Personality Traits and Career Success
In the struggle to advance one’s career, success often seems like an elusive prize, out of reach for many. Among the many factors that can lead to career success, one emerges as a potent force: personality traits. As we embark on a journey through the intricate interplay between individual disposition and vocational triumph, we unravel the enigma of career success, shedding light on the pivotal role played by traits like conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was a co-founder of Apple Inc. known for its iconic products such as the Macintosh computer, iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Jobs is considered one of the most influential figures in the world of technology and business. Jobs was not only known for his technological innovations but also for his unique personality traits that played a significant role in his career success.
In 1983, Jobs was leading the Macintosh team at Apple, which was developing the company’s first graphical user interface (GUI) computer. The team was working under a lot of pressure, and Jobs was determined to create a computer that would revolutionize the industry.
To motivate the team, Jobs gave a speech at a retreat in Carmel, California. In his speech, he said, “It’s better to be a pirate than join the Navy.” This quote became a rallying cry for the Macintosh team, and they began to see themselves as rebels who were fighting against the established order.
To further symbolize their rebellious spirit, the Macintosh team hung a pirate flag outside their new building. The flag had a skull and crossbones with an Apple logo in the eye patch. The flag was a reminder of the team’s mission to break the rules and create something new and innovative.
The pirate flag incident is a reminder of Steve Jobs’s unconventional approach to business. He was not afraid to take risks, and he was always pushing the boundaries of what was possible. His willingness to challenge the status quo is what made him such a successful leader and innovator.
Jobs’s “pirate” mentality was also evident in his product designs. He was always looking for new and innovative ways to do things, and he was not afraid to experiment. This is what led to the creation of groundbreaking products like the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad.
Steve Jobs was a true visionary, and he left a lasting legacy on the world of technology. His “pirate” mentality is an inspiration to entrepreneurs and innovators everywhere.
What is a personality Trait?
A personality trait is a characteristic of someone based on their behavior, attitude, thoughts, and feelings. Personality traits tend to be relatively stable over time. The most commonly used model of personality traits lists five traits as represented by the acronym OCEAN: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Neuroticism.
Openness is defined as receptivity to new experiences and ideas. Someone high in openness is likely to want to try to activities and discuss different ideas while someone that is low in openness is likely to want to stick to what they are used to.
Conscientiousness is defined the likelihood to be diligent, hard working, disciplined , and organized. The more conscientious someone is the more likely they are to exhibit these traits and vice versa for someone low in conscientiousness.
Extraversion is a measure of how sociable, energetic, assertive and outgoing someone is. Those high in extraversion, typically referred to as extraverts tend to enjoy being around and interacting with people while the opposite is true of those on the opposite spectrum of extraversion commonly referred to as introverts.
Neuroticism is characterized as experiencing states such as anxiety, fear, irritability, anger, and emotional instability. Those that are high in neuroticism are more likely to experience mood disorders such as depression, anxiety disorder, and abuse substances, likely as a way to cope with negative effects.
Personality Changes Over Time
Some experts argue that personality traits may change depending on the situation, but some change over time as well (Hoff 2021 and Tasselli 2018). This is especially true for adolescence. The study in Hoff 2021 demonstrated that agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness increase over time while extraversion significantly decreases and emotional stability remains relatively stable over populations. Some of these traits the authors tie to entering the workforce. For, when you enter the workforce there are certain traits such as conscientiousness that must develop, at least to a degree, to remain employed. Thus, entering the workforce, presumably, forces personality change. In addition, it has been found that by one’s own will can personality change, but only through intentional work and by merely desiring it (Tasselli 2018).
Personality Traits and Objective vs Subjective Measures
Regarding personality changes predicting income, career satisfaction, and job satisfaction, I would imagine that the work environment promotes certain personality traits to be successful and once people enter the workforce, you either adapt and thrive or you don’t and flounder. So, this makes sense that personality changes are predictive of the previously stated measures. Why they would not for the others? It is likely that those who needed to change their personality to suit the workforce or higher education would have struggled early on say in college, probably not adapting soon enough to complete a degree program and thus an occupation of high prestige, which would require college degrees.
Personality Traits and Career Success
Study after study supports the idea that conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability are positively correlated with career success.
Hoff 2021 (Hoff et al., 2021) states that studies show that adolescent personality traits are a reliable predictor of career success based on degree attainment, prestige, income, career satisfaction and job satisfaction. Hoff 2021 found that among Icelandic youth, personality at adolescence is more predictive of objective career success criteria (ex. Income and status) while personality change at adolescence is more predictive of subjective measures (e.g. career satisfaction and meaningfulness). Personality changes during adolescence were important for predicting income, career satisfaction, and job satisfaction, though not prestige and degree attainment.
However, pre-existing adolescent personality traits were stronger predictors of degree attainment, and occupational prestige. A possible interpretation of this is that those who already exhibited personality traits in line with career success were always on track to do well in their careers while those who changed personality traits during adolescence may feel more satisfaction with their outcomes as having to overcome perceived barriers to reach such status.
A Breakdown of Personality Traits and Specific Measures of Success
Angelina R. Sutin at the National Institute on Aging and fellow researchers in a 2009 study reported a study examining the association between people’s personality traits and career success after a 10-year period (Sutin 2009). The authors. measured career success by measuring occupational prestige, personal income, and job satisfaction.
Openness was correlated with prestige, but did not hold when controlling for sex, ethnicity, age and education. Perhaps just because one is “open” to say job opportunities or opportunities for growth at work, doesn’t mean that individuals will be afforded them due to discrimination.
Agreeable individuals reported lower incomes, but this did not hold when controlling for other unspecified variables. Research indicates that agreeableness is negatively associated with income or career success. Is the core of agreeableness setting boundaries or the lack thereof? Does one escape the trap of agreeableness or being the “nice guy” or “nice girl” simply by learning to establish boundaries in work and interpersonal relationships?
Participants who fantasize and appreciate art reported lower incomes. One possible explanation for this is that these people might be more likely to be in professions such as the arts that simply do not pay well. or if you can find people with these same characteristics in all professions and they still have lower incomes.
Above all else, being high in neuroticism was negatively correlated with career success in most domains.
Sutin 2009, touches on an interesting phenomenon, the interplay between personality and success (Sutin et al., 2009). It is not a one-way street as it is often framed, for example, those who are less neurotic tend to be more successful in their careers. It is important to note that having career success, especially higher income would make one less likely to be neurotic as this person is less stressed and anxious. This is the chicken or the egg question.
Conclusion
The intricate relationship between personality traits and career success reveals a fascinating interplay between individual predispositions and environmental factors. As evidenced by the extraordinary career of Steve Jobs, certain personality traits can propel individuals to remarkable achievements, inspiring innovation and pushing boundaries. However, it’s essential to recognize that personality is not completely static and can evolve over time, influenced by both internal aspirations and external circumstances.
Moreover, while traits like conscientiousness, extraversion, and emotional stability are often associated with career success, the nuanced findings from studies such as those by Hoff (2021) and Sutin (2009) remind us that success is multifaceted. Traits generally seen as favorable like openness and agreeableness, may have negative impacts on career success, while predictably, neuroticism can have a negative effect.
Ultimately, understanding the complex interplay between personality traits and career success offers valuable insights for individuals navigating their professional journeys. Whether one aligns with the audacious spirit of a pirate like Steve Jobs or seeks to cultivate conscientiousness and emotional stability, embracing the uniqueness of one’s personality can be a powerful catalyst for unlocking one’s full potential in the ever-evolving landscape of work and success.
References
Heslin, P. A. (2005). Conceptualizing and Evaluating Career Success. Source: Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(2), 113–136. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.270
Hoff, K. A., Einarsdóttir, S., Chu, C., Briley, D. A., & Rounds, J. (2021). Personality Changes Predict Early Career Outcomes: Discovery and Replication in 12-Year Longitudinal Studies. Psychological Science, 32(1), 64–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797620957998
Hughes, E. C. (1937). Institutional Office and the Person. American Journal of Sociology, 43(3), 404–413. https://doi.org/10.1086/217711
Sutin, A. R., Costa, P. T., Miech, R., & Eaton, W. W. (2009). Personality and Career Success: Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations. European Journal of Personality, 23(2), 71. https://doi.org/10.1002/PER.704
Tasselli, S., Kilduff, M., & Landis, B. (2018). Personality change: Implications for organizational behavior. Academy of Management Annals, 12(2), 467-493.
Other Resources
https://openpress.usask.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/personality-traits/
https://dictionary.apa.org/personality-trait
