What is the first thing that attracts you to a job? Is it the salary, the ability to work flexibly or an absence of red flags like mentions of a ‘fast-paced environment’ or feeling like a ‘family’? When trawling through LinkedIn or other job sites, do you stop to consider whether it would suit you as an introvert or extrovert? And if you don’t, should you?

Recent studies on the best jobs for introverts often include independent roles like writing, research and software development, while extroverts are encouraged to pursue sales, teaching and public relations. But is there any truth to this, and should you be designing your career around your personality type for maximum success?

According to Victoria McLean, CEO and founder of award-winning career consultancy City CV, it’s definitely worth considering where you’ll naturally thrive. “Say you’ve got two jobs on the table: one in a fast-paced, people-facing environment, while the other is more autonomous with space for meaningful one-to-one interactions. If the salary and benefits are similar, the deciding factor is likely to be: where will I feel most confident? Which setting brings out my best? And that’s largely a personality consideration,” she explains.

Of course, when your role aligns with your natural energy – whether introverted or extroverted – everything clicks a bit more easily. You’re more focused, confident, productive and, crucially, less likely to feel drained or burnt out by your day-to-day. It also helps you advocate for what you need. “If you know you do your best thinking solo, you can ask for protected focus time,” says McLean. “If you thrive on interaction, you might push for more collaborative work. Self-awareness makes those conversations more constructive and helps your manager to understand what actually fuels your performance.”

However, she insists that you shouldn’t let your personality type define your choices. “I’ve coached high-flying introverts who thrive in leadership roles and extroverts who’ve found huge success in solo work. Your personality shapes how you work best, not what you can do,” she adds. 

A common mistake she sees people make is limiting themselves with levels. “I see this all the time. Someone says, ‘Oh, I’m an introvert so I’d be rubbish in sales,’ or ‘I’m too extroverted to sit at a desk all day,’ and suddenly they’ve ruled out a whole range of possibilities,” she explains. “People are nuanced; we’re not just one thing. You might be an introvert who loves presenting in front of a room or an extrovert who finds real satisfaction in independent work. It’s not always clear cut.”

But aside from whether you’re introverted or extroverted, McLean advises considering your values, motivators and working style while job hunting. “Ask yourself: do you love structure or flexibility? Are you driven by purpose, creativity or collaboration? What kind of culture brings out your best? What makes you feel drained?” she says. “These are the golden threads that tie everything together, and they’re way more impactful than any personality label, and  understanding why you love certain tasks and what energises you is the real key to finding a role that matches your needs.”

Images: Adobe