No, not via Formspring, which seems to be all the rage, but answers nonetheless. In the past few posts you’ve asked me a couple of questions and I can’t sleep at night unless I know I’ve answered them (um, really, that’s really true).
I’m not sure why so many of you, my dear readers, are INFJ’s, but I have a few ideas. Blogging is an internally-focused activity and my blog, in particular, leans toward the navel-gazing. You value order; I strive for it. You apparently know things intuitively “without being able to point out why”; in my posts, I tend to focus on figuring out why. I put into words what we all feel; you are systematic and organized in a way that I wish I could be. We complement each other!
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I mentioned wishing I could ask candidates for my two open roles to take a personality test and some of you asked what I was looking for. I’m looking for something different in each role. First, I need an organizer with a meticulous nature who doesn’t mind creating order out of mountains of details. We track software bugs at the most technically discrete level – and by customer – and I need someone who can keep track of our commitments, progress, and risks without wanting to crawl under a desk. In a former job I did that, but I can’t do the forest and the trees at the same time (personal limitation), so I need someone responsible for the trees. And I need that person to be able to run a quick query or build a quick pivot chart (shoot me) when I want to know the answer to questions like, “Is our incoming rate of bugs exceeding our fix-rate, and by how much, and why?”
Then I also need someone with a technical background who can make sense of both engineer-speak and customer-language and translate between them. Again, I’ve done this in a former job, but I need someone better than me this time; I need someone with real engineering credibility. Like the first role, they need to handle the trees, but they also need to see the impact on the forest. I need an engineer who will take sides, have an opinion, communicate clearly (and gently) and still maintain respect.
So, at the risk of oversimplifying, I need an ESTJ, ISTJ, ISTP, ESTP… basically I need the S and the T to balance my N and F. A J would be nice, too. I’m less worried about the E versus I, figuring our jobs have a pretty good mix of internal/ external focus, but an E might be happier dealing with customers. Worst case, customer management skills can be taught.
So there you go. TMI? Sorry… but this was helpful in thinking through precisely what I’m looking for, so thanks!
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Anonymous asked if I could write a bit about how I keep business travel bearable, but I think I’m going to do that in a separate post, hopefully tomorrow. For now, I need to get my stank-*ss off to the shower so I can get some stuff done today.
One last note: I love this planner system I’m using. Can you believe this morning I actually got up and came into my office just to look at my plans for the day? This is unheard of, people. Usually I stay in my warm bed as long as possible (Blackberry and laptop make this possible for much longer than is strictly healthy, I think), but not this morning! This morning I was looking forward to a day with no meetings – not so I could blow off the day and go shopping with my bff, but so I could get things done! Make progress! CHECK OFF A TASK!
{I’m feeling like you might not believe me because of the whole affiliate link thing, so here’s a link to the website without affiliate links, here’s a link to the free planners, and here’s a link to my original post. I stand by my recommendation – this system is pretty awesome. It even got me to make a decision and order pretty paper.}
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Almost forgot: yes, I recommend the book I referenced in my personality types post, particularly if you’re at a career crossroads, but even if, like me, you like your job but want a bit more fulfillment. Every job (okay, most) has room to be personalized, so knowing more about yourself makes it clearer what will make your job more fulfilling. Along those lines, I also recommend anything by Marcus Buckingham and “Strengths Finder 2.0,” which I will add to my sidebar later today.
So, I'm curious. I like my job well enough. I've only been in my current position for about 6 months. I'm still relatively fresh out of school (graduated in May of 2008). A job that is MUCH more line with "what I want to be when I grow up" is open in my company. Across the lobby from where I am now. My boss, whom I love, went out on a limb to hire me. So I feel like I'm a cheating spouse to want to apply for this other job, especially since I haven't even been in my current role for a year. There are, of course, no guarantees that I'd get an interview, much less an offer, but I'm good at guilt, so I already feel guilty for wanting to apply. What would you do?
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tough, i'm an eINTJ (sometimes an E, mostly an I, always NTJ.
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I will give you ONE guess what I am………I knew you needed me:) Can I do this job from Maryland? I love charts, just FYI. Smooches!
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Ashley –I would talk to my boss about it, honestly, and express my desire to apply for the other job but reticence to do so because of a) the length of time in this job and b) appreciation of boss's decision in hiring me. See where it goes from there.Since it's an internal transfer, it's almost never worth it to alienate your current boss. In my company, transfers aren't even considered if you haven't been in your current role at least 18 months (24 preferred) and have the blessing of your current boss. Doesn't always happen that way, but those are the rules.So… be honest. Really. The job I'm getting (someday when the DAMN OFFER IS MADE) was created for me, and the whole thing started because I told my current boss I was looking for more customer interaction and was curious about a job my (allegedly) new boss posted. That led to a discussion about my goals and desires and their needs, and ultimately this job (the perfect job!) was created.Even though I didn't ever actually apply for the one that caught my attention, I made it clear what I was looking for and then waited to see what happened. It was scary — the waiting, the trusting, the continuing to do my current job even though it would all have been simpler to just apply for the new one — but it worked out, as I knew it would, because I believe in our management and this company.The guilt is good. It makes you think beyond the obvious answer (apply) to more useful ones (talk to someone about your future). If your boss was right in hiring you — and she was — she'll find a way to support you!{On the other hand, I do tell people not to overdo the loyalty. Your boss wouldn't stay in her job if a better offer was made just for you! But because you haven't been in this one for very long, I'd go with the first route.}
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Thanks for the response! The atmosphere around here is quite different from what I would consider a "normal" corporate atmosphere, in terms of the length-of-time-in-current-position thing. We are in the process of a MAJOR reorg and centralization (I already work for the corporate office), so new jobs are being posted all over the place, and are not actually being advertised outside of the company. We are downsizing locally, but expanding corporately, so the expectation is that the new roles would be filled internally. So, the idea of being in one job for a specific period of time before moving around in the company is one that has sort of been suspended until all these changes settle out. That said, I'm still uncertain as to my plan of action…I'll keep you posted. I sincerely appreciate your response, as well.
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One of my previous employers did give personality tests. It was EXTREMELY helpful to see who would be a good fit since the firm I worked for involved a lot of traveling and working in a small group. My profession is one filled with some distinct personalities and it helped to avoid and recognize those types.
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Hey, Ashley — gotcha. We're going through one of those periods, too, in which case my advice is similar but slightly different. Yes, apply. Yes, talk to your current boss first to explain your discomfort (just put it out there) and reasons, then DO IT. If it's your dream job, and it's okay that people are moving around, make your interest known now! Good luck. Please do let me know how it goes.
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Hi, I'm "anonymous" from yesterday. I didn't mean to be (it seems so passive aggressive, or something), I just don't have a blog to link to.
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I think you hit the ENFP/INFJ nail on the head. I put the career book on hold at the library, so now it's time to figure out what to do with my INFJ self. I've taken the Strength Finders test before but with a different book (long, irrelevant story). I was impressed with the insight in the test results and was able to draw some good conclusions from them, but I still couldn't figure out what I want to do when I grow up. My current job matches some parts of my personality but sharply conflicts with others, leaving me dissatisfied.
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