We all have our own unique personality which means that, thankfully, everyone is different. Our personalities are comprised of the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that make up a large part of who we are. Our personality plays a huge role across many aspects of our lives, it influences our values, dictates what interests us, affects how we learn, what we notice and how well we get on with others.

How our personalities are formed has generated much thinking over time and there is common acceptance that personality seems to be partly formed when we are born, and develops and grows according to our experiences. Which of these is most responsible for developing our personality is what has come to be known as the great Nature v Nurture debate.

There have been many theories posited about personality over time, and in more recent years a lot of thinking has also gone into the relationship between personality and career matching. While there is widespread agreement that you cannot simply match a certain personality type to a specific career, both are far too complex for such a simple solution, there is the acknowledgement that certain jobs may suit some personality types more than others.

For example, it is safe to assume that someone with an extroverted personality may be drawn, and suited, to a career that involves a lot of social interaction and collaboration with peers. A job in a busy marketing or customer service firm would be much more suitable to them than working on their own at home building websites. An introverted personality, can sometimes find large groups and lots of social interaction energy sapping and although it must be stressed they are not ‘loners’, they do prefer a quieter workspace and are often drawn to careers that are more analytical and introspective such as accounting or IT related jobs. 

Selecting a career based on your personality can make a great difference to whether a person feels fulfilled and content in their work. If someone could be described as being in ‘their element’ or ‘lost in flow’ when at work, then it could safely be assumed that the person's work is allowing them to express their personality fully and this will help create a very high level of job satisfaction.

As mentioned earlier, there are many personality theories that have been developed, for example the Big Five Personality Traits. However, the oldest and most used personality theory of all is that of The Four Temperaments which can be traced right back to the ancient Greeks.  Psychologists today still use modernised versions of this theory and have used them to help both individuals and some of the world’s best known companies learn more about the relationship between personality and the workplace

Companies and employers understand that workers are far more productive when they get on well with their co-workers, their personality needs are understood, their strengths are built upon and their differences are accepted.

The modern day terms that we use for each of The Four Temperaments are:

Idealist- Idealists are concerned with personal growth, and want their life to be meaningful and significant. They like being with people, sharing with them, and encouraging them. They place a high value in being true and honest and are always ready to help out.

Theorist- Theorists like knowledge and solving problems. They tend to be independent, strong willed, pragmatic and logical. They are naturally curious, seeing possibilities and can usually see many sides to an argument.

Improvisor- Improvisors seek freedom, independence and adventure. They take pride in developing skills in a variety of fields, and don’t like to be confined in any way. They are excellent negotiators and have the ability to assess what needs to be done now

Stabiliser- Stabilisers value law and order and are driven by a strong motivation to serve our society’s needs. They respect authority and the chain of command and have a sense of duty to do the right thing, which tends to make them reliable, dependable and responsible.