Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type

I had several very smart and successful mid-career changers tell me this was a must-buy book, so I bought it. I think it's also a must read for anyone putting together a business partnership or management team that seeks personnel that will complement each others' strengths. I wish I had read this book years ago. The authors have written a book around the Myers-Briggs personality type concept. Many other career advice authors may devote a chapter to this, but the Tiegers have really delved into this more than others. For instance, each of the sixteen 4-letter Myers-Briggs personality types (INTJ, ENTP, etc.) gets a full chapter on that type, including the person's strengths, weaknesses, typical best job fits and 2 or 3 case studies of men and women with those personality types. After I took the test, I found their chapter on my particular type captured me almost perfectly and taken 20 years ago, would have predicted many of the career successes and challenges I've experienced. The original pioneers of the Myers-Briggs methodology were Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katherine Myers. Starting in the 1920s they identified 4 different aspects of personality (introverted vs. extroverted, sensing vs. perceiving, etc.) to come up with 8 traits. There are a total of 16 possible combinations of these traits and these are the "personality types". While some may find some fault with Myers-Briggs personality type theory, it's sure good enough to be a powerful, insightful tool. The official Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test has been around for decades and has been thoroughly researched and critiqued as well as widely used by millions. The Tiegers also cover additional Myers-Briggs material I have not seen in other career advice books. An example is how your personality evolves with age -- certain Myers-Briggs traits become more pronounced at different times in life. The buyer should be aware of two things, however, when they buy this book: 1. First, this book does not cover other aspects of career planning, self-assessment and job-hunting. It's 95+% personality type material. You'll still want to get another book (or books) on other aspects of career planning and job-hunting. 2. The true Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Test is copyrighted and available only through organizations, counselors and therapists approved by the Myers & Briggs Foundation -- see myersbriggs.org (their site has also has a lot of other useful stuff). The authors cannot include the test, but they describe each of the 8 traits in sufficient detail that you can estimate what you are -- BUT you may be wrong, as I found out when I took the actual MBTI test. My estimate was very accurate for 3 traits and way off the mark for the 4th. As I read over the material in the book, I could see how I was wrong. I recommend paying the extra money, taking the real test and going over the result with someone certified by the Myers & Briggs Foundation -- they can interpret those results th

The Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is obviously a more involved personality test than the introduction this book provides. 'Do What You Are' however, may be enough for most of us.I have no training in career guidance, nor was I familiar with any of the 'types' or terminology before reading this book. It gave me a good appreciation for the 16 different personality types and provided a simple step method to help me identify my personality type. For me that was sufficient, especially as along the way I have gotten insight into why certain aspects of my current job are pleasing and why others are...well, less than that. For persons contemplating or just starting their careers, the book would be very helpful. For others a little further along and not necessarily able to do a sudden career shift, or in a rut, it can be of significant use in helping adjust attitude and approaches to your job. I think the book opens up a world of possible alternative careers for all of us, you could say were hidden because we didn't know our 'type'. It's just left for us to find and seize the opportunity.

The basic principle behind this book makes so much sense that you begin to wonder what all of those other career guide authors are writing about. The authors of this book believe that the starting point of a career change is internal, and that by getting a better understanding of the fundamentals of your personality before starting your job hunt, then you will be better able to select a career. The book is a fabulous read, and actually provides one of the best descriptions of Myers-Briggs typology that I've ever read. You will gain an incredible amount of knowledge from reading and using the exercises within this book. There is nothing about this book that I did not love!

I'm a career counselor in private practice, working with mid-career changers and young people making these decisions for the first time. This is one of the two truly extraordinary career books I ask all of my clients to buy. It was written for people who want to choose a direction that is a perfect fit with their personality. It does a wonderful job of introducing you to the 16 types. However, personality type is only one of many important factors in making a satisfying choice of direction. I recommend that you also get yourself a copy of: "The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success", by Nicholas Lore. It is by far the best guide to picking your career. Whether you are thinking of changing careers in mid-life or are a student trying to figure out how to be successful and love your work, buy both of these books, and use them! Together they will guide you to putting the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that will keep you getting out of the right side of your bed for years to come.

I had done a Kiersey & Bates' analysis of my personality type almost three years ago and found then that on a couple of aspects I was close to 50/50 so I wasn't quite sure which type I was. I was delighted to find that this book helped me clarify exactly which of the 16 personality types I am. I then encouraged my husband and two children to take the test and with this book's help, they came up with exact personality types for themselves, too. The four of us have been using the fascinating information in this book about our personality types to improve our relationships with each other, with our friends, and at work. I have also been using it to talk to my children about their school work, hobbies, and future job possibilities for them. One really neat benefit of the book in particular was that it enabled me and my husband to see that the many jobs we have held over the past 30 years were all on the list given by the authors for our personality type. All of a sudden our work history made so much more sense than ever before. I'm going to buy the rest of the authors' books. Especially the one on parenting.