Explore careers you might enjoy based on your personality traits, strengths, and preferences.
According to Gettysburg College, the average person spends around one-third of their lifetime at work [1]. As such, many people want to find a job that aligns with their interests, personality traits, or strengths. That decision becomes even more important, considering that 51 percent of Americans say they derive a portion of their identity from their work, according to the Pew Research Center [2].
Choosing a career can be a trial-and-error process for many people. Figuring out what you enjoy doing can take time. To help get you started, we've compiled jobs you may be well suited for based on various personality traits, strengths, and interests.
What you do in your day-to-day role can align with your dominant personality traits. If you have more introverted tendencies, you may enjoy jobs with greater autonomy. If you have more extroverted tendencies, you may enjoy jobs that require interfacing with colleagues and clients more often.
Below, we've pulled together job ideas based on different traits.
Some people thrive when working independently. The career options below tend to emphasize independent work and study.
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Some people get their energy from engaging with others, and there are many ways to do that in the workplace.
Working from home can be rewarding for a number of reasons. If your goal is to reduce or eliminate your commute, look over the following articles.
A growing number of workers want greater flexibility in their job. This could mean working remotely or having a job that allows you to travel more often.
Everyone has unique strengths, and finding a job that lets you tap into yours and make a big impact can be rewarding. We've outlined several jobs based on major strengths.
If you enjoy thinking outside the box and working in creative mediums, you may want to incorporate these career paths into your job search.
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The careers below suit someone with great leadership or management skills.
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Do you enjoy learning about and using the latest technologies? Consider the careers outlined in the articles below.
You can find a job that aligns with one of your interests. When your job involves your passions or aligns with your values, you may feel more motivated on a daily basis.
Think about activities you enjoy outside of work and what it is about those activities that give you energy. For example, a job involving logic and critical thinking may be a good option if you enjoy playing chess. If you enjoy volunteering at an animal shelter, finding a job involving empathy and collaboration may be a strong fit.
Below, we've gathered some examples of careers based on popular interests.
If you enjoy playing video games and consuming gaming-related content, use the articles below to help you explore related careers.
If taking care of your body is important to you, your ideal career might involve helping others do the same.
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If you enjoy connecting with and helping others, there are a variety of careers you can explore.
If you enjoy staying on top of current trends and connecting with audiences either via content, campaigns, or social media, there are many jobs in marketing that might be a good fit.
Trying to determine which job you should have may entail a career change. We've got you covered. Learn more about how to embark on a career change with our step-by-step guide. We've also outlined what career changes look like at ages 30, 40, and 50.
If you'd like additional help figuring out which job is best for you, it may be worth hiring a job coach or a career coach. Either of these trained professionals can meet with you, learn about your goals, and help you determine which job is best for you.
Try taking free courses on Coursera to explore subject matter you're interested in.
Or, learn new skills or strengthen existing ones to become job-ready with a Professional Certificate on Coursera. Designed by industry leaders like Google, Meta, and IBM, they focus on helping you develop important skills to pursue in-demand jobs. With a Coursera Plus subscription, you get access to over 7,000 learning programs from leading universities and companies.
Gettysburg College. “One-third of Your Life is Spent at Work, https://www.gettysburg.edu/news/stories?id=79db7b34-630c-4f49-ad32-4ab9ea48e72b.” Accessed December 18, 2023.
Pew Research Center. "How Americans View Their Jobs, https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2016/10/06/3-how-americans-view-their-jobs/." Accessed December 18, 2023.
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