Knowing about your Personality Type can not only help you find another job, it can also help you keep the one you have. The more of your natural, inborn talents you’re able to use in your job, the happier and more productive you will be – which will often be noticed by your employer.

So, how do you enjoy your work more, and hence be more valuable to your employer?  Below is a description of the special qualities that people of your type preferences bring to the job. Since every individual is unique, not all of these may be true for you – but the majority should.

As you review the lists, think about opportunities where you can use these qualities to further the organization’s goals.  Remember, employers appreciate employees who add value, show initiative, and make their lives easier. With that in mind, I would also recommend that you go the next step, seek out your boss and ask him or her, what you can do to be even more valuable.

Start by Discovering Your Personality Type

There are four aspects or “dimensions” of Personality Type, and two opposite sets of characteristics associated with each. Every person has a natural, inborn preference for one set of characteristics over the other. People are either Extraverts or Introverts (which describes the different ways people get energized), Sensors or Intuitives (the different ways people take in information, Thinkers or Feelers (the different ways people make decisions), and Judgers or Perceivers (the different ways people like to organize their world).

Everyone is primarily one way or the other on each of these four dimensions, but no one is exclusively one way or the other. It’s important to recognize that it’s not better or worse to have any of these preferences, every individual is unique, and we all have varying abilities to use our “non-preferences” when we need to. So, your “Type” is a combination of your preferences for each of these dimensions, which makes people “ISTJs”, “ENFPs”, or one of fourteen other types. (By the way, the letter “N” is used for “Intuition”, since “I” is already taken to describe “Introverts”).

So, What Makes You So Valuable?

Here are some of the natural strengths for people of different type preferences:

Extraverts – looking outside themselves and seeing what needs to be done, getting people involved, public speaking, organizing and hosting events.

Introverts –  looking inside themselves and considering things carefully, focusing on one topic at a time, researching, and making thoughtful, deliberate decisions.

Sensors –  paying attention to the important facts and details, bringing a  realistic perspective, seeking practical solutions, being in  the moment, and providing a historical perspective – “ the institutional memory.”

Intuitives –  generating ideas, seeking new approaches, thinking about the big picture, connecting the dots, thinking outside-the-box, and considering future implications.

Thinkers –  applying objective analysis, seeking fair solutions, and making the kinds of hard decisions that while unpopular, are necessary.

Feelers –  being sympathetic and empathetic, supporting and nurturing others, getting people involved, being concerned about morale, and doing things they believe to be right.

Judgers –  making decisions, being organized, planning, setting and meeting goals and deadlines.

Perceivers – keeping open to new possibilities, considering options, responding spontaneously, being curious and asking the right questions, and continuing to improve ideas.

These strengths, which are directly connected to your Type preferences are the best you have to offer. The more opportunities you can find to use them, the more successful you will be and the more valuable you’ll be to your employer.