There are a lot of personality and work aptitude tests out there, which makes sense. Westerners work a ton, we look to work for a sense of community, accomplishment and self-realization.
Stories of work frustration and difficulty which are then overcome and lead to triumphant work self-realization are extremely attractive to us (cue Joseph Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces…). Often the key, we assume, is we just need to discover what our natural talent is, and then work within that realm of activities. Our talent will soon manifest, and we will level-up our self-actualization, much like a pokemon who has unlocked its next evolution.
It’s an attractive story: The problem isn’t you, the problem is the tasks that you’re doing don’t unlock your innate talent.
Cynicism aside, there is some truth to this idea. If you’re wired for engagement with other people (regardless if your wiring is from nature, nurture, culture or chaos) taking on work that requires hours of solitude might not be a great idea. Realism fully present, we don’t like the idea that suffering, patience, difficulty and endurance are all part of the development plan. (We dislike the idea that this life might not have us as the main character in the play…)
What the book Sparked by Jonathan Fields does is provide a simple framework to help you determine what you’re naturally inclined toward (in regards to work) and what you’re not.
Here are his types:
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Makers – You make things.
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Mavens – Loves to learn for its own sake.
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Sages – Love teach others. (Often pairs with #2 so they have something to contribute to others.)
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Essentialists – The Organizer.
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Advocates – Champion of other people.
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Nurturer – They nurture. No surprises here.
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Adviser – More hands-on and directive than sages, they love the detail and the process.
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Scientists – Problem solvers extraordinaire.
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Performers – Life of the party, they bring the energy.
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Warriors – Organize and mobilize leaders.
Personally, I got to the end of the test, and then was prompted to pick one of three options:
Would you most like to:
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Learn incessantly.
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Mentor and help others.
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Bring order out of chaos.
To be honest, I felt a little tricked. If I could pick to get clarity on one item from all the test questions, it would be: Here is what you’re most inclined toward.
My results: Maven with a side of Sage.
Yes, this apparently is my Dungeons and Dragons identity.
Basically it means: You love to learn, and you feel the need to share what you learn with other people.
I’m guessing my close 3rd place result would be Essentialist, which is – you like to bring order out of chaos. And yeah, the test is right, that is the work that I really enjoy.
So I could be annoyed that the test doesn’t show me exactly what I’m meant to do with my life. But the reality is that if I’m living in the confluence of these three activities, I’m a pretty happy camper.
Also they have an anti-type that drains your energy (mine: Performer).
One good part of his book: How to make money with your inclination. Not that it’s about monetizing your personality, but it is helpful to have some direction on how people have tried / failed / tried / succeeded in finding a type of work they really enjoy.
Overall – worth your time, a fun, free test. Better yet, pair the test with the audio book and get some good ideas and examples of people with your inclinations and what they really enjoy about their work. For expats, it is probably even more helpful since they often fall outside of the normal career progression ladder, and have to figure out for themselves how they’re going to move forward in their work life. This provides one (or three) options to explore.