What's Your Personality Type?

By Melainne Chiew Originally beginning life in the 1950s as a way of determining whether one had a higher chance of developing coronary heart disease, the Jacob Goldsmith theory (or the Type A and Type B personality theory) has evolved to include two more alphabets, Type C and Type D, as a way of segmenting 7 billion people into 4 different boxes. Even though numerous medical and psychological experts have consistently debunked this personality segmentation theory, the idea has slowly gained steam throughout the years, becoming an integral part of our business culture and helping to determine what kinds of career would be suitable for each of us.

Due to the nature of the work, different personality types will excel in certain industries. Type A: Management, politics, business, entrepreneurship Type B: Advertising, events, marketing, sales Type C: Engineering, accounting, programming Type D: Administrative work Want to know which type you are and whether you’re in the right industry? We break down the characteristics of the 4 different personality types for you. Type A: The Bulldozer Hell hath no fury for the aptly described number one alphabet. Uptight, detail-oriented and very tense, type A personalities are in it to win it. Often seen and heard exploding into the room like a blazing comet, type As are ready to shred any obstacles in their path without mercy. They are also early risers and early birds, reaching their intended destination long before the sun has risen so that they can snap up every last worm in the soil. They’re also incredibly competitive and do well in an office environment that continually presents them with difficult challenges which they can obliterate. Their innermost desire is to finally see a day that lasts 36 hours. While generally considered the ideal personality type for getting ahead in one’s career, Type As are notoriously known for their elevated levels of anxiety, and as such lack the ability to relax even when the occasion calls for it. They’re also more prone to depression, perpetual dissatisfaction, nightmares about work, and may have many enemies. Good & bad characteristics in a nutshell: Independent, decisive, efficient, deadline-driven, ambitious | Aggressive, blunt, rushed, insensitive, controlling Type B: The Socialisers Often highly creative and full of interesting thoughts, type B personalities are extremely magnetic and enjoy being the center of attention. They have an amazing ability to socialise with pretty much anyone and are extremely sensitive to the nuances and distinctions in everyday human interaction. They can tell whether a person is feeling happy or sad just by noticing the way the person’s eyebrow is arched. Type B people are also extremely easygoing and take things slowly and steadily, which translates to their careers as well. They take time to think before making a decision and tend to leave work until the last minute. Very fond of sleep, type Bs often sleep way into the day, only rising when the sun is beginning to set. Due to their constant need for attention, Type Bs become extremely hurt when no one pays any heed to their stories. They’re also prone to stagnancy, failure, and frequent bouts of ennui. Good & bad characteristics in a nutshell: Charismatic, humorous, energetic, enthusiastic, gregarious | Dwells on failures, excessive socializing, shoddy last-minute work Type C: The Detail Seekers For these people, the devil, angel and God are in the details. Type C personalities are natural introverts who enjoy taking a work or piece apart to understand what makes it tick. They are very devoted to their work and pride themselves as perfectionists, ensuring that everything is as accurate as humanely possible. Type C people are extremely patient and will tend to dive into the smallest possible detail, which makes them very dependable because they will check everything inside out before taking the next step. Unfortunately, type Cs are pushovers when it comes down to the crunch. They are more likely to conform to the wishes of other people rather than deal with confrontation, even if it means hurting themselves in the process. They’re also almost devoid of human emotions and prefer to remain rational. Good & bad characteristics in a nutshell: Accurate, logical, analytical, consistent, thoughtful | Excessively detail-oriented, unassertive, overly serious, emotionless Type D: The Risk Averse The final personality type, Type D stands for “distressed”. These are the people who think of the glass as empty, stained and chipped off the sides. Life is always bleak for type D personalities and they tend to suppress such negative emotions, making them prone to depression. Typical feelings felt by type Ds are anxiety, irritability and chronic sadness, and they might exhibit behavior commonly identified as social inhibition. When confronted with change, type D people retreat into their shell; they are extremely risk-averse and prefer walking on the downtrodden path that others have already explored and created road signs and maps for. They are extremely good at following orders and will try as much as possible to avoid all forms of responsibility. Good & bad characteristics in a nutshell: Punctual, structured, orderly, dependable | Lacks initiative, depressed, risk-averse, tense -- No one is fully one type or the other; we are all a mixture of different types. However, remember that you are what you become. Like Carl Jung, famous psychologist, once said, “Personality can never develop unless the individual chooses his own way, consciously or with moral deliberation.” Are you in the right industry? Share with us in the comment box below! The JobsCentral Group, a CareerBuilder company, is the owner of JobsCentral.com.sg, one of Singapore's largest job and learning portals. Get a free career personality test and more career- and education-related articles at JobsCentral and JobsCentral Community. Alternatively, Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter for more career-centric content!