Finkle - The Introverts Complete Career Guide: From Landing a Job, to Surviving, Thriving, and Moving on Up

This edition first published in 2019 by Career Press, an imprint of
Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC
With offices at:
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
www.careerpress.com

Copyright 2019 by Jane Finkle All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC.
Reviewers may quote brief passages.

ISBN: 978-1-63265-131-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Finkle, Jane, author.

Title: The introvert's complete career guide : from landing a job, to
surviving, thriving, and moving on up / by Jane Finkle.

Description: Newburyport, MA : Career Press, 2018. | Includes
bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018038604 | ISBN 9781632651310 (6 x 9 pbk. :
alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Introverts--Vocational guidance. | Success in business.
Classification: LCC HF5382.693 .F56 2018 | DDC 650.14--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018038604

Cover design by Kathryn Sky-Peck

Interior by Gina Schenck

Typeset in Adobe Garamond Pro and Book Antiqua

Printed in Canada
MAR

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

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To my parents, who were creative thinkers and encouraged me to pursue my interests.

And to the quiet ones who find the ingenuity and courage to find their voice and express it with power, however subtle.

I am an introvert. This reality revealed itself when I was very young. My mother would hand me a pot and a few utensils, and sit me on the tiled kitchen floor where I'd play on my own for hours. My older brother, on the other hand, was not tuned inward. Speaking freely to any stranger in his path, he demanded my mother's attention with his nonstop chatter. So when I came on the scene, my mother was amazed by the difference in our personalities. It pleased her that I could entertain myself with the simplest of props and required minimal human interaction. Of course, I was not the first of our family's introvertsin fact, I come from a long line of them. My grandmother's entrepreneurial spirit was supported by my quiet immigrant grandfather, who was content staying behind the scenes. And my socially timid father chronically complained of upcoming social gatherings, though in the end he thoroughly enjoyed such events despite his reticent nature.

Throughout my early years, as the floor tiles yellowed and life unfolded, I remained soothed by tranquil activities. Arts and crafts and reading provided a welcome balance to the drama of school interactions and social events. However, my quiet and reserved manner didn't prevent me from cultivating friendships. In fact, my reluctance to trumpet myself as bright and bold proved instrumental in attracting many friends. Like reading a good book, I enjoyed listening to their stories and coming up with ways to solve their problems. Most of all, I took pleasure in helping them rewrite a chapter in their lives that would lead to a happy ending. Looking back, it is no surprise that my particular form of introversion led to a career in counseling.

The nature of extroversion versus introversion sparks lively conversations regarding who demonstrates which of these tendencies and why. You may have already taken one of the online tests or the formal Myers Briggs (MBTI) inventory to discover where you fall on the spectrum. The MBTI assessment is a psychometric questionnaire that attempts to measure psychological preferences for how people perceive the world and make decisions. Conceptualized and developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Myers, the MBTI is based on psychiatrist Carl Jung's personality theory of psychological type. According to CPP Inc., the publisher of the MBTI instrument, it's the worlds most widely used personality assessment.

It is natural to want to fit into a category that gives us an identity, especially if that identity provides a better understanding of ourselves and others, and explains the nature of our interactions. But be careful of typecasting yourself. Instead, try to think of extroversion and introversion as natural preferences, rather than hard and fast, glued-on labels.

Where did all the hype about introversion and extroversion start? Carl Jung developed the theory known as psychological type, which characterizes people into personality patterns. According to Jung, extroversion and introversion represent two of these personality patterns that focus on a person's expression of energy.other hand, draws deeply from their internal world. Less showy and overt, they enjoy a life of solitude, so they can explore their feelings and ideas from within and reflect undisturbed on life.

An introvert is often portrayed as someone who lacks social skills, a person who prefers to peek out from behind the curtain, satisfied to remain a spectator. In contrast, extroverts are viewed as social butterflies who bask assuredly in the limelight, assuming their place is at center stage. Although the social swirl of life in which we engage can reflect our personality type, this common perception is not entirely accurate. The difference between introversion and extroversion has, in fact, much more to do with how we express and channel our energy.

Contrary to popular belief, introverts are not necessarily shy or anti-social. Instead, they are often sharp observers and listen well. Generally disinclined to barge in at the beginning of a meeting or social gathering, an introvert will likely stay quiet and reflective as the more effusive extroverts jump in to offer comments. Good listeners by design, introverts prefer to take in all pertinent information before speaking, but then very often surprise their audience by making relevant, thoughtful contributions.

Answer the following questions to help determine whether or not your personality type falls within the spectrum of introversion:

a. I love chatting people up.

b. I hate small talk and like to get to the point.

a. I am more interested in what's happening around me.

b. I am more interested in my own thoughts and feelings.

a. I am often described as energetic and active.

b. I am often described as calm and reserved.

a. I enjoy working with groups more than working independently on my own.

b. I can work with groups but crave time to work alone.

a. I am one of the first to respond to a sudden or unexpected question.

b. I hope that someone else responds first to a sudden or unexpected question.

a. I tell it like it is.

b. I keep my thoughts close to the vest.

a. I tend to think out loud.

b. I think before I speak.

a. I easily initiate conversations at networking and social events.

b. I enjoy listening to people when I first meet them at networking and social events.

a. I enjoy going out with friends or family on a weekend night.