Do What You Are : Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type--Revised and Updated Edition Featuring E-careers for the 21st Century Reviews

• The best book on personaility type and work

  
  By on 1999-10-25
  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.
  
  

• Makes you think about job hunting in a different way...

  
  By A2BR8YQUCWL2H on 2000-08-18
  The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a personality test based on Jungian theory. In a nutshell, it states that every person falls into one of sixteen categories, and each one of these categories or "Types" has distinct needs, ways of interacting with others, manners of processing information, etc.

  "Do What You Are" attempts to help individuals plot their own careers based on their own Myers Briggs "Type." Before finding this book, the only other career-related thing I had read was "What Colour is your Parachute," which was terrific. But I loved "Do What you Are" because it stated something that is so rarely said today... that you should find a job and career that suits who you really are. I passed this book around to all my friends and family, and most (but not all) loved it, too.

  Something I found particularly delightful was that it affirmed a lot of things I had been thinkingabout my own situation, but had considered "unimportant." My type is "ENFP" (I know it might sound like jibberish to you now, but it will make sense if you read the book). This is a type that thrives on creativity, feels confined by rigid rules, and needs lots of friendly social interaction on the job. But, since I have a high IQ and did well at school, others have constantly tried to push me into "status" fields like medecine and litigation. In my heart, I had always felt those kinds of careers would kill me, but I couldn't really articulate why. After reading "Do What you Are," I was better able to accept my instincts and explored PR, fundraising, and finally settled on a job in publishing. I LOVE my job, and although I think I would have arrived here eventually, I do think that it would have taken me twice as long to arrive had I not read this book.
  
  

• WORTH READING, BUT ITS MORE THAN JUST PERSONALITY TYPE!

  
  By A3SN9EF7GTNEU2 on 2001-04-27
  With a lifetime of experience as a counsellor and teacher in both human relations and business management, I can say this book is certainly worth reading; however, reaching your full potential in a chosen career goes far beyond your personality type. In-depth career planning takes a much greater psychological assessment than simply sitting down and reading a book, no matter how well written the book may be. There are a variety of tests and assessments in use today and given by qualified professionals with a background in career counselling and psychology. Management also use these tests in assessing whether potential employees are ideally suited to the job, and they are given by professionals in the field. Your career is one of the biggest investments of your life; it is not something you fall into simply because your personality is matched to a particular occupation. Following that philosophy any could well lead many people down the garden path into making entirely wrong choices.

  It is also critical to remember that regardless of how "well matched" you are to a career, there also has to be an unsatisfied need and demand for what you want to do in the marketplace. For example, you may have an interest in computers and be ideally suited to a career in computer networking; however if the marketplace is already saturated with network technicians and there are more technicians than jobs, you may discover you made an inappropriate career choice. Do you want to relocate and is it viable to do so? Not everyone wants to uproot, especially if you have a spouse or partner who is already employed in a very financially lucrative position. If you are single with no dependents, you have an advantage and more options.

  While the book does make interesting reading, I would not rely on it to make career choices. There is a lot more to long-term career planning than meets the eye, and your career choice is a decision that will most likely affect your family and your financial future. There is a lot more to consider in career planning than personality types and e-careers.
  
  

• Beware......be very ware!

  
  By on 2001-08-31
  This book is based on the writings of Carl Jung who in turn developed his theories from William James's discussion of tough-minded and tender-minded types in his work, Pragmatism. James went on to observe that no one conforms to the extreme case but borrows qualities from each. Carl Jung himself warned of the futility of trying to "type" people, calling it a "childish parlour game." His warning apparently has not dissuaded the authors of this book from doing precisely what he warned against.

  The objections to typologies have not reached the mass public with the intensity that they should. Here are some key points. The Myers Briggs type indicator on which this book relies makes the assumption that the four dimensions it measures are bipolar dichotomies and views the traits as distinct categories. A sorting process places individuals in a discrete category based on their relative direction from the mid-point without regard to the magnitude of their score. The resulting dichotomy does not accurately reflect the true nature of the underlying trait. An ESTP with a very high S tendency is described in exactly the same way as an ESTP with an S score that barely tipped in the S direction.

  There has been a great loss of interest among professionals in trying to type people, owing largely to the difficulty of finding psychological variables that conform to categorization. Moreover, there are attendant dangers: first, that these arbitrary categories are taken to represent genuine divergences in psychological organization, and second, that what are in fact step functions become regarded as continuous functions.

  This book might be useful if the MBTI test accurately portrayed the nature of the underlying psychological reality. The test though is too simple to arrive at a "complicated understanding" or enriched view of a human personality. I might also add that it completely ignores the role that motivation plays in human achievement.
  
  

• A good starting place... if you know your Myers-Briggs personality type

  
  By A3IWOKKMMB18U8 on 2005-09-24
  "Do What You Are" is about finding out what job is best suited for you based on your Myers-Briggs personality type. I was highly excited to read this book as most books don't take your personality type into consideration.
  
  First off, you will probably get a lot more out of this book if you have already determined your Myers-Briggs personality type. The beginning of the book does try to help you determine your type, but it is mostly just picking one type over another when the actually score is really based on a continuum.
  
  After determining your time, the book has a chapter for each personality type. Since you only have one personality type, you only need to read one of the 16 chapters.
  
  The chapter written specifically for your type was just ok. The chapter was filled with examples of people who are that type. I just wanted to read about how my personality type applies to the job situation, not read example about my type. Eventually the chapter did get to what jobs would work best for you and things you should keep in mind when selecting a job. However, I was hopeing for a more in-depth explanation and analysis.
  
  While the book does an excellent job of focusing on your personality type, it does next to nothing to help you with determining your interests, passions and goals, all of which are vital to picking the correct job.
  
  So... if you know your Myers-Briggs type, which you should before you read this book, you only really need to read 10-15 pages out of this book. If you are really stuck on what job you are best suited for, pick this book up or just skim it in the bookstore. 3 out of 5 stars.
  
  
• Hazardous To a Healthy Human Psyche
  By on 2002-03-18
  Based on the Carl Jung's psychological types, the authors pervert Jung's theories in one fundamental respect. When Jung talked about the goal of achieving selfhood, he was advancing the idea that opposites ought to be transcended. In other words, an extreme INFJ was not yet a full self; the opposing ESTP functions must be more fully developed in order for that person to be whole -- that is, to be a whole self. The gullible reader of this book could easily come away with the impression that their personality type defines who they are and what they have the capacity to be. Believing that could make it all the more difficult for them to construct a larger identity. That is a real danger. It is awfully ironic that Jung's system, a system that was designed to help people create larger selves and be larger people, is being perverted so crassly by the authors in such a way as to diminish people, to make them smaller, by reducing them to fractions of the human beings they have the potential to be and should be. Believing this stuff could ruin your life. You are not your psychology. Jung never meant for you to be your psychology. He meant for you to transcend it. Opposites create energy and energy is life. Types don't live fully.
  
  
• This is a great book but there are two things to be aware of
  By A1R2SJZGHH14E7 on 2005-08-05
  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 that may surprise you. After speaking with the counselor and re-reading the relevant sections of the Tieger book, I could see how I made my mistake. The meanings of some of the terms -- introverted, extroverted , judging, etc. -- are subtly different in the psychological type world from the way they're used in daily conversation.
  
  There are thousands of people out there certified to do this and many college career placement offices also administer the test to students for free. You can also take the test online using a link at myersbriggs.org site and then discuss the results remotely with a trained counselor. Some of this control may be due to the foundation wanting to preserve test revenues, but it's also driven by concerns about untrained people administering it inappropriately (for instance, to identify some neurotic boss's idea of "bad personality types") or interpreting it incorrectly.
  
  Also, I tried two different on-line free sites that offered seemingly similar tests to come up with a Myers-Briggs type. These tests gave wildly inaccurate and conflicting results -- I recommend staying away from them.
  
  
• Useful and easy to read, but not stand-alone
  By on 1998-05-13
  This book is well written, fun, and a great source of ideas if you already know your Myers-Briggs type. If you don't, the section on identifying your type is weak; I recommend Kiersey's "Please Understand Me" instead (or inquire at your local educational institutions: I took the Myers-Briggs, had it professionally interpreted, and got loads of helpful reference material from a $40 seminar at a community college).
  The book is most useful if you're discontented with your present career (or have qualms about the career you're preparing for, if you're a student). I was railroaded into a career that didn't suit me because of my family's expectations, although I was determined and intelligent enough to become moderately good at it. But I never felt comfortable with it, and it was only after many unhappy years that I realized I was in the wrong job and broke away to find a more congenial career path. I wish this book had existed 30 years ago!
  I agree with other readers that the book is short on practical guidance as to WHICH career you should choose -- I've found Barbara Sher's books much more helpful. Nonetheless, this is a good place to start, at a reasonable price, and it's excellent as far as it goes.
  
  
• Stop looking for a job and start looking for yourself...
  By A1X0N9BQO1N1TX on 2000-05-04
  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!
  
  
• unspoken assumptions
  By A33PMNAFRQVP6Q on 2002-10-05
  Like many books about career, and many books about personality types, this book sidesteps critical thinking about type and about career. As a previous reviewer noted, the book addresses primarily "professional," white-collar career options -- with a few artistic and skilled trade options thrown in. It does not really address people who work outside of that narrow landscape.

  Carl Jung himself once wrote that categorizing people by type would be "pointless." He intended that the typing system be used (by psychoanalysts) as a way to understand where an individual person might be coming from; the "true north" of the person's unique perceptual, motivational, emotional, cognitive, and (yes) spiritual compass; and the best route to helping the person glimpse beyond a limiting worldview while clarifying the authentic convictions to which his or her unique life has led.

  It has been dumbed down and used instead to "help" people level out their personalities to fit into institutional environments and cookie cutter job descriptions (fix themselves) and/or "find a niche" -- seek out an institutional environment or cookie cutter job description that is tolerable enough that they won't cause trouble by seeking "too much" change.

  "Do What You Are" is certainly validating. Reading it, one can see why certain jobs have worked and others have not. However, the message seems to be, "You can find someplace where conformity won't be too hard." It avoids like the plague the notion that type is merely a starting point for unique development and the more radical idea that jobs may be mere skeletons upon which human beings flesh out unique WORK.
  
  

• Fun, but not enough
  By A1ZF0YM7TATZ18 on 2004-07-21
  Wow, what a mixed bag of reviews we have! It seems that DWYA is one of those books either you love or you hate; there is not much in between. I would like to give a career counselor's point of view and hopefully address some of the reviewer complaints.
  
  The Tiegers make a sincere effort to put personality typing and careers in layperson's terms. That is not an easy task. However, in the interest of time and space, much is glossed over or left out completely. Thus, it would seem that the Tiegers want the reader to be intrigued by personality theory and do additional research. I would personally recommend books like "Gifts Differing" or "Please Understand Me." However, I also realize that many are less interested.
  
  For that reason, I use handouts that condense sections of DWYA to provide some clarity for those taking the Myers-Briggs. Those interested in the MBTI should go to a professional counselor to take the test. The "rough indicators" that the Tiegers and others have created are not very useful. While the MBTI may serve as a good tool in understanding the self and career development, personality preference is only one factor that influences career decisions. Other things that come into play include work values, interests, education, skills...the list goes on. So if you expect DWYA to present you with THE career, you are likely to be disappointed.
  
  With that in mind...
  
  Before one begins DWYA, one must understand a few parameters of career development. Several readers were upset that they had no interest in the careers for their type and felt shafted. That happens more often than you might think. However, the Tiegers go to great lengths to say you are by no means limited to careers discussed. The different lists of careers only state the most popular choices for each type. Your actual choices are only limited by your imagination! You will need to explore other areas of yourself and apply them to different careers. A good career counselor can help you with that.
  
  Someone mentioned the lack of blue-collar and "unskilled" jobs. While not as prevalent as some would like, the Tiegers DO try to give the trades fair time. However you tend to see the trades more among the "SP" types (e.g., ISTP, ESFP). This may be disconcerting to those of other types interested in blue-collar work. Again, all types may be found in blue-collar work. The challenge is to look at the characteristics of different blue-collar jobs and see if they are right for you. Sound like a lot of work? It is, but worth it.
  
  The so-called unskilled jobs are tricky. At the risk of sounding prejudiced, the worker whose abilities are limited to "unskilled" labor is highly unlikely to be concerned with finding work that is a good personality match. Such workers tend to be much more concerned with finding work just to survive. Anything else is gravy. If DWYA appears skewed towards an educated, white-collar audience, it is because this demographic tends to be far more interested in finding personal fulfillment through career, rather than working to survive.
  
  Aside from the weaknesses of the personality sorter and somewhat limited scope of careers discussed, DWYA does a very good job of applying the different personality type characteristics, not only to individuals, but also to jobs. The Tiegers also take another step by explaining how certain personality traits could impact the job search, as well as job functioning. Examining one's strengths and weaknesses and how they impact the self and career is an invaluable skill. As always, keep in mind that everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another, even if they share the same personality type. Another positive aspect: The Tiegers' infectious upbeat attitude. Nothing phony about it. Trust me.
  
  You may also need help with implementing the information in DWYA, as well as polishing your job search skills. Thus, I recommend you supplement DWYA with books on career interests and development, as well as interviewing professionals in jobs that interest you. And don't forget your friendly neighborhood career counselor. :)
  
  Bottom Line: Two things--1) DWYA is enjoyable reading, but should not be your sole reference. Make a point of using other references as well. And take the full MBTI if you can. 2) Nothing and no one can tell you what your ideal career is or what to do with your life. Once you have gathered the necessary career information, the choice is all yours!
  
  Happy Career Planning!
  
  
• 2.9 stars ~ possibly useful for you
  By A3JULKQLVLWZV on 2000-08-07
  This book is a well-written and highly accessible introduction to the Meyer-Brigg's 16 personality type system.

  As an INFP type, it was a relief to read in print a reflection of my own sentiments I've expressed to others about my own views (in lieu of my personality): how I can't get a job doing just ANYthing that's "hot"; that I have to feel I'm fueling something I believe is truly meaningful; etc. So, this book can help with issues like self-acceptance through this validation. But, I am another INFP among many that is a bit tired of being portrayed as the Human Resources type or that social occupations are generally a best fit.

  This is may help you identify some of your general needs from your career. But, if you truly have a problem with vocational guidance then you will probably need a heck of a lot more than this book.
  
  

• M(ay) B(e) T(he) I(nsight) all career seekers need
  By A5HMT6ZOBUAVM on 2000-11-24
  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.
  
  
• Great book for gaining insight
  By AKT474TT9CQC5 on 2001-06-13
  I bought this book as part of an online class. The class guided participants through the book. This book provided valuable insight on traits and characteristics that I have and the types of careers I am best suited for. As part of the book, the reader does a Myers-Briggs test to determine their personality type. I have done Myers-Briggs testing in the past but never with the explanation about each type that this book provides. The book provides an write-up about each type - allowing those of us who cross types to hone into the exact type we are. Based on this, the reader can then read the career section devoted to their type. I found out that I am in the right career - however I am not using my strengths and preferences correctly.

  This book provides great insight...I recommend it to anyone trying to determine their entry-level career or for those of us facing 'mid life' career dilemmas.
  
  

• Not as helpful as I had hoped it would be.
  By A2KO1EQ3X332CT on 2001-09-26
  I read this book, perhaps expecting too much. I thought it might help me choose a career I'd enjoy based on my personality. In the book it had a personality test. I was supposed to find out which personality type I was, but for some reason I had some difficulty at first. They all said about one or two things that sounded like me, but none of the sixteen types were actually like my personality. I have read much better books which have acurately described my personality. When, I finally settled one of the sixteen types, I was disappointed because none of my personal career choices were listed. I think they should have listed more careers. I had a couple of my friends read the book as well and three out of the four of them also had difficulty finding their personality type. Although, some reviewers obviously found it useful, I personally would not recommend this book to anyone.
  
  
• Doubts about Validity
  By A21TJRG577NI21 on 2003-09-06
  I was VERY disappointed with the "occupations" selection according to type in this book. My type, if I remember correctly, is Introverted Judging Sensing Whatever... and the list of recommended occupations was lacking in the extreme. I didn't find any one job that appealed to me, that said "this is you." In fact, I've tried many of the careers listed for my type (high school teacher, counselor, social worker) and I [wasn't good at] those jobs. And I reviewed the Type questionnaire and still obtained the same answer. So...

  ..I'd like to re-iterate this to all career counselors: just because a person is introverted and compassionate does NOT make that person a people-person! This kind of stereo typing drives me crazy. I might be in touch with my feelings, but that doesn't make me want to touch someone else's!

  Enough about me. This book is well written, but overall I strongly doubt the soundness of personality-typing. I know that psychological testing has found the tests valid, but as with all psych testing, the outcomes are very subjective.

  My recommendation: If you want to know more about the type of work that would be ideal for you, check out anything written in the vein of Holland's RIASEC typology.
  
  

• LOTS OF TIME, LITTLE GAINED
  By A3KKYNEYUICKX2 on 2003-01-07
  YOU'LL DEFINITELY SPEND LOTS OF TIME ON THIS BOOK WORKING THROUGH THE EXERCISES AND READINGS AND WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT YOUR "SPECIFIC" DESCRIPTION OR PERSONALITY TYPE (PARDON THE RUNON SENTENCE) YOU'LL FIND THAT IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE HOROSCOPES...YOUR DESCRIPTION CAN FIT ANYONE ELSE'S AND IF THEY GAVE YOU ANY DESCRIPTION IN THE BOOK, YOU'D SAY "OKAY, THAT SOUNDS LIKE ME."

  I WORKED THROUGH THE WHOLE BOOK AND FOUND ABSOLUTELY NO HELP. SOMETHING IS MISSING HERE. THEY NEED TO RE-ASSESS THE DIFFERENT TYPE ANALYSES AND MAYBE CREATE MORE TO ACCOMODATE THE TRUE NATURE OF PEOPLE IN A SOCIETY.....THEY'RE DIFFERENT, MORESO THAN JUST 16 DIFFERENT PERSONALITY TYPES! AND EVEN 1 SMALL DIFFERENCE CAN AMOUNT TO A HUGE PREFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO CAREERS, CALLING, PURPOSE, BLA BLA YADDA YADDA.

  "BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD GUYS"

  <<<
  

• You are what you do...
  By A3JOM5PD45D6K4 on 2000-02-03
  Do What You Are is an enlightening analysis of the paradoxes that exist within ourselves, and within man as a collective species. What's most facinating to me is the premise behind it's findings: the Carl Jung theory that there are only 16 personality types that represent all (roughly) 6 billion of us, and how they all work together to help us complement one another. Much as the food chain works to keep order in nature, our personality differences (it would seem by his theory) ensure the distictions, great and small, in attitudes, perceptions, skills, and interests in us all. When you ponder that, you can begin to see how vital they are to our continued success and health as a species.

  On a much less conceptual note, delving deep into what drives a person to live a certain way is at the very core of why they choose to take the paths in life they do.

  I found Do What You Are at a moment of great personal insecurity and indecision with regard to vocation, and it became a very close friend. I found my "type" by taking the Myers/Briggs Type Indicator Test, and the book, shortly thereafter.

  I learned that there are a lot of people out there like me (in the intellective sense), and more importantly, what kind of work people of my type are most successful doing. This information wasn't shocking, but it did help me believe that there were significant scientific and psychological reasons for why I preferred the prospect of one line of work over another. In short, it confirmed what I already knew in my heart to be the right course of action to succeed. For that, I'm thankful for finding it, and for learning about typology. It's a shame we don't explore it earlier in school.

  If you're thinking about reading this book, don't think. Do it! You'll be happy you did.
  
  

• GIA Gemology student/Jewelry Sales Professional
  By on 2001-03-05
  At 50 years old, I sold everything I owned, deeded my house back to my former husband, got out of a highly stressful dead end job and decided I wanted to look for a new career. At first, I was terrified. I didn't know where I was headed nor where I was going. I just knew there had to be something more out of life than being at job I was mediocre at! I headed to the nearest college campus and took the Meyers-Brigg Type indicator test and the Strong Interest survey. The results: I am an ISFJ. It was all Greek to me, I hadn't a clue what that meant. Thankfully, a career counselor at Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, KS recommended I get Tieger's book, DO WHAT YOU ARE. I devoured it. I loved it! I highlighted tips and insight on every page. When I transferred to a 4 Year college two years later, another advisor, this time from CA State University Sacramento informed me that DO WHAT YOU ARE was his most favored career planning resource from which he often quotes. He is an ISTJ! I am on my way, to developing a new career as a Gemologist, getting my degree in the field of Gerontology (the study of aging) and can thank the authors Paul and Barbara Tieger for all the encouragement I gained from reading this increditably enlightening, fasinating book! It helped change my life for the better! Want a dose of courage to change your life? This book will give it to you! I guarantee it!
  
  
• Life changing
  By A39OR5K9CJQ1GO on 2000-02-09
  You will probably already know something about your personality. But there are many suprises and discoveries in this book. The book is fun and easy to read. And so very valuable for making the move to a satisfying career. You can't fit a square peg in a round hole. I made a major career change after reading this book and I'm so glad I did. I'm glad I read the book and I'm glad I changed careers. I'm so much happier now.
  
  
• Well done, but room for improvement
  By A3DR1LB8EE942U on 2004-08-07
  I enjoy reading and studying the MBTI and personality theory. I picked up the Tiegers' book at a book sale and certainly do not regret it. The book is well written and fills an urgent need: it attempts to help the concerned reader answer the ages old question, what am I supposed to do with my life? All sixteen types are given ample attention and the book offers many suggestions for pursuing a career based on your personality type. Each section has detailed, real life examples of successful matches between personality types and careers.
  
  However, I have a few concerns about the book that prevent it from receiving a five star rating. The book does not mention entrepreneurship at all (a minor point). It also does not give an explanation that I recall regarding how the Tiegers reached the conclusions they wrote about. In my case I was indifferent to many of the suggestions that they gave as career choices for my type, and was actually turned off to several. Capability is different than interest. Another problem is that socialization or other experiences in a person's life may lead to an enjoyable career that is not what a reading of the innate preferences and combination of preferences may suggest. The Tiegers addressed these concerns...somewhat. In my specific case I concluded that my potential career goals and career path need to involve different ideas and suggestions than what the Tiegers asserted.
  
  That said, I still recommend the book. Someone who is younger, college or high school age, for example, or someone (probably still younger aged) who is completely unhappy in their job might greatly benefit from reading the book and acting on its advice. A mediocre resource is probably better than no resource, and Do What You Are is not mediocre - it's good, but not great.
  
  
• A wonderful adjunct to Kiersey & Bates' Please Understand Me
  By on 1998-12-24
  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.
  
  
• A good book for gaining insight to yourself and others
  By ACRZLT0AZ5WNR on 2000-09-13
  This book is only good if you can be honest with yourself and what your true preferences are. It is not meant to be just a list of jobs that work perfectly for you specifically, but it gives very good information to lead you in the right direction and gives you a good starting point.

  If thorough consideration is given to the information in this book it should give you insight not only to what careers you might be best suited for, but it should also grant you understanding of your motivations and many other aspects of your personality. Also, it should help you to have a broader appeciation of your fellow human beings.

  Another bit of information that might be helpful too. . . if you are interested in actually taking the MBTI test, there is only one company I know of which provides one on-line, but it is not cheap ($99). The website is http://www.tradertype.com.

  Good luck and happy career hunting!!
  
  

• Great for younger people, but not those of us in mid-stream
  By A1U67SCS0S0IM4 on 2001-05-17
  This book outlines several career options for you based on your individual personality type. The test was interesting and made me stop and think about myself more than once. The chapters about your individual personality type were interesting, but didn't really tell me anything about myself that I didn't already know.

  This book should be recommended to high school seniors about to enter college and pursue a course of education. This is the point of my life where this book would have been the most helpful, not as a thirty-something who is unhappy in his career choice.

  It would have been helpful to me if the authors had included a section about the training necessary for the careers they discuss, or at least a reference to where we could get this information. Now that I know what I should be, how do I get there?
  
  

• Broaded education on understanding personality types
  By AVKPB8TJWEGA0 on 2001-07-30
  Reading this book was intriguing. As an ENFJ type, I have a NEED to understand the inner workings of myself and others. I took the Myers Briggs test last year and had a class on the results, however it didn't come close to what is explained in this book!

  Reading this book shined the light on understanding the true (and not necesarily negative) differences between myself and others I work with for my current job (and personal life). It was always right on the money and all through it I kept going "yes!" "that's it!" or "I wish I had known how to understand that years ago".

  The end of the book - where it finally gets to the nitty gritty of what job is right for you - is alot more broad than I expected it to be.

  All in all, I will say this book helped me greatly in understanding myself and my role, along with being able to better deal with those that would tend to be a 'personality conflict'. However I still felt like I had to do more internal searching in figuring out what I really should be doing after the last chapters, since most of the ones listed for my type are the ones I battle over in my decision. I still recommend the book despite my indecision in a career. ;)
  
  

• If You Know Yourself Well - Don't Get This Book
  By A38W2PZHRT0367 on 2001-03-02
  I suppose if you have NO idea what your personality is, then this is a good book to get - out of the library! It's NOT the content or the way it was written (all that was fine). I just think buying this book was a waste of money (for me, at least) because #1) I already knew I wanted to something in a creative field - I didn't need the book to let me in on that pearl of wisdom and #2) once you know your personality type and read the list of careers you might fit into, you probably won't need to refer back to this book for anything. Also, I had the feeling the people they "interviewed" at the end were fictional - or at least that part was poorly written...
  
  
• Must read for anyone who wants to be happy in their work.
  By on 2000-08-12
  My background is in HR and I cannot tell you how many people (at least 1000) that I have referred to this book. My 3 year old knows the name of the book, b/c he hears me telling people about the book so much. My hub is in Engineering/CS and my personality is more toward sales - this book pegged us both correctly!! I was amazed at how short of time it takes to read and the wealth of information it shares. I highly reccomend this for HS graduates before they start working and/or college.
  
  
• written by competent and experienced professionals
  By A43GWQAZA6238 on 2000-03-26
  The experience of the Authors in Career Counseling truly shines through this book. They not only show you the MBTI theory in a clear and simple manner, but, more importantly to me, they give you the advice that only years of practical use of this method can provide. So, not only I got a theoretical psychological profile of myself (95% accurate), but also real examples of people like me, which I was able to compare with. Also, the advices on how to conduct my job hunting campaign were surprisingly detailed and accurate - just as I was face-to-face with the Authors - and by sure they were the same advices they gave (and give) to their customers. Actually, their excellent writing style made me think that I was in their office listening to them, instead of at home reading their book!

  A final note on the MBTI. I'm always quite suspicious of psychological theories (they tend to be written by fanatics for fanatics, and so very often they turn to 'religions'), so I appreciated the pragmatism and objectivity both of MBTI in general and of the writers in particular. In my opinion, MBTI is a good way to classify the personality types of people, and it doesn't matter whether or not the underlying theory is 100% correct as far as it works. For sure, it doesn't matter for the job-seeker which wants to read this book, and get self-understanding and practical advices.
  
  

• Quick, easy, fast career finder.
  By A2EULWZDIECUAV on 2000-05-05
  Let's face it. Lots of career books just throw out pages of job descriptions, but they really don't address your likes and dislikes.

  This book quickly focuses on whetting that down through the use of four personality traits.

  In just 5-10 minutes of skimming, you'll have a good 20+ job types that are worth looking into, all of which will give you a better start than just picking whatever look interesting.

  After all, interviewing for jobs that are suggested will give you a better chance at a job that you'll -love- in the long run. Just picking any ol' job at random usually results in lots of job changes and dissatisfaction, while wasting time.

  Naturally, what they suggest isn't for everyone, everyone, but good enough for the majority of readers to help them get started on a career they love.

  I recommend the book because it's pretty accurate for most people, wastes little time getting you focused on the jobs that are most suitable for you, and everything they suggest can be skimmed in a quarter hour.

  (and in the end, remember that the =only= (basic, fundamental) reason people work is for money. it's why kids don't and adults retire.)
  
  

• FINALLY A MYERS-BRIGGS WITHOUT EITHER-OR CHOICES!
  By AT3MVCR0JZAA8 on 2005-04-23
  Anyone who is a Renaissance Soul (people who hate to pick just one thing) has a really hard time with the standard Myers-Briggs test. Why? Because it makes us choose whether we'd do "A" OR whether we'd do "B" when we want to say, "Sometimes one, sometimes the other! It depends..." As a Renaissance Soul life coach I was absolutely thrilled when I discovered Tieger's continuum approach. His explanations of how the different Myers-Briggs types interact and can even change over time was also very satisfying, given how we Renaissance Souls keep changing, whether we "want to" or not.
  
  

• The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success
• I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It
• What Color Is Your Parachute? 2008: A Practical Manual for Job-hunters and Career-Changers
• Career Match: Connecting Who You Are with What You'll Love to Do
• What Color Is Your Parachute? 2007: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career-Changers (What Color Is Your Parachute?)