Explore the Book
Why this Book?
Since its first publication in 1992, Do What You Are has helped over a million people find satisfying careers and conduct more successful job searches. We've heard heard from hundreds of people who report that by helping them discover the kind of work they were meant to do, Do What You Are forever changed their lives and made them feel more productive, more appreciated, and more satisfied.
Dozens of books have been written to help people make good career decisions. But Do What You Are is different from every other guide in a fundamental way. It does not offer generic, one-size-fits-all advice. For as certainly as people are different from each other, advice that's right for one person often is completely wrong for another. Our expertise in the well-respected, scientifically validated system called Personality Type enables us to truly individualize the career discovery process -- to give you invaluable insights about yourself, and to enable you to find a career that makes the best use of your natural talents.
Why pick up a book to help when the internet is full of advice? Here's the truth: There are countless site that can help you discover your personality type or give you other tools to categorize and understand yourself. But none of those sites provides the degree of depth that Do What You Are can offer. So, by all means, verify your type and see what's out there. (We can even recommend the two best options: 16Personalities.com and Truity.com.)
But, once you are done there, refer back to Do What You Are for a nuanced and individualized look at what career satisfaction could look like for you.
Let's Talk About You
We're assuming that you came to this website because you're at a turning point in your work. Maybe you're a student just about to choose that first important job, or perhaps you're reentering the workplace after some time off and are considering all your options. Maybe you've been laid off and need to find another path. Maybe you're dissatisfied with your job and believe there must be a better alternative. Or perhaps you're finishing up one career and thinking about starting on another. Congratulations -- you came to the right place!
Some special encouragement is in order for career changers. IF you're wondering about the wisdom of trying to change horses in midstream, you should know that millions of people change jobs every year. In fact, it is estimated that most people will hold twelve to fifteen jobs in their lifetime. These statistics don't provide much solace, however, if you find yourself stuck in an unfulfilling job that you feel you can't quit.
There are some very practical reasons why people can't just impulsively leave their job and strike out in a new direction. You have bills to pay, maybe a family to support. It takes a lot of courage to give up a steady paycheck, even when it comes from an unsatisfying job. It's difficult to start a new job while you're still working the old one -- anyone who has tried it can tell you it's like having a job on top of a job -- and yet the idea of actually being out of work while you conduct a job search can be terrifying. Most of us don't have the financial resources to carry us over a period of unemployment, especially when there's no guarantee that we'll be successful in finding a new job quickly.
It can also be extremely difficult to go against what others expect of you. Even if you're unhappy in your job, you may feel pressure from others to stay right where you are. During a career change support and encouragement from family and friends are important. If those close to you disapprove of you making a change, you're more likely to keep doing what you're doing.
It's also true that once you've established a particular lifestyle, it's difficult to imagine a different way of life. The longer you've been living a certain way, the more invested you become in keeping your life the way it is. If you've attained a certain level of success and are accustomed to being regarded as successful, starting over can seem unimaginable.
To make matters worse, most of us don't really know what we need to satisfy us. We know what we don't like -- that much we've learned from experience -- but we don't know hot to think up, must less find, a fulfilling alternative. On top of that, changing careers can be extremely stressful, and it's not uncommon for the process to take several months.
Here's the good news. By understanding your personality type, you can find a truly fulfilling career that enhances your quality of life. Even though changing jobs is frightening, and even though it's easier to keep doing what you are doing, we hope you'll use Do What You Are and this accompanying website to discover exactly what you need to be satisfied in your work and how to find the right work for you. It can be done, and it's well worth the effort -- we promise!
How This Book Can Change Your Life
Do What You Are is designed to help you make better career choices, conduct a successful job search campaign, and be effective in any job. We're excited about what we've learned about the relationship between Personality Type and career satisfaction, and we want to share our most important discoveries with you. Please know, however, that we aren't going to rehash a lot of information you can get elsewhere, such as how to write a resume or cover letter. Our main interest is in helping you figure out what career satisfaction is for you and in helping you go about finding work you'll love.
As you read Do What You Are. you'll start to enjoy many of the fringe benefits that come with an understanding of Personality Type. Recognizing and understanding your personality type can change the way you see yourself -- which in turn affects everything you do and every aspect of your life. Personality Type is so well respected that the majority of Fortune 500 companies use it daily. Over the past thirty years, we've used Personality Type to help managers motivate and communicate with their employees; teachers to reach very different types of students; work teams to understand their strengths and blind spots and to communicate more productively; and, of course, we've used it to train thousands of career counselors and outplacement consultants to help their clients make their best career choices. If you are a parent, Type will give you a whole new perspective on your family dynamics and help you understand and communicate better with your children. If you are in a relationship, Type will help you understand, accept. and appreciate the similarities and differences between you and your partner. In short, we're confident that the knowledge you gain from this book will forever change the way you look at yourself and others.