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Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type (Paperback) (Paperback)
by Paul D. Tieger, Barbara Barron
| Category:
Self help, Career development, Job search, Job coach |
| Market price: ¥ 218.00
MSL price:
¥ 198.00
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
The book should appeal to anyone interested in their personal career development strategy, and the contents are applicable globally. |
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Author: Paul D. Tieger, Barbara Barron
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Pub. in: March, 2007
ISBN: 0316167266
Pages: 416
Measurements: 9.1 x 7.5 x 1.3 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00914
Other information: 4 Rev Upd edition
ISBN-13: 978-0316167260
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- MSL Picks -
"Do What You Are" is one of those rare books that effectively serves two purposes: It offers a solid introduction to personality typing, particularly using the well-known Myers-Briggs system, as well as being a practical guide to help readers look for the types of work and careers best suited to their particular personality type.
The Tiegers cover three different areas in the book. Part One offers a basic introduction to the theories behind personality typing and the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator. Whereas there is not actually a Myers-Briggs style "sorter quiz" in the book (these are best administered by a professional), there are fairly good descriptions of the four dimensions of personality type- thorough enough for most readers to be able to determine their four-letter "code."
Part Two addresses the interaction between the dimensions of personality and work style, and how they affect behavior and priorities in the workplace. This includes such things as how different personalities might approach the same problem differently, as well as a discussion of personal development at different stages of life.
Part Three- which is the bulk of the book- provides detailed descriptions of the 16 personality types, with a full chapter for each type. Each chapter includes three "real people" examples of working people, showing what works (as well as challenges) for them in their chosen careers. Each chapter continues by finding the "common threads" of the type covered, and then goes on to list a large number of careers that might be a "good fit." The chapters then conclude with tips for the job search, pathways to success and possible pitfalls to stay alert to - as they apply to YOUR particular type.
Overall, the book offers many interesting insights. However, readers should keep in mind that books like "Do What You Are" serve as GUIDES, and NOT as a set of "hard and fast" rules. Some people may have had life experiences that open different doors than those outlined here, and some may find the lists of careers for thir type a bit limiting. Also, the book mostly deals with "mainstream" professions with a heavy focus on the corporate track- if you're of an entrepreneurial nature, you may not find it quite as useful. Finally, I would suggest that you don't rely on this book alone, when trying to find a career that's a good fit - personality typing is merely ONE of many possible approaches to career development.
Final thoughts: Highly recommended (9 out of a possible 10 bookmarks), especially for those who are considering a new direction because their career seems stagnant or "not quite right." It would be helpful - but by no means essential- to know your Myers-Briggs type prior to reading the book.
Target readers:
Career counselors, career coaches, mentors & advisers, career changers and those planning their own careers.
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- Better with -
Better with
I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It (Paperback)
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Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger are principals of Communications consultants LLC and have been training professionals in the use of Personality Type for twenty years. They teach individuals and groups how to improve their effectiveness at work and at home. They live in West Hartford, Connecticut.
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From publisher:
For over 10 years Do What You Are has helped hundreds of thousands of people find the job that suits their personality type best. It lists the wide array of occupations that are popular with your personality type, including todays hottest career tracks in growth areas such as e-commerce, biotechnology, new media, and telecommunications. Throughout, the authors provide savvy career advice and highlight the strengths and pitfalls of each personality type with real-life examples.
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| View all 10 comments |
A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-06-19 00:00>
I had several very smart and successful mid-career changers tell me this was a must-buy book, so I bought it.
I think it's also a must read for anyone putting together a business partnership or management team that seeks personnel that will complement each others' strengths.
I wish I had read this book years ago. The authors have written a book around the Myers-Briggs personality type concept. Many other career advice authors may devote a chapter to this, but the Tiegers have really delved into this more than others. For instance, each of the sixteen 4-letter Myers-Briggs personality types (INTJ, ENTP, etc.) gets a full chapter on that type, including the person's strengths, weaknesses, typical best job fits and 2 or 3 case studies of men and women with those personality types. After I took the test, I found their chapter on my particular type captured me almost perfectly and taken 20 years ago, would have predicted many of the career successes and challenges I've experienced.
The original pioneers of the Myers-Briggs methodology were Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katherine Myers. Starting in the 1920s they identified 4 different aspects of personality (introverted vs. extroverted, sensing vs. perceiving, etc.) to come up with 8 traits. There are a total of 16 possible combinations of these traits and these are the "personality types".
While some may find some fault with Myers-Briggs personality type theory, it's sure good enough to be a powerful, insightful tool. The official Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test has been around for decades and has been thoroughly researched and critiqued as well as widely used by millions.
The Tiegers also cover additional Myers-Briggs material I have not seen in other career advice books. An example is how your personality evolves with age - certain Myers-Briggs traits become more pronounced at different times in life.
The buyer should be aware of two things, however, when they buy this book:
1. First, this book does not cover other aspects of career planning, self-assessment and job-hunting. It's 95+% personality type material. You'll still want to get another book (or books) on other aspects of career planning and job-hunting.
2. The true Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Test is copyrighted and available only through organizations, counselors and therapists approved by the Myers & Briggs Foundation - see myersbriggs.org (their site has also has a lot of other useful stuff).
The authors cannot include the test, but they describe each of the 8 traits in sufficient detail that you can estimate what you are - BUT you may be wrong, as I found out when I took the actual MBTI test. My estimate was very accurate for 3 traits and way off the mark for the 4th. As I read over the material in the book, I could see how I was wrong. I recommend paying the extra money, taking the real test and going over the result with someone certified by the Myers & Briggs Foundation - they can interpret those results that may surprise you. After speaking with the counselor and re-reading the relevant sections of the Tieger book, I could see how I made my mistake. The meanings of some of the terms - introverted, extroverted , judging, etc. - are subtly different in the psychological type world from the way they're used in daily conversation.
There are thousands of people out there certified to do this and many college career placement offices also administer the test to students for free. You can also take the test online using a link at myersbriggs.org site and then discuss the results remotely with a trained counselor. Some of this control may be due to the foundation wanting to preserve test revenues, but it's also driven by concerns about untrained people administering it inappropriately (for instance, to identify some neurotic boss's idea of "bad personality types") or interpreting it incorrectly.
Also, I tried two different on-line free sites that offered seemingly similar tests to come up with a Myers-Briggs type. These tests gave wildly inaccurate and conflicting results - I recommend staying away from them.
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Renee Hierholzer (MSL quote), USA
<2007-06-19 00:00>
The basic principle behind this book makes so much sense that you begin to wonder what all of those other career guide authors are writing about. The authors of this book believe that the starting point of a career change is internal, and that by getting a better understanding of the fundamentals of your personality before starting your job hunt, then you will be better able to select a career. The book is a fabulous read, and actually provides one of the best descriptions of Myers-Briggs typology that I've ever read. You will gain an incredible amount of knowledge from reading and using the exercises within this book. There is nothing about this book that I did not love!
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Alberto Dell'era (MSL quote), Italy
<2007-06-19 00:00>
The experience of the Authors in Career Counseling truly shines through this book. They not only show you the MBTI theory in a clear and simple manner, but, more importantly to me, they give you the advice that only years of practical use of this method can provide. So, not only I got a theoretical psychological profile of myself (95% accurate), but also real examples of people like me, which I was able to compare with. Also, the advices on how to conduct my job hunting campaign were surprisingly detailed and accurate - just as I was face-to-face with the Authors - and by sure they were the same advices they gave (and give) to their customers. Actually, their excellent writing style made me think that I was in their office listening to them, instead of at home reading their book!
A final note on the MBTI. I'm always quite suspicious of psychological theories (they tend to be written by fanatics for fanatics, and so very often they turn to 'religions'), so I appreciated the pragmatism and objectivity both of MBTI in general and of the writers in particular. In my opinion, MBTI is a good way to classify the personality types of people, and it doesn't matter whether or not the underlying theory is 100% correct as far as it works. For sure, it doesn't matter for the job-seeker which wants to read this book, and get self-understanding and practical advices.
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-06-19 00:00>
I'm a career counselor in private practice, working with mid-career changers and young people making these decisions for the first time. This is one of the two truly extraordinary career books I ask all of my clients to buy. It was written for people who want to choose a direction that is a perfect fit with their personality. It does a wonderful job of introducing you to the 16 types. However, personality type is only one of many important factors in making a satisfying choice of direction. I recommend that you also get yourself a copy of: "The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success", by Nicholas Lore. It is by far the best guide to picking your career. Whether you are thinking of changing careers in mid-life or are a student trying to figure out how to be successful and love your work, buy both of these books, and use them! Together they will guide you to putting the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that will keep you getting out of the right side of your bed for years to come.
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