Personality Assessment and Careers

Patrick J. Rottinghaus

The term personality typically refers to one's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving. In addition to the stable, trait-like features often evoked by this construct (e.g., sociability, dominance, modesty), many theories also emphasize the roles of culture, family, and other environmental factors involved in personality expression and development. This predominant individual differences variable has informed career assessment practices. Unlike many traditional personality assessments, which emphasized pathological functioning, contemporary career applications tend toward neutral to positive traits. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments based in personality theory are employed to assist clients with numerous career concerns. A growing body of research has shown important connections between personality constructs and a broad array of career behaviors including individuals' approach to learning, vocational interests, career choices, self-esteem, confidence in performing tasks, career counseling interactions, job searches, and subsequent work performance, satisfaction, and tenure. Building on decades of research within the lexical tradition, Paul ...

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