文章
性格与失业
“对不起，我们不再需要您的服务了”，或者类似的话，可能会让普通的日子变成噩梦。意外或不想要的失业是痛苦的。它可能与失去亲人或离婚一样，对一个人的生活产生深远的影响——这取决于一个人对工作的投入程度。人们不必走太远就能找到关于这种宣布可能带来的心理、身体和关系损害的研究。失业并不是一件轻松的事。
在当今的经济环境下，任何不为自己工作的人都可能被解雇。工作保障与世界经济的起伏息息相关。然而，即使在最好的时期，裁员也时有发生。有时人们会因为自己做过的事情而被解雇，但更多时候是因为一些他们无法控制的事情。这两种情况都令人心碎，但第二种情况会让人感到特别脆弱。
最近，我的一位“探索者”朋友因裁员而失业。看着他以自己的方式处理这件事真是令人着迷——完全不像我处理的方式。我从他的态度中看到了一些独特的“探索者”特征。这种差异对他和他对待世界的方式很有帮助。但这反映了他性格类型的独特视角。
那么，不同性格类型的人处理意外失业问题时会有什么不同呢？即使两个人有共同的特征，他们也不会对任何事情做出完全相同的反应。但根据我们的理论和相关研究，我们可以安全地推测出不同性格类型的人对失业的反应。此外，还有一些常见陷阱，是特定于角色的，有些人可能需要避免这些陷阱才能成功过渡到新工作。
因此，虽然您可能从未失业过（或者您曾经失业过），但您可能知道对您来说很重要的人失业了。但即使您足够幸运地避免了这两种情况，本文也可能引发一些关于不同性格群体如何应对逆境的讨论。加入讨论并在下面的评论部分留下您的想法。
下岗哨兵
虽然历史上确实有人解雇过一两名哨兵，但更容易想象他们是因为裁员之类的原因被解雇的。这些性格类型的人通常非常谨慎，不会做出粗心或愚蠢的事情而遭到解雇。
- ：哨兵型员工通常全身心投入工作，通常对雇主或组织非常忠诚。很容易想象，他们对其他人也表现出同样的忠诚，包括那些有权解雇和雇用员工的人。他们最先受到的冲击可能是对自己的忠诚没有得到回报的失望。对他们来说，这种感觉就像是与一个不再能回报他们爱的人分手。哨兵型员工可能会想，他们本可以做些什么不同的事情，让他们的雇主对他们的忠诚度与他们对雇主的忠诚度一样。
- ：虽然哨兵型人格可能很快就会着手寻找另一份工作，但如果他们觉得上一家雇主“伤害”了他们，他们可能会有所保留。但哨兵型人格会做需要做的事情。如果他们需要钱，他们可能是最愿意找一份临时兼职工作的群体。值得赞扬的是，他们可能会把翻汉堡看作是无所事事的另一种选择，也是在找到更好的工作之前要走的负责任的道路。失业后，他们的全职“工作”将包括在找工作的同时维持经济状况。他们会像生活中做任何事情一样认真地四处寻找工作。
- ：对于哨兵型人来说，继续前进是理所当然的事情。然而，为了让它进展得更快，他们可能需要在思想和内心“抛弃”以前的工作。如果不小心，背负失望的包袱会拖慢他们的步伐。那些通过情感特质来做决定的哨兵型人可能比大多数人更需要克服背叛感。坚持这些想法会导致他们以怀疑和不情愿的态度看待未来的机会。
被裁外交官
外交官可能并不总是与他们的工作对象志同道合。他们有时梦幻般的理想主义不一定适合所有人。这可能包括组织中更加注重效率的决策者。无论失业的原因是什么，一些外交官人士总是想知道为什么高层不理解他们以及他们想要实现的目标。
震惊：像哨兵一样，外交官会觉得他们投资于他们不得不告别的工作。然而，与哨兵不同的是，它不太关心对公司或其领导者的忠诚度。这更多的是与他们灌输的目标感的努力分离。他们可能会感到惊讶，他们的上级没有看到他们工作的价值及其对组织的贡献。或者至少他们认为它没有足够的价值来保留外交官。外交官对一切事物都赋予了意义——即使是最平凡的工作。工作不仅仅是薪水。 “为什么他们没有看到我试图带来的好东西？”外交官可能会想知道。- The Aftershock: Diplomats are likely to spend a great deal of time debriefing and trying to decide what they have to learn from their job loss. If their job was their primary way of expressing their mission in life, they may spend time deciding which path to take without it and still keep a sense of purpose. They may take time to update a personal mission statement. They may even take courses, go to workshops and support groups or do something to understand life better and to improve themselves. They may see this introspection as a vital part of moving on.
- Moving on: After taking time to get through the mourning and to achieve a perspective on their old job, Diplomats should be ready for a more practical approach. Job hunting will be easier for them if they can take the time to process their loss and find meaning there. However, in a world with economic realities, taking too long to gaze at one’s navel may be counter-productive. Time off to regroup after a termination may be helpful unless it becomes the permanent state of things. Diplomats may need to set a cut-off point for “rediscovery” and become more aggressive about embracing practical solutions.
The Explorer Ex-Employee
While not immune to the pain of losing a job, Explorer personality types are perhaps the best-equipped to handle it. They are fiercely independent, not big on commitment, and flexible. It’s easy enough to see them shrugging their shoulders as they leave their employers’ offices for the last time and saying, “Who needs this? What’s next?” And sometimes they play fast and loose with the rules. For select Explorers, was this really that unexpected?
- The Shock: However, despite Explorer independence and flexibility, they may carry a little baggage that might make rejection at work painful. It may feel like high school all over again for some of them. Their way of thinking and doing don’t always line up with the organizations and systems in which they find themselves involved – even past high school. While they may enjoy playing the outsider on some level, an outsider is, nonetheless, on the outside. One is still rejected whether one instigates it or doesn’t. Being terminated or laid-off can echo other rejections Explorers have experienced and may be a blow to their self-esteems.
- The Aftershock: Once Explorers have licked their wounds, they are probably the readiest to get through any recovery period and move on. They are comfortable adapting to new things and might even develop a level of excitement when thinking about a different job or career. Like the Sentinel, they will be practical about doing what needs to be done to get by until they find something permanent. Unlike the Diplomat, these personalities probably won’t spend a lot of time ruminating about their lots in life and their ongoing purposes. However, since so much of their interest is in skill-based work, they may find that being in-between jobs is a good time to further hone their skills.
- Moving on: If they don’t let a termination trounce their self-esteem too badly, the average Explorer will be ready to move along quickly. After all, they are famous for thinking on their feet. For them, moving on is a matter of getting past any insecurities and letting the pathfinder inside them shine brightly enough to get a potential employer’s attention.
The Cast Adrift Analyst
Not all reasons for termination make sense. Perfectly good employees are laid-off all the time. For the rational Analyst, the lack of a clear reason could be a tough thing for them. These personality types rely so heavily on rationality that a termination without a good explanation might be bewildering. Even with a good reason, it may difficult for the average Analyst to reconcile what is happening with what they think should be happening.
- The Shock: Analysts see their rational approach as the only one that makes sense. Because of this, they may see themselves as the smartest people in the room – and many times they are. It may disturb them to be rejected by an employer for any reason. However, it will be easier for them if that reason has a strong rational basis. For example, they may handle being laid-off during downsizing fairly well if they are the most recent person hired. However, if a termination has something to do with personality conflicts or just feels like an arbitrary decision, Analysts might find the whole thing jolting.
- The Aftershock: Unwanted terminations take control out of the hands of those being terminated, at least temporarily. The Analysts’ natural need to solve problems or fix situations may be frustrated. They may need to determine what they still have control over and let go of the things they don’t. While “what if” is a powerful part of the Analyst psyche, it is better if it is pointed at the future rather than toward the past. They may overthink losing their job. While processing what happened and learning any possible lessons can be valuable, to obsess on it can prevent moving on. Not everything in life is a riddle to be solved or a dilemma to resolve. Sometimes letting go is the real solution.
- Moving on: The successful transition for Analysts will happen when they accept that they can’t change the termination, at least without the help of a time machine. When their rationality switches gears and moves from dissecting the past to doing what it does best – anticipating a more reasonable future.
A Word About Strategy
One of the biggest problems many find when they lose a job is missing the company of colleagues. Sometimes, friendships or even something akin to extended families develop at work. Termination can mean sudden and unexpected isolation during the day and limit the availability of old friends from the job.
While Introverts might even welcome the time alone on some level, this would be harder for Extraverts. Since social connection is one source of energy for Extraverts, being disconnected from the workplace can be quite a challenge. They may be left with a yearning for comradery.
Someone with an Extraverted personality type might especially benefit from getting together with other job-hunters at workshops or group meetings often held in community centers or churches. Even if they are on solid financial footing and can take their time finding a new position, a part-time job or a volunteering opportunity might help them cope better between jobs.
Those with the Turbulent trait are also more vulnerable after a termination. The Assertive personality types are more naturally resilient. They are likely to attribute their dismissal to things other than their own characteristics or efforts. Turbulent people, however, may take their dismissal to heart and are likely to personalize the experience more than even perhaps is warranted.
While a little critical self-assessment can help us grow, too much can undermine our self-confidence and create a paralysis. Perhaps finding an objective ear to listen to some of their concerns and to give feedback may be of help to the those who lean more Turbulent. A therapist, counselor (job or otherwise) or spiritual advisor might come in handy during such times.