Asbury Park Press: Document Display

Asbury Park Press

Estimated printed pages: 3

April 8, 2004
Section: I
Page: 04

Personality workshop targets self-development
TERRY GAUTHIER MUESSIG/Staff Writer LOCAL NEWS
Staff

Are you an ISTJ or an ENFP?

Participants in a Learn Your Personality Type workshop sponsored by the Monmouth County Parks System took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality test to see exactly where they fit in a career, personal relationships and self-development.

"I took this test a few years ago at Brookdale (Community College in Lincroft)" Virginia Maita of Long Branch said.

However, Maita wanted to see if her personality type had changed. At present, she said she is a transportation coordinator. Although she said the results of the evenings test verified she was in the right career choice, she wanted to freshen-up her own insight to her personality.

"Knowing yourself and your personality can help you tremendously," said Nena Davis, owner and career counselor of Sage Counseling and Consulting in Matawan. "Lead with your best foot, know what you are best at."

Davis has been a counselor for six years. She is a graduate of Columbia University in New York and has counseled at New York University, Stern School of Business and at Columbia University, Barnard College.

The Myers-Briggs test is a questionnaire style self-assessment workout.

There are 93 questions to be answered.

The letters: I, E, S, N, T, F, P, and J signify where a person falls in the personality profile.

I is for introversion; E is for extraversion; S is for sensing; N is for intuition; T is for thinking; F is for feeling; J is for judging and P is for perceiving.

After filling out the four sections of the test, members of the group calculated what bracket they were in. Each personality type has four letters.

If a person is an ISTJ, he or she is in the introverted sensing with feeling category. According to some of Davis' notes, that person is known as the "guardian."

Some of the questions answered by this person included: plans work and follows plan; makes decisions quickly; can give criticism when appropriate; are logical; focuses on the task at hand; likes quiet for concentration and relys on facts to draw conclusions.

The career paths for the ISTJ's are extremely diverse. The choices include manager of small businesses, school bus drivers, dentists, accountants and steelworkers.

The same group has potential strengths in the ability to organize tasks; are decisive; they follow-through; can get things done and can maintain and preserve what works.

The characteristics frequently associated with this type are: quiet, serious, earn success by thoroughness and dependability. They are practical, matter-of-fact, realistic and responsible. They decide logically what should be done and work toward it steadily, regardless of distractions. They also take pleasure in making everything orderly and organized at work, at work and in their life. They value traditions and loyalty.

The ENFP group answered questions that indicated he or she were outgoing, enthusiastic and expressive. The activities they prefer are learning new tasks by talking and doing, working with others and think things out by discussing.

The ENFP personality type is warmly enthusiastic and imaginative. They see life as full of possibilities. Their potential strengths are new ideas and possibilities, enthusiasm and energy, have people skills, and are adaptive and creative.

The career choices for this group are counselor or psychologist, teacher, musician or composer, or a computer professional.

According to Davis this group is the "idealist."

There are multipule variations to the types, however, they all start with either the I or the E.

"I am changing careers," Christine Tuccillo of Point Pleasant said. Both Tuccillo and her sister Rose Dunn of Middletown were at the workshop.

Dunn has her own business Consultantsdotcom.com.

Tuccillo previous worked in the computer field as a technical support person. However, she is contemplating working with her sister as a technician recruiter.

"I wanted to make sure this was the right move, and that my personality was right for the job," Tuccillo said.

For more information about the testing program, call Davis at (732) 583-0810.

For more information about the park's programs, call (732) 842-4000.