairs. Step II adds detail through 20 facets within those pairs. The more detailed report can help explain differences between people who share a four-letter type. See the publisher’s explanation of Step II.

The available report determines which career or development questions you can explore. A type label alone does not provide everything in a career report, and a suggested occupation is something to examine alongside interests, abilities and circumstances.

Personality tools for development and leadership

MBTI also offers applications to communication, relationships, teams and leadership. DISC-style assessments and their many variations are useful in development conversations about how someone works with others and applies their style.

For example, Everything DiSC offers workplace and leadership learning applications. Other DISC products come from different publishers, so their reports, methods and guidance should be checked individually.

The practical aim is to understand what your style contributes, recognize where it may create difficulty, and develop ways to perform effectively with people whose approach differs from yours.

Strong: interests with broad style information

The Strong Interest Inventory is an interest assessment. Its central contribution is a more specific exploration of the activities, subjects and occupational interests that engage you. Its Personal Style Scales add broad information about how you prefer to work and learn.

The established Strong Profile includes five Personal Style Scales: Work Style, Learning Environment, Leadership Style, Risk Taking and Team Orientation. These are described in the publisher’s Strong documentation.

The newer Strong 244 has six. It separates the former Work Style scale into People–Things and Data–Ideas; the other four scales remain. See the Strong 244 technical supplement. Use the version and report you actually receive when discussing your results.

Those style scales are helpful, but they do not turn Strong into a comprehensive personality assessment. For a fuller discussion of personal style, I use a personality instrument alongside the interest findings.

Why combine Strong and MBTI?

Strong helps us explore what you enjoy. MBTI helps us explore how you prefer to approach the work. Used together, they let us consider activities and fields alongside suitable ways of working within them.

Illustrative example: Two people may both enjoy healthcare. One may prefer careful analysis and an orderly approach; another may prefer frequent interaction and flexibility. We need to discuss the actual duties, responsibilities and setting rather than assume that an interest in healthcare points both people toward the same role.

The publisher explains how Strong and MBTI can be used together in career conversations. Some packages include combined career reports; check the specific package rather than assume every report is included.

Personal style within your full profile

Personality is one part of your career profile. Interests, natural abilities, internal needs and external circumstances contribute other information. Consultation brings those findings into the decision you face.

Find My Profile Package to compare assessment coverage, reports and debrief formats. First, buy and complete your chosen package. Each assessment includes consultation, through its available video-plus-consultation or consultations-only format.

Decide your next step at the final profile consultation. If you want to continue with Targeting or Landing, those phases involve further coaching sessions with Marjorie Wall Hofer, with the plan and scope agreed together.

The Career Profiler owns TestEts. Marjorie is the consultant for clients coming through this website. If you have questions before choosing, request a free 30-minute introductory consultation.

Balance your work and personal time

Success Story: Work-Life Balance

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Career Success Story #5

Work-life balance! It seems to be one of the most popular questions in the career world. How do those with families, hobbies, outside interests, other jobs, and numerous responsibilities succeed in their careers? The Career Profiler can help you answer these questions and get the work-life balance you deserve. Happiness AND success are possible!
“I wanted to maximize my career potential by obtaining successive career advancements. But I have a daughter! Could I achieve a work-life balance? I knew it would be extremely difficult within the present corporate culture, and my personal economic situation. Yet I knew I wanted career advancement with work life balance. That is how I defined career success for myself.

I worked in a department that was being phased out, though I personally expected to be spared the cuts. This proved to be the perfect incentive to begin my career advancement quest. I started working with The Career Profiler immediately. Through a process of discovery and exploration using some of the best career tests, I gained a solid understanding of my gifts, talents, and strengths.

When an ideal executive job opened up, I again called The Career Profiler in hopes of gaining this career advancement. I received the executive job, even after initially being told the company was looking for someone with different qualities. I believe I earned the job because I held firm to and effectively communicated my career life balance boundaries.

Thank you, Career Profiler, for giving key insights and strategies enabling me to secure an executive position and still maintain the integrity of my personal life.  You taught me this career secret: Leaders know their strengths and boundaries, and communicate them effectively.” –Janelle W.

Career mentor leads to success

Success Story: Career mentors

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Career Success Story #4

This story highlights the importance of finding a career mentor. A relationship like this falls under the category of a strategic alliance. It can also boost your understanding of yourself and your goals while helping you achieve them. The Career Profiler can help you identify people who can become a career mentor for you.

“I worked with The Career Profiler for several years to position myself for the executive track. When we first met, I had few qualities or qualifications for moving up the career ladder. I held a production-like computer job and didn’t have a college degree. Moreover, I didn’t have any critical connections or mentoring relationships. With career coaching from The Career Profiler, I progressed rapidly in my career. I advanced three times, established a couple mentoring relationship, and neared completion of my bachelor’s degree all within only two years.

The Career Profiler stressed the importance of finding and developing relationships with key mentors.  These mentors not only advanced my managerial skill sets, they became “corporate angels,” providing many more opportunities for advancement than I could have obtained on my own. In all honesty, I am now sought after by several departments within my Fortune 500 company.

I call The Career Profiler my “lifeline to success.” She taught me how to mine the secrets that make leaders succeed. The career secret I learned? Leaders are connected to key, influential leaders.” Lisa S.

dream career career reality

Success Story: Dream Career Starts in Career Reality

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Career Success Story #3

Here’s another story from a former client who came to me for help. If you are already on your way to your dream career but feel stuck, this is the lesson to learn. To achieve your future dream, focus on the present reality! The Career Profiler can help you stay motivated, focused, and working towards your career goals.

“I couldn’t seem to get my career jump-started. I was stuck had a job that bored me and was desperate to escape. Then I finally decided to work with The Career Profiler. We began by identifying my talents through some career tests to find my dream career – the job I’d  love doing most. Then we formulated a career strategy to move towards my dream career.

However, I continued to be frustrated by indecision – re-analyzing and perfecting the career choice. The Career Profiler applied her career coaching expertise to help me understand that dream careers begin in the present – in reality. Once I stopped struggling with and resisting my present circumstances, I was able to focus on my career search. And that’s when career opportunities showed up.

I am so thrilled to finally be working in a fulfilling and challenging career. It uses my talents and captivates my interests. I love what I do now and I can finally see the beginnings of my dream career becoming a reality for me in the future. I learned this career secret: Act and move forward in the present career situation – don’t be immobilized by the grandeur of the dream.”  Keith M.

Success comes from self-knowledge

Success Story: Career Purpose and Mission

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Career Success Story #2

This is a story from a former client who came to me for help. He is a smart, capable businessman who just made one mistake. But with a little bit of help, a few career tests and exercises, we got to the bottom of his career purpose and mission. This is a huge step! Knowing the end helps you act in the now. Send me an email if you want this kind of career success and self-knowledge!

“I finally gave in to trying out TheCareerProfiler. I had always thought that career coaching services were “airy fairy” and certainly not for me. In a moment of desperation, though, I had taken a position well below my career potential and previous experiences. Now I needed help to turn around my career in a large Fortune 100 bureaucratic company.

know your purpose and mission

Knowing your career purpose and mission are stepping stones to your success

I completed a series of career tests that pointed out my talents and strengths. Then I began to realize what I was really meant to do. Together, The Careeer Profiler and I developed a resume based on my talents, strengths, and mission. The Career Profiler had a phenomenal way to quickly and accurately determine my career purpose and mission. It only took an exercise and a couple of career coaching sessions to nail these down. Only two months after our first meeting, I became the vice-president of a venture capital company – such a perfect fit for me! I learned this career secret: know your career purpose and mission.” –Bob V.

Success Story: Strategic Career Alliances

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Career Success Story #1

This is a story from a former client who came to me for help. She was “just working” without thinking about her potential future in the company. Making career alliances can sound intimidating and cutthroat, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s just one example of many ways I can help you improve your performance, find the perfect job, change to a new career, or excel in your company!

“I expected to be laid off as a result of restructuring in my department. Even though I had over 20 years at this Fortune 100 company, I had lost some political advantages. I didn’t think through creating career alliances with executives or other employers. I called TheCareerProfiler for resume help. But she said a resume wasn’t the most important thing to be thinking about. In order to achieve career success and security again, I needed to learn new career skills.

As the layoffs started, I worked on making my career future secure and successful within this new culture. I aligned myself with politically powerful and savvy executives who protected my job and positioned me to gain an ideal position within the company. I learned two critical career secrets: Make strategic career alliances and go for what your truly want in your career… go for your ideal career.” –Joanne C.

Are you done with waiting for the “inevitable?” Then start working towards smart career decisions, securing your job, improving your skills, and making strategic alliances! Don’t know where to start? Get in touch with The Career Profiler today.