3 Most Important Personality Traits To Develop Depending On What Stage Of Your Career You’re In
Figuring out how to get ahead at work can be a real challenge, especially if you don’t necessarily fit into the default categories that tend to get ahead easily. Workplace leaders love to say “Bring your whole self to the office!” but we all know that actually doing so is usually a dangerous prospect!
One professional woman on TikTok shared a take on all this that hugely simplifies the question, and she just might be onto something — especially when it comes to faking it to make it.
She identified the 3 most important personality traits to develop depending on what stage of your career you’re in.
Some people are just naturally suited to the workplace, but for many of us, it’s a bit of a square peg, round hole situation. That can make the bigger picture — how to get ahead and claw your way to the top — seem sort of inscrutable.
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Professional and TikToker Jenny Park thinks that for most of us, it comes to three very simple personality traits, depending on whether you’re in the early stages of your career, or in your later years. These, she said in a TikTokare “the secret to being successful at work,” regardless of your skills, goals, nepotism, or any other factors.
Young workers should focus on being useful, coachable, and likable.
Park said that if you’re early in your career, it’s all about ingratiating yourself with the people above you. This means focusing on being “useful, coachable, and likable.”
The theme running through those three things is pretty obvious, right? The traits all foster trust and make leaders want to invest in you. They also push back on a lot of the stereotypes about younger Gen Z workers these days, like that they’re lazy, unskilled, and averse to criticism. And hey, if all else fails — being likable never hurt anybody.
Park is actually on to something though, according to HR experts. A recent survey from the Society for Human Resource Managementfor example, found that what employers are most looking for in young workers are so-called “soft skills” like dependability, integrity, respect, and a sense of teamwork.
The three traits Park recommended cover all four bases — or at least give the impression you do, which, cynical as it sounds, is often all that matters to getting ahead!
If you’re later in your career, you should focus on being effective, respected, and adaptable.
If you think about it, these three are sort of the fruition of the first three, right? You made yourself useful, coachable, and likable, and now, armed with all that valuable experience, training, and mentorship, you’re effective, respected, and adaptable.
Park’s take makes a lot of sense. At the midpoint of your career, you should ideally be able to demonstrate some key accomplishments or metrics that show you didn’t just stumble up to the middle of the career ladder, you actually worked your way up it.
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However, anyone can put some stats and KPIs on a resume and make it look like they’re effective. Your peers’ opinion of you is part of what can corroborate your track record. Your colleagues’ respect is a pretty good indicator that you’re the real deal, not just a good resume writer.
Ask anyone who’s worked underneath someone toward the middle or upper echelons of the working world, they’ll tell you one of their key stumbling blocks is often that they’re set in their ways. Being adaptable shows that you’re not just easy to work with, but someone with the guts and know-how to lead a team or a company through challenges.
Park’s advice is deceptively simple, but she just might be onto something. And hey, if you’re truly one of those square pegs, at least you know which things to PRETEND to be around the office!
John Sundholm is a writer, editor, and video personality with 20 years of experience in media and entertainment. He covers culture, mental health, and human interest topics.
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