If you need help choosing a career that will suit your personality, abilities and passions, it helps to understand what kind of worker you actually are.
This is particularly important as many employers and recruiters will be attempting to discern the same idea when they invite you for an interview or job trial. It is therefore essential to ensure you can accurately judge what type of worker you are, and what industry or occupation is the most suitable for you.
Fortunately, it is not difficult to figure out your key attributes and characteristics. To help you understand what category you fit under, here are the six main types of employees and what it means for your career.
Realistic
Founded in sensible and stable qualities, a realistic worker typically prefers to work independently on tasks that require the use of their hands or simple tools.
With no patience for creative roles or experimentation, employees in this category will generally thrive in physical outdoor occupations such as farming, construction and law enforcement.
Investigative
If you find yourself constantly wondering how things work, you are most likely an investigative worker. In this category, individuals enjoy roles that can fulfil their curiosity through experimentation or research.
Occupations best suited for these workers include programmers, doctors or scientific researchers.
Artistic
Artistic workers enjoy roles that support their creative needs, such as an occupation that requires the individual to work with ideas, imagination and contemplation. Typical artistic roles can include anything from musicians, artists, actors and public relation specialists.
Social
Individuals in this category are best suited to roles that involve helping others or working as part of a team. Beyond employment in health care and counselling, social workers can thrive in roles such as teaching, flight attending and tourism.
Enterprising
Generally found running their own business or working self-employed, enterprising individuals are natural born leaders. Their ambition and persuasiveness means that these workers will be best suited in roles such as politics, business and sales.
It is important, however, that enterprising employees are offered plenty of opportunities to grow and develop within their career.
Conventional
Also known as organisers, these workers are reliable and detail-orientated. Individuals in this category will enjoy making and following plans and tend to avoid unstructured activities.
The best occupations for conventional workers include executive assistants, emergency dispatchers and accountants.
If you are unsure which category most accurately represents your career goals, you can take the Harrison Career Assessment for further information and guidance.
