Not all minutes were created equal. Guaranteed an hour spent catching up with a good friend flashes past before you’ve even had a chance to sip your coffee but ten minutes sitting at a desk you don’t want to be at can drag... so... slowly... The clock hands seem to creep so that you are aware of the passing of each individual, tortuous second. Anyone who has ever sat through the pain of doing a job they didn’t enjoy, before finally finding a vocation that excites them, will tell you this: life’s too short to sit in the wrong job.
The fact is that there is probably nothing ‘wrong’ with the job. Granted, there are some awful jobs out there but while you may feel as if every minute at your own personal grindstone is chipping away at your soul, there will be someone else who actually enjoys it. The issue is not that the job is wrong but that it is wrong for you. The good news is that in the same way that a job can be wrong for you there are also jobs that can be right for you. All you have to do is find out what they are.
Knowing yourself
Alia Ali Khan is a management consultant with experience in recruitment, corporate strategy and marketing. While studying for her MBA, she came across a personality analysis system called the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) that categorises people into 16 different personality types.
Alia was so astounded by the accuracy of the MBTI types that she travelled to New York to train as a certified MBTI practitioner. She says, “The personality profiles made perfect sense to me, and seemed to explain why different people are suited to different jobs, to different working environments, to different bosses and even to different relationships. Within one industry there are thousands of different jobs... so people may know their interests, and know what industry they want to be in – for example, the fashion industry – but not be aware of the specific jobs within that industry that they are suited to. I really felt it could help people.”
Now offering MBTI workshops and individual consultations in the UAE, Alia is sharing her MBTI wisdom. Not only is it useful for adults and employers but also for young adults who are about to make choices about which academic and career path to pursue, she says.
South African expat Graça Ward, who sent her teenage son to see Alia to help him decide on a university course, agrees with Alia. She says, “My son Ethan is very creative and artistic and went to university in South Africa to study a fine arts degree. But he didn’t really enjoy it – he felt frustrated and couldn’t see it leading to a career and a future that excited him.” Ethan eventually left the course and took some time out to try and decide what he wanted to do instead. “He seemed to have no direction,” says Graça. “He was thinking perhaps architecture, but he wasn’t feeling as passionate about it as he thought he should be. A friend recommended Alia, and I immediately sent him to see her.”
From an MBTI analysis and a consultation with Ethan, Alia was able to recognise that while Ethan is creative, his personality type is more suited to a stimulating, interactive working environment than a structured, solitary role like being an architect. On the back of his consultation with Alia, Ethan applied for a degree in art directing and advertising. Now, two years on, he is motivated, interested and passing with flying colours. “I am so impressed,” says Graça. “Alia has a good understanding of people and a huge amount of knowledge about different jobs and working environments. It wasn’t just about finding Ethan a career, she also helped him understand where his strengths lie and where he would feel fulfilled and successful. He’s doing really well and most importantly, he’s happy. If we hadn’t heard about Alia, we may have forked out on a degree in architecture, which would have been a mistake.”
How does it work?
The MBTI personality assessment was created by two psychologists during the Second World War to aid women entering the workforce. It was based on theories proposed by the godfather of modern psychology, Carl Jung. Through a 30-minute psychometric test, the MBTI assessment identifies whether you are introverted or extroverted; intuitive or sensing; whether you’re a thinker or a feeler; and how you organise your life. Alia says, “It’s a very in-depth assessment that results in a six-page document about your personality and your relationships, as well as careers, spouses, bosses and employees you would be suited to.”
From office job to alternative therapist
Vanessa Arnold, 39, a holistic therapist in Dubai
“I’ve enjoyed a variety of jobs in my life but for two years I worked in a research lab. Although I worked with nice people, the job itself made me quite unhappy. I thought there was something wrong with me because I wasn’t satisfied with a traditional office-based job. I didn’t know why I wasn’t just grateful to be employed.
“Doing the MBTI tests has made me realise that juggling numerous details with insufficient information, which I had to do in my research lab job, stresses me out a great deal. I also had no way of assessing whether what I did was improving people’s lives in any way. So that job wasn’t right for me at all.
“Knowing my personality type has helped me understand that not having a ‘normal’ job is not a failure of mine – it’s just that I was designed differently. My personality type is The Healer – we love working with people and watching them discover how wonderful they are. When I’m working as an alternative therapist, I’m so much happier and I wake up every day smiling.
“The MBTI test is a fantastic tool for people who wish to gain a better understanding of themselves. It also helps people identify which types of jobs they’re most likely to enjoy. Although I first did the MBTI test years ago, Alia has greatly enhanced my understanding of the results – she has a special talent for explaining personality preferences and I wholeheartedly recommend her workshops as they are a great investment in yourself.”
Sign up for Alia’s Career Exploration workshop on January 14, 9-5pm, in Jumeirah Lakes Towers – Dh1,200 per person. There are only 20 spaces, so
be quick! Visit www.usingpersonality.com for more information.
